Your room is very beautiful, and I think that the valances work well. They add some dimension without distracting. They will not fight any art, furniture, or accessories that you might add. However do I spy vertical blinds next door? IMO they are not usually an attractive element.

Thank you. Yes, there are currently vertical blinds that are needing to be replaced. Haven’t gotten around to that yet. Any suggestions?

The valances are not 'lost'. They blend in for a soothing look. Have them remade relaxed. Think long and hard about the blue trim.

Vertical blinds are probably over a doorway and much more functional than swaths of fabric that draperies are.

The existing valances work well; they are understated and elegant. Beautiful fabric. I really don’t think they need alteration or additional trim.

I agree with everybody else. Your valances arent distracting, in fact they look tailored and beautiful in your room. I wouldnt let the designer mess around with them by sewing fabric or trim or whatever her idea is. Maybe add some contrast or pattern to the room. From the picture it seems pretty simple. Since you didnt show all of the room, im not sure but you probably can add a little color and texture in other ways.

IMO Get a laywer. Did you have a contract? Go with JC Penney custom curtains. I've had a valalnce and a roman blind installed and they look great. In this picture they did the valance - not the curtain in my living room. This is on a gigantic sliding glass door.

It would probably be much less $$ to paint the wall a different color, if you could do it without having to paint the whole room/house. They look quite nice, but are so close to the paint color that they disappear. The wall a bit darker (or even lighter) would feature them nicely.
If that won't work, and you're considering tossing them, I'd probably see about having them dyed for a bit more contrast.

I think they are subtle and blend nicely with the fireplace, I wouldn't change anything with them. Consider updating the fan to something that compliments wood tones better. @Elaine Doremus Resumes Written, good grief call a lawyer??? C'mon, the designer isn't even finished yet......

jackowskib, I think Elaine was referring to the contract with the seamstress rather than the designer, since the valances were made in the wrong style.

As nice as others think they may look, they are not what you ordered so you are disappointed. Your designer is responsible for making this right. Why did the seamstress not discuss the fabric issue with the designer? I find them boring. Part of the problem is there are so many straight lines on and around the windows. The windows themselves, the pleated shades, the stone, the valances, the mantel.... Adding blue trim will just enhance that. You probably don't want to paint the trim but also adds to the visual lines. I always prefer the shades to match the trim so there isn't the stark contrast that you have now. Not sure you can remake these to relaxed but again the designer & seamstress are responsible for making this right. Whatever you do on the slider needs to be hung up at the same height as the windows. Good luck I know how expensive custom work can be and it's not fun to be disappointed

Your eye goes right to the fireplace, which should be a focal point in the room. The valences look great. Do you have pictures of what you ordered? Sometimes it’s hard to describe things verbally, is this a case of miscommunication or a genuine mistake that the designer is trying to sweep under the rug? Not victim blaming, just a bit confused on what you ordered.

Thanks @BlueberryBundtcake - 6a/5b MA. So I imagine if the seamstress was paid directly, that's basically saying the workmanship is accepted.

Thank you for all your comments and suggestions. Fortunately the seamstress is very nice and said she will work with me on getting these right as the drawings from the designer were relaxed. I just had the house painted a month ago so I’d like to avoid redoing that, but it could be an option and I did replace the ceiling fan since taking that picture.

Just start over. Get proper curtains, lose the utilitarian look of blinds. and COLOR you NEED color!!

I would not do the blue trim when she starts working on them again.

I completely agree with you - in fact, I had to look closely at your picture to even see them. I'm glad that the seamstress is going to do them as you wished and expected. Still ... I'd like to see pattern/color there. But that's just me.

IMO those are perfect the FP is the focal point and I think relaxed roman shades look sloppy. If you want to fight about then you need to read the contract and I sure would not add stripes of fabric in a color .BTW I have no idea of the rest of the space without pictures

I like them as they are. They don't distract from the fireplace, or the lovely wood window trim which I think is a great feature of the room. They add texture but don't become focal points - colored trim would draw the eye too much.

I suppose whether they should be remade to be "relaxed" depends on the rest of your decor style. Just looking at that one wall, though, they seem to suit the bones of the house just right.

The color and the fabric are fine because you want the fireplace to be the star. To me the problem is that these don't lie flat. I don't know if this is the seamstress's fault or not. In any case, have them remade relaxed.

They're pretty and they match the shades really well. I wouldn't try tinkering with them. Focus on relocating the TV so a nice piece of art could hang above the mantel to add some life to the room.

... the valances get lost in the room ... she made traditional Roman shades instead of relaxed ...

I agree with your assessment. At first glance, I didn't see them at all. They blend in, and it bothers me that they cut off the top of the wooden trim without adding anything of value. I'd rather have no curtain.

trying to revamp the valances by adding some fabric banding (bringing in a blue color) on the sides and possibly along the top and having them remade into a relaxed style ...

I don't see how a blue band could help this. I would definitely prefer a more relaxed style, which would add some fullness, but I don't see how these can be "remade", as more fabric would be required.

It would probably be much less $$ to paint the wall a different color,

I like the paint and would not want to re-do it.

I'd say either go with no curtains, or start fresh.

Since the designer and the seamstress seem to have dropped the ball by changing the style and the fabric, they need to bear some of the cost.

I don't see how a blue band could help this. I would definitely prefer a more relaxed style, which would add some fullness, but I don't see how these can be "remade", as more fabric would be required.

This is true. They can't be made into a relaxed style. Since they didn't give you what you asked and paid for, they should be remade from scratch at their cost.

Keep 'em, and definitely don't put blue trim on them! I think this ended up being a "happy" mistake.

If too many things in the room draw attention, it looks unbalanced. Let the fireplace be the star and leave the Roman shades as they are.

The more square look of the Roman shades look better with the overall style of your house than the curved relaxed Roman shades. It better suits the fireplace design. To me the relaxed look seems more country-ish.

They are fine. But since they were not what you asked or paid for, have them give you a steep discount for making drapes for your sliders instead of re-making the roman shades. I'd use the same fabric with a rod at the ceiling above the transom window.

I think they look fine. And I really love seeing Wonder Woman engrossed in a project at the table!

Traditional window treatments are WAY too overly-designed and overly contrasting. Contrast isn't always better. These give a nice chic cozy ski-lodge look. Be happy. I think the room is lovely, as are they. There are so many that if they were contrasting they would have completely overwhelmed the room.