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A pelmet (also called a "cornice board") is a framework placed above a window, used to conceal curtain fixtures. These can be used decoratively (to hide the curtain rod) and also help insulate the window by preventing convection currents. It is similar in appearance to a valance, which performs the same function but is made of fabric. A pelmet can be made of plywood, and may be painted, or fabric covered.
Exterior timber pelmets are a feature of some historic buildings, fitted on the outside of a window. These may be plain or decorative, with complex fretwork in some examples. These may be purely decorative, or serve to conceal an external blind mechanism.
Due to the appearance of a pelmet, the term is often used to describe an extremely short skirt.