"Pay no attention to that man behind the curtain." - The Wizard of Oz
Curtains and its variants such as blinds, drapes and shades are important accessories for door and windows in every home. They are used primarily for two purposes - privacy and aesthetics. Let’s now dig into 4 intriguing facts about these pieces of cloth.
1. Earliest known blinds were made from bamboo and reeds
The history of blinds dates back centuries. Like all human inventions in history, the origination of blinds was influenced by availability of resources in a particular geographical location. In ancient Egypt, reeds were laid into mats which were then hung over windows as blinds. The Chinese and Japanese used naturally occurring bamboos instead of reeds for the same purpose.
2. Venetian blinds aren't from Venice
All this time we believed without questioning that Venetian blinds were from Venice. They are not actually from Venice. In fact, they were invented by Persia and the Venetians only discovered it around the 18th century. Gradually, the Venetians introduced the blinds to rest of Europe.
3. Curtains are just few centuries old
Curtains in the form of door hangings and room dividers preceded window curtains. The latter gained popularity only during the 17th century in affluent British households. They used cloth curtains across the recesses to prevent cold wind from entering indoors. By the 18th century, curtain fabrics made of silks and velvet become available.
4. Window dressing was a practice to show off one’s wealth
Generally, people nowadays are happy with a rod and two drapes. But it was a different story in the past. To show off one's wealth, people used to fully dress their windows with items such as valance and cornice. They arranged an attractive display of these decorative materials like one would find in shop windows at present.
Conclusion
Curtains on windows and doors are as essential as clothes on our body. Apart from preventing heat, light and dust from entering indoor, they adorn our homes with style and grace. These materials form a big part of interior design ideas too. These days, one can select and buy curtains online with ease. Remember the saying, the beauty of a woman lies in her hair; the beauty of a room lies in the curtain. It is time to beautify your home now if you haven’t yet.
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