Fun Facts! Things You Never Thought You'd Want to Know About Window Treatments

My guess is you look at yours every day without considering
where they came from and why you have them hanging in your windows. Window treatments
have a rich history, and can be found in some interesting places. Did you know… 

1. Venetian
   Blinds were invented by the Persians, not the Venetians. Venetian merchants
   brought them to Europe, and European artists used them in their works, making them extremely popular there in the 15^th and 16^th centuries. There is also evidence that the Japanese invented Venetian blinds.
2. The
   earliest form of window treatment was made from animal hide. People who
   lived in warmer climates would soak them in water and allow the wind to
   blow through the wet material, creating an air conditioner-like effect.
3. There
   is evidence suggesting that ancient Egyptians tied reeds together and hung
   them in openings to create privacy. There is also evidence that the
   Chinese were doing this with bamboo.
4. Windows
   with slatted blinds were found in Pompeii;
   archaeologists uncovered homes containing unmovable marble slats in the
   windows.
5. American
   inventor John Hampson was granted the U.S. patent for the tilt
   mechanism in 1841. Nearly all blinds hanging today operate using this device.
6. At
   the beginning of the 19^th century, many spoke out against the
   use of draperies, saying they were too expensive, too dusty, and too hard
   to make.
7. In
   1833 it was recommended that window fabrics match other upholstery in the
   room exactly. Ten years later, this concept was thrown out as the “in”
   look, and efforts were made for draperies to simply compliment other upholstery
   in a room.
8. Draperies
   became exponentially popular in the 19^th century, when textiles
   were more readily available due to manufacturing.
9. Wealthy
   families who could afford it always had “fully dressed” windows: valance, cornice,
   sheer drapery panels on top of opaque panels, hardware, and tiebacks. Today,
   standard draperies include two panels and a rod.
10. Two
    of the most memorable movie moments about draperies both involving turning
    old draperies into clothing. Think Scarlet O’Hara and her green velvet dress,
    and the von Trapp family children traipsing through Vienna in “nothing but some old drapes.”
11. Many
    famous works of art feature blinds and draperies. Two notable pieces are Lorenzo
    Lotto’s Young Man against a White Curtain and Edmund C. Tarbell’s The Venetian Blind.