Why do we call them Venetian Blinds?
Window coverings are nothing new. As long as people have lived in dwellings, there has been a need to shut out the light when the sun is strong and to keep their home warm during colder months.
The venetian blind is a development on the traditional cloth window covering, but the reason behind it being called a venetian blind is clouded in mystery.
Eastern promise
There is no evidence to suggest that this was a particular style of blind that was developed in Venice. The more common thought is that the early Venetians, who traded widely throughout the Middle East, brought this type of window covering back from Persia (modern day Iran). Indeed, the form of blind with vertical hanging slats is still known as a Persian blind.
However, it wasn’t until freed Venetian slaves migrated to Paris, taking with them their own styles and trades, that this style of blind really caught on. In fact, in France, this type of blind is actually known as “Les Persiennes”, reflecting its true origins, but in the Anglophone world, the Venetian moniker stuck.
Go West
As time went by, this style of blind started to gain popularity in other European countries, with the earliest recorded patent in England being registered by Gowin Knight in 1760.
It also spread with migrants to the new world. One of the earliest records of use in North America was by Englishman John Webster who set up shop in Philadelphia in 1767. Indeed St Peter’s Church in the city is recorded to have such blinds in 1761.
Doing the business
Venetian blinds really came into their own during the 19th and 20th centuries in offices, as they offered durability, ease of use and value for money, when compared to other types of window dressing. However it was in the post war period, with austerity finally at an end, that people looked towards new age materials and styles to modernise their homes. The Venetian blind offered the right blend of style and technology to fit right in with this new trend in interior design.
As their use became more widespread, venetian blinds saw a number of innovations. John Hampson from New Orleans is credited with coming up with the tilt mechanism which is a feature of virtually all modern venetian blinds, allowing the angle of the slats to be changed by twisting a rod, normally located to the side of the blind itself.
Modern materials
Venetian blinds can be made from all manner of materials. Traditionally, wood was widely used but in modern times, metals such as aluminium have proved popular due to their lightweight and durable nature, along with their resistance to moisture, meaning they are ideal for use in kitchens and bathrooms.
With modern technology, they can be made in a wide variety of colours, to give homeowners a great choice from metallic finishes and natural wood effects, to bold colours such as red venetian blinds.
You can just as easily get your blinds made to measure, with perfect fit blinds that cover your window pane to its exact measurements.
With so many different designs on offer, it’s no wonder that this type of window dressing is now so popular throughout the home. However misleading the name may be, the Venetian blind has certainly come a long way since its humble beginnings.