Heritage Homes - Window Treatments

Question: What window treatments are appropriate for a heritage house?

Window treatments should be chosen to enhance the qualities and character of the home's windows.

 There are a myriad of books and information on how to create window treatments. Recreating a certain look that is appropriate for a turn of the century or arts and crafts interior requires knowledge about what was popular during the era you choose as your "set point" or decorating year. For example, your house might be C1900 but you may choose 1920 as your set point so that your decorating is in synch with 1920, not 1900. This means you would have accessories and furniture before 1920 but not after.

One of the first things you must consider is the socio economic level of your home's original occupants. Were they wealthy? Would the house have been considered higher end at the time? If so, highly formal or ornate window treatments would be suitable, but not if the house was a modest middle class home.

The proposed window treatment must be appropriate for the room as well. The style for a bedroom will naturally differ from that of a dining room, or parlor.

It must be remembered that, although certain eras are known for a particular look, its opposite in terms of ornamentation or style existed, more often than not, simultaneously. The ornate Victorian styles did not change overnight upon the death of Queen Victoria in 1901. The "Arts and Crafts" movement existed alongside "High Victorian" in the latter part of the 19th century, and continued well into the early 1920's.

The Edwardian styles influenced home design from the beginning of King Edward's reign in 1901, until the latter part of the first world war - long after his death in 1910. The more rural an area was, the longer these styles influenced the building and decorating of homes.

Complicated Victorian window treatments featuring cornices or pelmets, (a top treatment made of wood) lush fabric side panels, elaborate valances and yards of lace gave way to softer simpler styles at the turn of the century. Although cornices were still in evidence during 1900 in higher end homes, their styles were less ornate. Where wood trim (millwork) had almost always been painted or stained dark brown, it was now often painted white

Lace panels were inserted inside window casings in order to show off beautiful woodwork. The more ornate lace designs were saved for the "public" rooms, whereas simpler styles were featured in the bedrooms.

Simple roller blinds provided privacy as required. Chintz fabrics in designs that coordinated with the wallpaper in the room were also extremely popular for bedrooms.

Kitchen window treatments were almost ignored. In the late Victorian era most families, except the very poor could afford at least one servant. The concept that the environment the domestics worked in should be attractive did not occur to the owners. Thus, many windows were left unadorned. In middle class homes, where the women in the home did their own cooking and baking, simple rod pocket window treatments were favored in cotton prints such as gingham  or plain colored cottons. Roller shades were functional as well.

Another window "treatment" that was extremely popular was stained glass. Stained glass was found in Victorian homes up until the 1920's. Only the patterns and colors changed. The fluid organic designs of the Art Nouveau period (think Tiffany) stained glass moved towards a more geometric style influenced by the Arts and Crafts movement. Incorporating stained glass into your window treatments if you don't have the original is one of the fastest ways of creating a period look.

 

Arts and crafts designs are devoid of extraneous ornamentation, preferring to highlight shape, structure and above all, honesty in materials. Because it espoused a "back to basics" philosophy, the styles of window treatments and colors used were based on nature: muted gray blues, and Gray greens, browns, warm grays, terra cotta, and golds.

The most popular fabric and wallpaper designs were based on flora from designer William Morris's own English country garden. Today these designs are replicated on fabrics and are great for use in window treatments.

Garden or bay windows with casement style opening anchored by a window seat were popular during the Arts and Crafts period. Homespun fabrics with embroidered designs of stylized plants such as the gingko, were very popular. Lace panels were still popular , as were sheers made of muslin, and voile but the designs featured woven stripes, spots, or figurative patterns.

The curtains were hung on simple rods of copper or wrought iron. Often they were half curtains layered one over another, but in all cases the look was "cottage" and unpretentious.

This is but an introduction to period window treatments than can be adapted to your own home. Do your research at libraries, or visit historic homes to gain information on what was available was and is available today.

If you decide to have a professional window consultant help you make sure that they know about period design. This knowledge, combined with the unique needs of your home and family , will ensure that your window treatments are both functional and historically appropriate.

A period window treatment will pull together a room like no other single decorating element can do.

Written By Johanne Yakula

Sources: From Times Past Antique Furniture and Accessories

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