History of curtains - 18th century

History of Curtains - The 18th Century

So much can be learnt from looking to the past, and soft furnishings are no exception. Join me on my visit to the Museum of the Home in London to discover the antique window dressings on display.

The Late 18th Century Room

Pull Up Curtains

• Dating back to around the 18th century, this pull up design is one of the earliest curtain styles. They would have reached down to the floor to keep the heat in at night, and at pulled up in the day to let in the light.
• It can be inspiring to observe the techniques used to create these historic designs, and interpret them into a modern project. For example, a pencil pleat curtain header is one way to achieve a similar fullness - a technique you will learn in this course.
• This style would now be known as an Austrian, or festoon, blind.
• Interestingly, this style is very much a hybrid of what we now know separately as curtains and blinds. The mechanics work in a very similar way to modern blinds, except they are floor length and gathered like a curtain is today.

Aesthetics vs. Practicality

• The introduction of pull up curtains marked a shift from curtains previously being exclusively practical, to window dressings becoming a style element within a room.
• This shift was in part the result of an increase in textile trading. Silk had begun to be imported from the Far East, and pockets of textile production in Belgium, the UK and France were starting to become established.
• Experimentation began as influences from around the world became more readily available. Everything became a little more ornate and decorative, with the introduction of things like trimmings.