Saturday, October 25, 2008

A History of Windows

By Herbert Reich

From the earliest times, humans have placed openings in the walls of their homes to let in light and air. The names of these openings have ranged from eyehole or eye door to more exotic sounding names like fenestra, which described a window with glass in it. Whatever it was called, it is clear that people wanted them even at the expense of comfort sometimes. You see early on windows were many times openings with nothing in them, a hole in the architecture if you will that not only let in light and air but heat and bugs as well. Not to mention cold in the wintertime. The progression to modern windows went something like this.

Early people used varieties of materials to cover their windows to keep undesirable elements out. Some of the first materials were animal hides that were harvested from animals killed for food. Cloth would be the next material used to cover windows followed by wood. You may think that shutters were invented to protect glass but that is not the case.

After the invention of glass, glass windows came to be used in medieval Europe, at least in the homes of the wealthy. The better of would have windows made from mullioned glass - small pieces of glass bound together by leading. Poorer people would often have windows made of paper, something which was common in Japan and China. Windows were also made from flattened horn and even thin sheets of marble. Until the industrial revolution, the technology to create the floor to ceiling windows we know today did not exist.

The mass production of glass made possible by the industrial revolution led to the creation of a variety of window styles. The most common type of windows seen in the UK is the double hung sash window. These windows consist of two panes which have a slight overlap and slide up and down in the window frame. While the methods used to balance the panes have been improved, the construction remains much the same as ever. These windows were typically balanced with weights and pulleys, but now springs are more commonly used. While still the most common type of window, there many other types used. You may see bay windows, skylights and picture windows in use - demonstrating the great progress which has been made since the first person made a hole in their walls to let in the sunlight. These are necessities in our homes are also a part of our home dcor.

No matter how your home is decorated, you are going to want some type of window coverings. These have also been greatly improved over the centuries, with blinds, drapes and curtains all available. Personally, my favorite is the Roman Shade, which is available in a wide variety of textures and colors and adds an elegant touch to any room. - 15615

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