"Your Interior" has been designing and sewing curtains for nearly 15 years! We know everything there is to know about curtains. Our articles often cover various topics, such as which curtains suit different interior styles, the types of curtains available, how to choose curtains, and dozens of other subjects. However, we haven't delved into history very often. In this article, we'll explore the history of curtains, what the first curtains looked like, and how they evolved over centuries. We hope you find this information interesting.

What did the first curtains look like?

The first curtain was a far cry from the familiar drapes we have today. It likely hung at the entrance to a tent somewhere in the Middle Eastern desert in the early days of civilization. The fabric provided some seclusion but also, being water-absorbent, served as a primitive air conditioner, softening the hot desert winds.

The evolution of curtains and windows in interiors

As you can see, the curtains we are familiar with in interiors, which cover windows, initially had different functions and forms. And windows, as such, didn't even exist at that time. The word for window comes from the Anglo-Saxon "vindr eage," meaning "wind eye." In Europe, the first windows began to appear in the Middle Ages. They were made of small pieces of glass connected together with lead strips. Glass was an expensive material and a privilege of the wealthy, so the windows were very small. Another reason for their small size was that people sought to reduce the influence of the environment. The window was also complemented by wooden shutters, which were usually used to protect against light and cold, as well as to maintain privacy.

However, such windows were not decorated with curtains. Fabric curtains or drapes were made by hand. Most often, they were used on walls as decorations or to zone rooms in large castles, country or city houses. They were also used as canopies around beds to prevent drafts and provide privacy.

At the end of the 17th century, a new process was developed in France that allowed for the production of larger sheets of "plate" glass. Houses began to be built with significantly larger windows, with much more complex shapes, such as beautiful bay windows. It was during this period that windows began to be decorated with fabric. And from around 1750, the wealthy and increasingly affluent middle class began to use curtains and draperies on their windows in the same way we do today. However, fabrics were still made by hand and were very expensive. There are even mentions of thieves using special hooks to reach through the windows of the rich, snatch curtains, and steal the valuable fabric.

The impact of the Industrial Revolution on the development of curtain production By the 1840s, when the Industrial Revolution had reached its full effect, fabrics could be produced much more cheaply using looms and other equipment, and curtains began to appear in the homes of ordinary people. High-quality fabrics could now be woven at much lower costs and with more attractive designs, including flowers and leaves, as well as fine contours in patterns inspired by French fabrics.

There were also innovations in dyeing and printing. While in the early 19th century, dyes were made from plant and animal substances that were difficult to reproduce consistently, in 1856, William Perkins discovered the first aniline dye, a purple color. Other synthetic dyes appeared in the 1860s, 1870s, and 1880s. Roller printing was also introduced from the mid-1820s using engraved rollers, which was much faster than block printing.

In the 1860s, William Morris and Thomas Wardle rejected synthetic dyes and used natural pigments to create printed fabrics that they began selling as furnishing fabrics. However, many consumers preferred the brighter colors offered by synthetic dyes. It took time for William Morris and his projects to be appreciated and popularized. However, they influenced not only interior design in the Victorian style but also modern design, art, and crafts. And the English company MORRIS & CO still produces high-quality fabrics for interiors that can be viewed and ordered in our decor salons.  

Victorian curtain design

Victorians loved heavy curtains for the living room, often consisting of several layers - they perfectly protected from cold drafts in their cold houses. There were several other reasons for this fondness for heavily decorated heavy curtains: they valued their privacy and wanted to exclude the outside world from the cozy home space. Also, curtains protected valuables from damage by sunlight. And of course, curtains allowed them to demonstrate their wealth and taste through the color, pattern, texture, and surface of the curtain fabric, as well as the design and craftsmanship that were required in their manufacture.

Victorian fabric drapery (net curtain) White fabric was also popular during this era, especially for bedroom curtains. Lace and lightweight cotton fabrics such as muslin were used to create a fresh and clean design. Victorian window dressing often combined these two contrasting approaches, which are already familiar to us: heavy curtains layered over delicate white net fabrics. Everything was finished with a massive cornice and intricate tiebacks with tassels.

The several layers of window coverings used by the Victorians typically consisted of a wooden shutter next to the glass and up to three separate sets of curtains in the main rooms of the house. Lower curtains made of lace or transparent fabric, a middle set of curtains on a velvet or damask lining, and an upper pair made of dense material such as tapestry. A pelmet was used to decorate the top of the window, and long curtains were hung on large hooks so that they fell to the floor. The lower curtains were made of thin translucent fabric for a reason. At that time, no attention was paid to sunlight entering the room. It was simply easier to wash and cheaper to replace than other heavier layers of curtains, and the first layer of window coverings would collect dirt faster than others. Of the three layers, usually only the first and middle curtains were opened and closed.

Curtain fabrics mostly had a brown, black, or other dark background with smaller spots of various dark colors traditionally included in the pattern. The pelmet was made of wood or gypsum and served to hide the curtain rod and any mechanical details.

Over time, the design and manufacture of curtains have been simplified and become accessible, and even obligatory for all segments of the population. Today, it is rare to see a "bare" window without curtains, as curtains are an indispensable decoration for any home.