Window Blinds

Window blinds have come a long way since traditional white aluminum mini blinds stole the decorating scene in the late ’70s and early ’80s. In fact, in 1981, mini blinds occupied 70 to 80 percent of the entire window covering market in America. In the mid ’80s, larger slats (also called louvers) became popular, causing many sets of blinds to look more like shutters. But do you really know when blinds first came on the market? When you see the answer, you’ll be surprised.

The first window blinds were made out of Nile reeds in Egypt, thousands of years ago.

The first window blinds were made out of Nile reeds in Egypt, thousands of years ago. Ancient Egyptians wove reeds together and used them as mats, rugs, and blinds–a true multi-purpose invention! Similarly, the Chinese have used bamboo blinds for centuries. The desire for natural-looking blinds has never truly faded–wood and faux wood blinds are widely available today.

In medieval and Renaissance Europe, shutters covered the outside of windows, with nothing covering the inside except perhaps heavy draperies or a tapestry. When glass windows started becoming affordable to the growing middle class in Georgian England (around the beginning of the Industrial Revolution), that’s when shutters moved inside and became a bit smaller. Two-inch wooden shutters became indoor window blinds, and when English colonists shipped out to America, they brought the idea of blinds with them.

Blinds made of wood with one- or two-inch slats (known as Venetian blinds) surged in popularity in the 1930s. It wasn’t until fifty years later than lighter weight one-inch aluminum slat blinds took the market by storm. Today, your options have exploded. You can choose from honeycomb blinds, vinyl blinds, silhouette shades, and more. Bamboo blinds and woven reed blinds are also still around, albeit in a technologically updated form. At Decorating Depot, we offer these types of window blinds and more at the best prices you’ll find online.

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