What you never knew about the history of the Venetian blind

Of all types of blinds, it is surely Venetian blinds that are the most curious mix of the distant past and the cutting-edge present. On one hand, they couldn’t possibly seem more contemporary, with their crisp and clean aesthetic, which has helped to make them a widespread sight in offices as well as homes. But on the other hand, they are also of a deceptively simple design that has been in use for centuries. Here at Express Nets (http://www.expressnets.co.uk), we thought we’d delve into the history of these fascinating blinds.

Venetian blinds today remain instantly identifiable, due to their slats – tending to be made from wood, metal or vinyl – which have been strung together to form an entire set of blinds, operating as one blind. You can swirl or turn a simple adjuster rod to uniformly move the slats into an open position to allow in more light, or close them to block light. The basic principle has been the same since people first began to use a form of slattered covering on their windows. In hot temperatures, wet cloths would once be placed on the slats, and whenever there was a sufficient breeze, a cooling effect would be produced from the air being forced through the slats and over the damp cloths – a precursor to air conditioning, one might say.

Fast-forward a few years, and the Egyptians were using reeds harvested from bulrush plants to make their own window blinds, while the Chinese were to favour the stalks of native bamboo plants. It is thought that the name Venetian blinds, together with the blinds as we now know them, originated from Persia, where traders on their journeys from Venice would spot the blinds and bring them home for the benefit of their compatriots.

By the late 19^th and early 20^th centuries, Venetian blinds were becoming a familiar sight in office buildings, by which time their structure and operation had significantly evolved to increase their functionality, ease of use and attractiveness to the average buyer. This helped to make them preferable to other types of curtains and blinds for the regulation of light and air. Venetian blinds were adopted for Rockefeller Center’s RCA Building in New York City, and it wasn’t long until other large modern complexes in the US followed suit – including the iconic Empire State Building. 

Today, the Venetian blind unsurprisingly remains a massive hit among homeowners and business owners alike, with a wide range of styles and colours making it easy for someone to find a version of this highly practical window covering to match their own requirements. Featuring such more recent innovations as excess slat storage integrated into the bottom bar and unique easy rise systems rendering awkward free-hanging cords unnecessary, the current Venetian cheap blinds of Express Nets (http://www.expressnets.co.uk) routinely combine the best of both the past and present of this wonderfully functional and visually pleasing blind.

Editor’s Note: Express Nets (http://www.expressnets.co.uk) are represented by the search engine advertising and digital marketing specialists Jumping Spider Media. Email: info@jumpingspidermedia.co.uk or call: +44 (0)20 3070 1959 / +34 952 783 637.