Window treatment is the general term for the curtains, blinds, shutters, pelmets, valances and other fittings used to dress a window, control light and privacy, and frame the view. In historic interiors it covers both the textiles themselves and the poles, rails, cornices, tiebacks and hardware that support them.
In grand houses of the seventeenth and early eighteenth centuries, windows were often fitted with internal wooden shutters, while curtains were simple and functional. Through the eighteenth century festoon and drapery curtains became fashionable, often with carved and gilded cornices, and the Regency period favoured elaborate swags and tails, sometimes illustrated in design books of the day. Victorian windows were dressed with layers of heavy fabric, lace and blinds to protect furnishings from light and dirt. Antique curtain poles, brass and gilt cornices, ornate tiebacks and early textiles are sought after by interior designers and those restoring period properties. Historic textiles are fragile, so original curtains are often lined, remade or used as decorative panels. Choosing a treatment that suits the architecture of the room and the period of the house is central to a successful scheme.
