The Benefits of Crown Roller Shades.
Every time I see beautifully appointed interiors, I think back to the by-gone days, when keeping house must have been a tremendous challenge, in spite of the ‘help’ that was available. Can you imagine maintaining a manor like the one in the sitcom, Downton Abbey? In the day when a retinue of household staff was an absolute necessity. Thinking of tying your own shoe laces was unheard off, let alone dusting or making tea! But imagine the bliss! Someone to brush your hair – those pampering 100 strokes! But to me, it all seems a mindless indulgence.
The First Roller Shade.
The roller shades are said to have originated in Holland, dating back to somewhere around 1775, the inspiration behind them the linen stage curtains of old, that must have given food for thought on the inception of the simple yet convenient window shades. Its construction was basic – a panel of cloth hung from a wooden bar at the top of a window by means of ties or a crude rod pocket and allowed to rest on the window sill in book folds. To let in light and air, the shade would be folded upwards, held in place with wooden pegs at the desired level. Later, ropes were attached to the top bar, and one the cloth was either rolled or folded manually, the rope was secured around it by dropping the cord over the top and back of the wood bar. Still later, a simple pulley system was incorporated to effect the rolling of the blinds upwards, the cords wound around themselves or window bars if they were available.
The Original Roller Mechanism.
The roller mechanism as we know was introduced with the spring roller, envisaged and patented by Stewart Hatshorn’s father, brother, and uncle in Boston, way back in the mid -19th century. With the death of his father, the business was moved to New York. The death of Henry, his brother, left him in charge of the business. Stewart worked tirelessly in improving his father’s basic design, and in 1864, received a patent for the spring roller using a ratchet and a gravity pawl, a design that has been in use until recently. In 1872, he moved the business to New Jersey, where due to his inherently good business acumen and prowess with advertising, he crowded his competition
off the market. The business continued its growth in leaps and bounds, reaching into the Canadian territory as well.
1895 Advert Hartshorn’s Window Shade Rollers Napoleon Stewart Legion Honor Blind – Original Print Ad by Period Paper
The Roller shade fabric.
In the beginning, linen was used in the construction of the roller shade, as it was the most popular fabric of the time – it was bleached, dyed and starched heavily before being beaten with bars rounded at the edges to make it pliable and for a finished appearance. In later years, all sorts of material, including paper, were used in the construction of roller shades, the panels of which was decorated with painting and scrolling; fabric was even appliqued to show off the aesthetics of the roller shades – stencilled art and scenic imagery was extremely popular, and many an artist made a livelihood out of decorating roller shades! Pierre-Auguste Renoir is known to have painted window shades for the affluent before his renown.
Crown Roller Shades – Blackout Roller Shades.
Reminiscent Blackout Shades : are made of a 4-ply vinyl and fibreglass blend that makes them an exceptionally economical choice for our homes. They are flame retardant and treated to limit off-gassing, making them an extremely safe option for window shading. Neat and elegant in looks, they are available in eight colors, with fringed wave and scallop hems for those who want something out of the ordinary. They are available with the corded or cordless operating mechanisms, making them extremely user-friendly. They can be upgraded with cassette valances and reverse roll options.
Splendor Blackout Shades : are made of 100% polyester with an acrylic backing for a crisp look and seamless blackout. Treated to limit off-gassing, they’re available in seven exciting colors, and is equipped with either the cord or cordless lift system. Cassette valances, external bottom hem bars and reverse roll options are available as upgrades.
Eclipse/Nightfall blackout roller Shades : The most heavy-duty of all three blackout options, the eclipse roller shades are a 100% polyester and flocked acrylic blend that comes with a blackout foam backing that offers great insulation, blocks light effortlessly, and dulls ambient sounds. They’ve thoughtfully been added a white-to –the-street side feature that gives them uniformity when various colors are used in different rooms. All upgrade options available in these shades as well.
Light Filtering Roller Shades.
Splendor Light Filtering roller Shades : are made of 100% woven polyester that filters light into a room to protect against the harmful effects of UV rays, providing a pleasing coolness at the same time. They are available in seven colors to blend into a number of décor options, and are available with the regular upgrades and control systems.
Serena/Daybreak roller Shades : are wonderfully economical light filtering roller shades that make for smart looking interiors. They come backed with a thermal flock foam liner that provides great insulation. The hems are available to you in waves and scallops, they are treated against off-gassing and are available in 9 colors. Darker colors enable darkened interiors. All regular upgrades are on offer, along with the corded and cordless control mechanisms.
As Crown allows you so many options, don’t limit yourselves to the run of the mill. Decorate in style with the awesome light filtering and blackout roller shades for benefits of insulation and light control of various levels. Window shading never looked better!
