Did you know curtains have been around since 3rd-century Egypt? Though they were primarily used to separate rooms, these first generation curtains inspired the use of soft window coverings. Becoming popular in 16th-century England, window coverings were commonly made from linen, flax and cotton… just like today’s roman shades and draperies!

Roman shades are just as old and date back to- you guessed it- ancient Roman times. But they were originally designed to function horizontally, like an awning. This was to block the hot sun while spectators enjoyed the spectacles at the Colosseum. Now used vertically on our windows and doors, Roman shades still function as they did back then.

We won’t bore you with a full history lesson, but it’s fun to know where our modern fabric window treatments got their start. This month, we’re expanding our Window Treatments 101 series to the most timeless treatments you can put in your home— roman shades and draperies.