It’s that time of the year! Rather than focusing on spreadsheets and documents, our minds are wondering to everything which symbolises that holiday feeling.
For some, it’s the beach. For others, it’s a movie marathon. We might be on the side of the latter, and that’s how we noticed how many iconic windows exist in television, movies and the arts – and how much we could improve on their window treatments.
So allow your mind to wonder and come with us down the winding road of historic windows!
1657–1659
Johannes Vermeer – Girl Reading a Letter at an Open Window
As a renowned Dutch painter known for his realistic portrayals of daily life, Vermeer would obviously have included a window in at least one of his artworks.
Although one of his best known works is the ‘Girl with a Pearl Earring’, we found this lesser known work to be quite inspiring.
Our recommendation: Considering that the window is open, we know that the breeze and the view must have been an important factor for the young girl. We say she should replace the flying curtains with either roller blinds or Roman blinds, so that she can easily access her window – and we’ve certainly got a designer fabric to match!
The famous French trio of Impressionists often confuses amateur art enthusiasts. Monet was known for his landscapes; Manet was known for leisurely luncheon scenes; and Degas was known for his love of ballet. But even they could not escape the allure of a wonderful window.
1870
Claude Monet – The Red Cape
The fleeting moment captured by Monet of his wife outside the window can be seen as rather romantic.
Our recommendation: We think that a Sheerweave blind with its translucent sheen would have made the red of Madame Monet’s kerchief pop even more, while adding to the transient nature of the Impressionist style.
1871
Edouard Manet – Interior at Arcachon
As December sets in, we are all mentally in the French seaside town of Arcachon overlooking the beach view from a café, right?
Our recommendation: Our guess is that these easy-going café-goers will have needs which are much the same to that of the girl reading her letter by the open window. Therefore, roller or Roman blinds will be perfect! If you’re looking for the perfect blinds for your beachside abode too, have a look at our blog with all of the dos and don’ts for beating the humidity!
1873
Edgar Degas – The Rehearsal
A rehearsal hall as beautiful as this one is nothing short of a performance hall!
Our recommendation: With such tall rounded archways, a typical blind will not do. But did you know that shutters can be custom made to fit windows of all shapes and sizes? Shutters will also help the dancers and musicians control the glare of the hot sun and so much more.
Still in France, we meet Matisse, whose artworks are full of loud, Expressionist colour and abstraction.
1905
Henri Matisse – The Open Window
As part of his work in the Fauvism period, this painting looks out onto fishing boats (even though the colours are not at all like that of the actual sea and sky).
Our recommendation: We think some classic vertical blinds would have fitted in perfectly with the lines in his painting, and we would love to have known what bright colours he would have chosen.
1918-1919
Henri Matisse – Interior with a Violin Case
This motif of the window was behind Matisse being described as someone whose window was always open to the outside world.
Our recommendation: Because this window leads out onto the balcony, we think sliding panel blinds in a pattern or colour to match the wallpaper would have suited this painter’s style very well.
1954
Rear Window
Very little needs to be said of an Alfred Hitchcock classic such as this one. So this movie had to make the list, although not entirely because the movie is centred on a window.
Our recommendation: Technically, if the windows in this mystery thriller were covered in any way, the outcomes would have been far worse and even more dangerous! So rather than recommend, we commend the hero of the film, Jeff, whose spying was absolutely impeccable. What would he have done if his neighbours had used vision blinds?!
1961
Breakfast at Tiffany’s
Take an iconic actress – Audrey Hepburn – and an icon jewellery brand – Tiffany’s – and you are bound to have an iconic movie.
The opening scene of this cult classic not only made the little black dress famous, but encapsulates the feeling of window shopping like no other movie has done.
Our recommendation: Although we love window shopping as much as the next person, if we were the jewellery store housing that amount of expensive jewellery, we’d be sure to install security roller shutters.
1989
Say Anything…
A teen romance for the ages, this movie might still be better known for its era-defining boombox scene.
Comparable to Romeo standing under Juliet’s balcony, this is a romantic gesture like no other!
Our recommendation: Going by the nervousness on the young heroine’s face as the hero blasted his music, we’re unsure of whether she was actually enjoying the song or not. To give her some more control over situations like this, we recommend the technologically advanced cellular shade blinds, which use honeycomb-shaped compartments to insulate both sound and heat.
1994–2004
Friends
Any fan of this hit 90s TV show knows how often the gang would spy (deliberately or not) on the man across the street whom they dubbed ‘Ugly Naked Guy’.
We just can’t seem to understand why they never installed blinds in their apartment, considering that their neighbour refused to.
Our recommendation: Almost anything will do to save them from unwanted views, and we have a range that will cater to the tastes of each of the six friends – yes, even Phoebe.
