Draw the shades!

Forgotten Man · Aug 24, 2009

Is a term you never hear anymore... why? Because people have mini blinds or vertical blinds... and some may even have curtains! But, one thing that has slipped into the past and is almost forgotten by modern life is the wonderfully useful window shade.

We watch old movies and we see glimpses of them in windows... hanging there about half mast with that nice little string hanging down with the loop at the end... I know one can buy shades still, but they're not the same as they once were. They don't have the string and the loop anymore and the ones I see are vinyl or something disgusting.

What I'd love to know is if there are any companies making draw shads for old homes that are the right material and or color... that won’t break the bank! I'm looking for traditional green shades for the house... I don't want mini blinds anymore. First I want the shades, then work on getting the proper curtains or window dressing for the place.

If anyone here may have a link to some site that offers window shades at a reasonable cost, please post it here!

Thanks!

PS: Kind of like these but, earlier... This ad is from the 50s... I want the non textured kind.

Idledame · Aug 25, 2009

I remember that the pull-ring was crocheted all around some sort of plastic ring. I think the shades were made of some sort of strong paper. They turned yellow (and brown if someone smoked). They wrapped around a wooden dowel.

Mike in Seattle · Aug 25, 2009

Try Googling - here's one source. I know there are several shade manufacturers in Style 1900 and American Bungalow and Arts & Crafts Home magazines, because I was looking for something other than mini-blinds for the guestroom since it's a window we like to keep drawn and it's sort of a 30s movies type decor.

Forgotten Man · Aug 25, 2009

Thanks! I'll check'em out!

Forgotten Man · Aug 25, 2009

Idledame said:
I remember that the pull-ring was crocheted all around some sort of plastic ring. I think the shades were made of some sort of strong paper. They turned yellow (and brown if someone smoked). They wrapped around a wooden dowel.

On earlier ones the pull ring was crocheted around a metal ring. That gave it some weight to hang right. Today, I've seen some with plastic string and pressed plastic ring to look like a crocheted ring...

so cheep!

I believe most of the era were made of paper... There more then likely were different levels of quality... some linen others paper. I really want the traditional green shades that were so often used.

Interesting note:

The reason so many shades and awnings of that era were a medium green is because that color was known to reflect less then any other color! That's also why the under side of bills on caps are green... to reduce the reflection of light reflecting off the ground!

jtcarrey · Aug 28, 2009

I could go steal some from my old apartment building, I grew up with these, that's all I knew until we moved to a dumb modern building, I lived in the past when I was a kid, 1917 building, original appliances from the 30's-40's, old wonderful noisy pipes, pull cord flush toilets, double faucet sinks on pedastals, ice boxes, millions of windows that opened out, crown molding, built in vanity, fire escape... yep, I miss it all! I hate these stupid modern buildings that keep replacing our old ones... I'm going off on another tangent, sorry...

Have you tried looking at old buildings that are "restoring" as they call it... maybe they're throwing away priceless items, just a thought, I'd rather have the real thing than some crappy imitation.

Big Man · Sep 14, 2010

We have window shades on most of the windows in the house. The windows in the "front room" are old paper shades that must be at least 50 years old. The upstairs back bedroom has paper shades even older than that. None of them in the house have the string.

I remember the window shades in the old school where I went as a kid. The shades were the thick, dark green, paper shades that had some kind of coating that would crack with age. They did have the string and ring. We liked to pull them and let go real quick, causing the shade to roll all the way up with a "flapping" sound. The windows were the real tall kind of double sash windows. I haven't thought about those old school window shades in years.

dhermann1 · Sep 14, 2010

They were great, but they could also be dangerous! If they went crazy and went up violently with a WAP WAP WAP, they could be a pain to put back. They have a spring inside, which makes them go back up when required. When they lose their spring you have to take them down rewind them and put them back up. But for all their annoyance, they were great. Thanks for reminding me of them!
I especially liked the kind with white on the outside and green in the inside.

Brooksie · Sep 14, 2010

I live in an old apartment building pre 1930's, I think it may even be a hundred years old. I do not know how I lucked out because all of the other tennents have ugly mini blinds but I ended up with these really cool Roman type shades. They are a really thick Linen, cottony, canvas like material? When I went to view the apartment before moving in there was nothing on the windows. The shades are in the living area and were the only window covering provided (because from the 2nd floor where I am at nobody can see in my apartment) in the bathroom I have a nice little bark cloth curtain and in the kitchen I have a cute little valence that is a large dark red and white checker board pattern both of which I went out and got recently so I am very much into vintage window dressing these days!

Bill Taylor · Sep 14, 2010

You might try Country Curtains. A fairly large, but founder owned mail order company. I get a quarterly catalog and I think they have roll up shades, some paper and some fabric. They also have a large selection of draperies and curtains, but are famous for their original product, bleached or unbleached muslin tie back curtains trimmed with ruffles or ball fringe. They also have criss cross curtains, and those are hard to get in todays world. Company has been in business since right after the end of WWII, about 1946 or 1947. Very traditional products.

Bill Taylor

Pina Bridgette · Sep 14, 2010

I don't know if the ring is plastic or metal but this company has a good variety of cloth pulls for the roller shade: http://www.shadepull.com/clothpulls.html

and they also make custom roller shades: http://www.windowshades.net/

Foofoogal · Sep 14, 2010

At Lowes you can get shade cut to size and I am pretty sure in different colors.
I had them in some of my rooms at my last house and loved them. They had fringe on the bottom.
IMHO much, much better then the blinds I have now. The blinds are a constant fight with dust. The shades not so much.
http://www.thehandwerkshop.com/
found this but do not know the company. [huh]

JimWagner · Sep 14, 2010

Idledame said:
I remember that the pull-ring was crocheted all around some sort of plastic ring. I think the shades were made of some sort of strong paper. They turned yellow (and brown if someone smoked). They wrapped around a wooden dowel.

I don't know if the rings could be bought that way or not, but I remember my Mom crocheting the rings on ours when I was a kid.

Not only did the shades turn yellow and brown, but they finally got brittle and then ripped.

Tomasso · Sep 14, 2010

Foofoogal said:
At Lowes you can get shade cut to size and I am pretty sure in different colors.

Same at True Value and Ace hardware stores. As for the blinds......I grew up with them and they were always malfunctioning on me.

Pina Bridgette · Sep 14, 2010

If you are at all ambitious, there are also a number of places you can get a kit to make your own, too.

http://www.draperysewingsupplies.com/Roller-Shade-Kit-p/rcs-fslash-16.htm

Also, the place I linked earlier has the option for the clutch/bead chain as well as the spring controls to raise & lower the shade.

tuppence · Oct 2, 2010

well this definately doesn't help you but

We call them Holland Blinds over here. They are fairly common; You can still get them made in canvas.

BinkieBaumont · Oct 2, 2010

"I have had terrible experiences with roller blinds!, i had some professionally made for a set of french doors, each time they went up or down they frayed on the edges they lasted a month, I don't think they were level when installed, and they used to roll up at in opportune moments, I love venetions, they cast such Noir shadows"

Vornholt · Oct 2, 2010

Personally, I'm happy that they've vanished. Vintage, memorable, yes. But very, very, annoying.

Draw the shades!

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