With little evidence to confirm one theory or another, there’s lots of speculation about where Venetian blinds actually originated, how they got their moniker, and what led them to become one of the most popular forms of blinds in our modern world. We take a look at the history of these everyday staples to learn more about where they came from and how they become the world-favourite we know them as today
Where did Venetian blinds originate?
It’s difficult to know for sure the exact history of Venetian blinds due to a lack of hard evidence, but the most accepted tale is that Venetian blinds actually originated in Persia (known now as Iran). The theory goes that this style of blind found its way into Venice due to it being common for Venetians to trade widely in the Middle East.
How did Venetian blinds get their name?
Even though these Persian-origin blinds established popularity in Venice, there’s nothing to suggest that their origin was misattributed at that time. However, when the slaves of Venice were freed, there was a mass migration to Paris and with that, the style of blind also found its way to France as the newly-freed slaves took the trade of these along with them. France still knows this style of blind as ‘Les Persiennes’ – indicating that the freed slaves were correctly attributing the blind to Persia – the Anglophone world didn’t seem to get the memo. The presumption is that it became widely known that the Venetian freed-slaves were the traders of the blinds, and so ‘Venetian blinds’ became the go-to term.
Why are Venetian blinds so popular today?
Venetian blinds continue to be incredibly popular, largely due to their practicability and versatility. They are a great option for controlling the sunlight entering a room, they’re easy to keep clean, and they can be made in all manner of materials.
Wood, metals, and faux wood can all be used to create Venetian blinds for your home. They can be made in all manner of sizes and a range of colours so they can be bespoke to your own home and interior design.
Because of this, they remain a firm favourite in blind choice even today – all thanks to the Persians!
Take a browse of our range of Venetian blinds and find the perfect ones for your home, or contact us to find out more about our brilliant range of blind styles.
