Romance Comes Alive With Sash Windows

| Wednesday, May 25, 2011
By Peter Thompson


Georgian or Victorian style homes are not complete without sash windows. Historians cannot agree on an exact date, but most of them think they were first used in the middle of the 17th century. Robert Hooke, an English scientist and inventor, has received credit for their design, although some people claim they originated in Holland.

In the 17th and 18th centuries, glass windows were a luxury for the wealthy. The glass was heavy and thick. It was encased in a frame that hung from the side of an opening and was difficult to open and close. The sash was designed when the builder set the casement inside a frame, which quickly replaced the other style.

They have movable panels that frame individual panes of glass and are opened either vertically or horizontally. There is a standard width of four feet that is seen in many late Victorian and Edwardian houses; however, any size can be custom built, as was in older homes with handmade units.

Sometime between 1676 and 1680, Chatsworth estate in England was one of the first places to have them. A few years later, in 1685, they were included in the design for the building where banquets were to be held at Whitehall. They used to be built in, becoming part of the structure until movable frames were invented.

Before the English Building Act of 1894, they had to be flush against the opening in the wall. The new regulation changed the architectural design, which led to the sashes becoming more decorative. Some Victorian era homes have sashes with multiple panes of glass with leaded lights installed in window openings.

Georgian sashes were usually two movable units, each of them divided into six panes with narrow glazing bars. They are still operational in buildings from these eras. Even in a climate with high humidity and damp weather, they seemed to resist rotting better than other types.

They last longer because the sash protects the encasement that holds the glass panes. The ability to open and close vertically or horizontally provides another advantage; air ventilation is more easily controlled.

The Queen Anne style of painting them white was popular. The bays that are seen in homes today originated during the Edwardian period. During that time, many larger sized homes had double bays.

Sash windows are often part of the romantic settings in novels and films. They are also seen in famous works of art. 17th century Dutch painter, Johannes Vermeer, is known for his ability to capture the essence of light in otherwise darkened environments. The light source in his painting, The Milkmaid, provides an example of one of their earliest designs.




About the Author:



0 comments:

Post a Comment