Oznaburg and dowlas, pondicherry, huckabuck, sarcenets, and Persians—the materials offered for sale in 18th-century advertisements would mean little to us until we came to linen, worsted, chintz, and silk. Textiles for dress and for decorating were varied, expensive, and precious. Most were made in India and exported to England, then to America, or manufactured in the mill towns of Britain—with taxes and duties at many points in the process. Even homemade materials were costly, in labor intensity and time. So fabrics chosen for decoration were used carefully and in a limited way.
By mid-century, evolving technology permitted the mass production of printed textiles in India and England. Copperplates engraved with designs inked in monochromes easily printed yards of material at a time, known as “copperplate calicoes.” Their cheerful designs were drawn from nature, or even from topics of the times—many post-Revolution prints feature George Washington.
Only very late in the 18th century did draping windows in a length of fabric become customary. Expense, fashion, practicality, even the climate in Virginia dictated that most windows depended on their shutters—to temper the weather, provide privacy, and keep an unused room protected by darkness.
Curtains were most commonly found in the bedchamber, where privacy and blocking light were important. Dining rooms were rarely curtained, since fabric retained the smells of food and was hard to keep clean. And preservation of material was always a concern—curtains were removed in the summer, for instance, when bright sunshine might fade and damage these fine goods.
Today, we have a wonderful (and seemingly infinite) range of choices when it comes to dressing a window. And yet many fall short of the tailored elegance and exquisite designs created more than 300 years ago. That’s why we’ve found the very best of these designs from our world-class museum collections and made them available to you as window treatments with coordinating bedding and accessories. Are you ready for some wow?
Portions of this article are taken from WILLIAMSBURG Decorating With Style.