It is difficult to get clarity on the origins of the sash window although the first mention is found in the late 1700′s. A painting by Vermeer, ‘The Milkmaid’ has a woman standing in front of one. Around the same time the inventor Robert Hooke used the window in Ham House. However, the French word chassis refers to a frame and it is believed that via Holland the window came to Britain, and it is now inextricably linked to English culture.

A “Yorkshire Light” is a window made of panels which can slide sideways or up and down. Originally the windows would be propped open but later a pulley and weight system was designed. Connected by a rope which ran over a pulley to the window, the weight would hold the window at the level it was moved to.

Sir Christopher Wrens, a excellent architect very popular with the royals, made use of these windows in the Whitehall Palace. Hampton Court and Kensington Palace are other examples of royal architecture employing the sash window that were built around this time. This made the windows the must-have in the 1700′s and for two centuries they were almost the only style of window used for new buildings not only in Britain but also in all the colonies. Wrens found that, unlike casement windows, the facade of a building is not ruined if the windows are open.

By Georgian times, they were everywhere. An additional feature was added which allowed the windows to open at both the top and bottom. Called a double hung sash, these windows allowed rising hot air to leave through the top and sucked in colder air from the bottom. In a rainy European climate, less rain and more ventilation was possible.

The Victorians, were obsessed with decorating their homes with carvings, leaded lights, lattices and complicated mouldings. Placed in a facade as a group, each bay was framed by carved stone pillars. It also became common to enhancing the perspective of a building by making windows on the ground floor longer than those on the upper floors.

As with many beautiful objects the advent of mass production methods and industrialization after the First World War, signified the end for this product. The labour involved in hand producing a sash was too expensive and casement windows were easier to produce in factories.

Many older European buildings and cities would be characterless without these beautiful windows, which remain popular even though they cause problems.

Find the right sash window Companies in London by looking online. Picking the right sash window draught proofing service will mean a great job done. Head online now and learn more.

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When it comes to decorating, the endless color choices available are enough to overwhelm the most determined home decorator. The Color Scheme Bible solves that problem, and with hardcover sales of 100,000 its value is well proven. This lay-flat paperback edition is sure to be an equally popular choice.

With 150 color scheme ideas to choose from, The Color Scheme Bible is an easy-to-use and inspiring reference to using color in the home. It describes how colors interact and the effects they have on a room. It explains how to choose colors that complement each other for a subdued effect, and which colors and combinations energize a room. The book also includes 50 recommended palettes that can be used with different materials for refreshingly original color schemes.

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My Passion for Design A lavishly illustrated personal tour of the great star's homes and collections.

For nearly five decades Barbra Streisand has been one of the singular figures in American entertainment. From the cabaret to the Broadway stage, from television and film stardom to her acclaimed work as a director, from the recording studio to the concert hall, she has demonstrated that the extraordinary voice that launched her career was only one of her remarkable gifts.

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