Horizontal fabric shades have staying power as styles change through the years

A four-story apartment building in the Park Slope neighborhood of Brooklyn is a study in how a home changes over the years to match the needs of the people who live there.


The New York Times reports that, in contrast to today's mobile society, William and Lucille Harris have lived in their apartment for more than six decades. They moved there during the post-World War II housing shortage and stayed when the building became a cooperative.


Long before Park Slope offered an upscale address, the apartment had a formal dining room, lovely pocket doors and mirror-topped fireplaces.


But the dining room now serves as the couple's bedroom, outfitted with lace curtains and flowered bedspreads. The fireplaces have been painted and an old dumbwaiter has been transformed into a closet, the Times noted.


The adjustments the Harrises made reflect a shift in family needs as their children grew up and moved away, as well as cyclical style changes.


One thing that doesn't change in home design is the need for window treatments that control light, provide privacy and complement a room's décor. Horizontal fabric shades are a good choice for rooms whose function may change, but will continue to coordinate with a range of fabrics, colors and print designs.