How were wood and yarn woven wood window shades and blinds designed in the 1970s and 1980s? Continuing our coverage of all the New Old Stock retro woven woods still available from Beauti-Vue, here’s an exclusive scan of one of the company’s vintage catalogs that will give interested buyers a whole lot of ideas. Prepare your eyeballs: These shades demand decorators who are not afraid of bold pattern and color — and know how to use it!
Joy (Stormy’s sister) was nice enough to show me one of Beauti-Vue’s vintage catalogs, which was filled with fabulous photos of their retro woven wood window treatments.
Note: You can view the entire catalog in the slideshow at the end of this post.
Adding to the historical interest: Many of the photos in the catalog were taken of actual rooms from Grumbeck family member’s homes. I think Joy, Kristin and Stormy all enjoyed paging through the catalog and reminiscing about the decor featuring their woven wood shades.
Most of the other room shots in the catalog were taken in furniture stores. Stormy says Beauti-Vue would give the furniture store a sample window treatment to use in their floor display as long as Beauti-Vue could come in and photograph the display for their woven woods catalog.
Stormy remembers being slightly upset about the photo above — taken in one such local furniture store. He pointed out that not only to the ceiling panels run diagonally to what would be an outside wall, but also that each window pane had a different, unrelated nature scene in it. “Who would believe this was a real living room?” he remarked.
The woven wood draperies above — which had their own special traverse rods — are no longer available. The rods are no longer available to craft this design.
It looks to me like they might still have some of the woven pattern available from that living room shot above — which might possibly be their Navajo style, one of their more popular patterns back in the day according to Stormy.
And, Beauti-Vue has discontinued production of their cafe style curtains — as well as the awning style valances — as show above.
The company does still offer both Roman shades and roller shades made from their woven woods, which can be personalized with a variety of edging styles — like the scalloped shade above — and trims.
I believe that most of these scallop styles can still be produced, but be sure to check with Beauti-Vue to verify the style you like is still available. Beauti-Vue also has a huge stockpile of retro trims — which we will feature in an upcoming story — that can be used with their retro woven woods.
Also still available — retro woven wood folding doors similar to the vintage catalog photo above, which we will profile in another upcoming story.
Pam has spotted retro woven shades in the wild during her years of estate sales. Here are two stories where some photos are shown:
Mega thanks to Stormy, Joy, Kristin, and everyone at the Beauti-Vue Products Corporation for their patient, welcoming and kind help with this story and all of the stories in our series!
Link love:
- View Beauti-Vue’s entire collection of NOS Retro Woven Woods
- See their price list and ordering information
Read all of our stories about Beauti-Vue’s NOS products
Tips to view slide show: Click on first image… it will double in size on screen … click anywhere to move forward and look for previous and next buttons within photo to move back or forth… you can start or stop at any image:
Jennifer Williams says
I agree a great find and thanks for sharing. I have to ask – how does the company suggest they be cleaned?
pam kueber says
I do not know.
Debbie in Portland says
Oh, those browns and greens and yellows, my mother would’ve been delighted with so many of these color schemes. I’m not a fan of 70’s decor—I didn’t even care for it while I was surrounded by it as a teenager!—but this catalog was a really fun little blast from the past. I love that I never know what’s going to pop up next on this website. 🙂
pam kueber says
We try to keep it interesting! 🙂
Scott says
Anyone who completely turns their nose up at 1970s décor needs to study these photos. Sure, I don’t love all of it but there were some still some amazing things going on including some breathtaking lamps and light fixtures. These NOS Beauti-Vue shades and the vintage catalog are fun to see. The sofa and lamp in the room with the hysterical random scenery are especially wonderful.
Laura says
Oh wow! We had these in the wood-paneled, vaulted with faux wood beams den of the house I lived in growing up! Specifically, we had the roman shade style with orange, gold and brown stripes.
Kali says
Seems like I’m always saying, “This isn’t my style, but it totally appeals to me.” But it’s true. I love all of this. I can’t use any of it right now, but I still appreciate its amazingness.
Blondie7 says
Absolutely Remarkable,and Stunning ! I love it all! Keep it coming! You guys rock! The best retro blog!
pam kueber says
Thank you!
Blondie7 says
Absolutely Pam! 🙂
Ed says
This is giving me some ideas for decorating my dark wood paneled basement. Curtains totally covering a wall, maybe a fake nature scene poking through here or there… I like that he was slightly upset at the mismatched nature scenes and ceiling tiles in one display. The yellow dining room had me going for a minute, until I noticed the shadow of the window frame on the grass.
pam kueber says
Photo murals from the 70s and 80s come up on ebay with relative frequency, I think…..
Ed says
I’ll be checking Goodwill/thrift/re stores first, but thanks for the tip! (I love the local Goodwill. Just when you think all the retro goodness and-or kitsch has been exhausted, some giant 70s painting or infomercial bauble shows up, like an ever-rotating museum display. I make sure to donate useful items when possible, to offset my guilt for occasional extended browsing sessions without buying.)
Brooke says
I’m really surprised these can be made into folding doors. I have a front entry closet in my 1962 house that had one of those gross white plastic accordion doors when we moved it. I removed it thinking I could replace it with a bi-fold door but it’s not a common size so I’d need something custom. This might be perfect if they’d ship to Canada.
Robin, NV says
I love all the views of the Grumbeck’s home – what a fun peak at a real home from the 70s. Joy’s bedroom is awesome!!
Retroski says
I have to agree with RobinNV…the turqouise/brown/green combo is really nice! It’s a shame they aren’t making these woven wood blinds since they are boho-timeless–I can see them in a boho-chic home on Apartment Therapy.
The Grumbeck’s family room (with the red shag) totally reminds of The House On The Rock, a crazy feast for the eyes in Spring Green, WI. (thehouseontherock.com) And kinda nifty they have “Knight” wall hangings since Bristol is known for its Renn Fair!
Mary Elizabeth says
You are doing a great job with this series of article on woven wood shades. Not being able to find any when I decorated my 1970s-style bathroom, I used a plaid curtain in ’70s colors instead. But looking at the catalog photos reminds me of what I don’t want to borrow from the ’70s–the layering of too many busy patterns. The master bedroom and the family room, for example, have a patterned bedspread and patterned sofa back cushions that I wouldn’t put right next to the complicated window treatments. I think they would look much better against a solid color sofa with a few throw pillows. But that’s even the choice I would have made in the 1970s, I think, when I embroidered throw pillows to match the pattern in my drapes. I guess I was a “matchy-matchy” decorator even then.
Mary Elizabeth says
I forgot to say that I enjoyed seeing the different uses they had for the woven wood panels, such as replacing closet doors and making a room divider.
pam kueber says
I think that tolerance for patterns-on-patterns is very personal. Me: I adore the layering of patterns when it’s done well. I don’t agree with the blanket statement that the 70s had “the layering of too many busy patterns.” It’s an eye of the beholder thing.
Robin, NV says
Personally, the blue living room is rocking my world. That couch, that lamp!
Betsy says
Robin, I’m with you on the blue living room. I’ve always had a hard time embracing the gold/olive green/brown combos that were such a 1970s standard. The blue just popped with happiness…
Neil says
You’re so right, the blue one is divoon, as Jayne Mansfield would say; in fact, her personal curves and angles is all that’s missing to complete the picture.
Robin says
Robin,
I had to laugh when I read your comment!! I instantly fell in love with the same items, the couch especially the back cushion & that swag light is to die for!!! I took a screenshot for future reference even! I found this page while googling these macrame blinds….I found one at a thrift store and some of the wooden slats are missing..looking to see if it’s possible to remove them all.
Robin
Tx