You fell in love with a Charleston home built in 1875 for its character—then you started measuring for window treatments and realized nothing about this house is standard. The windows are taller and narrower than anything you’ll find at a big box store. Some are slightly different dimensions from each other, even in the same room. And if you’re in a historic district, there’s an architectural review board that needs to sign off on anything visible from the street. Historical window treatments need custom solutions because your beautiful 19th-century windows weren’t built to fit anything modern.
At Seaside Window Treatment, we regularly work with Charleston’s historic homes, collaborating with historical remodel specialists who know the difference between period-appropriate and period-accurate. Here are some of our favorite window treatment ideas that honor your home’s history (without leaving the modern era).
Wood Shutters for Authentic Coastal Style
Wood shutters belong in historic Charleston homes. Long before air conditioning, Lowcountry homeowners relied on shutters to control light, create privacy, and catch whatever breeze was willing to wander through. Many historic district guidelines still require them because they’re part of what makes Charleston architecture distinctly Charleston.
Plantation shutters with operable louvers offer an authentic look with modern convenience—simply tilt the louvers to manage light and airflow the way your home was originally designed to work. We’ll even color-match with your existing woodwork so your shutters feel like they’re part of the original build, too.
Custom Solutions for Windows That Follow Their Own Rules
Historic Charleston homes have windows that do whatever they want. Some are arched just because someone in 1890 thought it looked nice. Others have sills so deep you could grow herbs on them.
We measure each window individually rather than assuming they’re all the same (because they definitely aren’t). Those deep window sills are gorgeous, but they complicate inside-mount installations. We’ll figure out what will actually fit in your space or recommend outside-mount options that complement your architecture.
Arched windows get custom treatment, too. We can build shutters that follow the curve or handle the arch separately from the rectangular section below.
Cellular Shades for Energy Efficiency
Historic homes are many wonderful things, but energy-efficient isn’t one of them. Single-pane windows and soaring ceilings mean your HVAC system works overtime year-round, but the right shades can offer some relief.
Cellular shades in neutral tones add insulation without changing your home’s appearance from the street. With their unique honeycomb construction, Hunter Douglas cellular shades trap air and slow heat transfer. This means you get to keep your original windows without driving up your utility bill.
Living Comfortably in Your Historic Home
The right window treatment ideas honor your home’s history while also acknowledging that you live in the 21st century. Your house should look like it belongs to its era from the outside, but inside? You still need to sleep through sunrise and not spend half your paycheck on cooling and heating.
Layering treatments lets you blend historical accuracy with modern-day convenience. Wood shutters on the windows provide authentic period style and basic light control. Behind them, cellular shades deliver modern performance, like blackout capability for bedrooms and privacy without sacrificing natural light during the day.
Even motorization can hide in plain sight. Battery-powered motors fit inside the treatment housing, where guests and passersby never see them. Your historic home can accurately maintain its 19th-century aesthetic while you’re able to control your window treatments from your smartphone—it’s a win-win.
Let’s Talk About Your Historic Home
Your Charleston home deserves historical window treatments that respect its past while working for your present. We’ve spent years figuring out how to make century-old windows work with modern life, and we’ve learned that the best solutions honor both the architecture and the people who live in them.
Visit our Charleston showroom at 12 Gillon Street or our Beaufort showroom at 900 Port Republic Street. We’ll talk through what you’re trying to accomplish, and recommend treatments that work with your architecture, your historic district guidelines, and your actual life.
We work throughout the Lowcountry and Coastal South Carolina, partnering with historical remodel specialists who understand these homes as well as we do. Call our Charleston location at (843) 714-9578 or our Beaufort location at (843) 906-8201, or get in touch with us online. We’d love to help you figure out the best window treatments for your home.