Crittall Windows – Quintessential British Class

We are huge fans of Crittall windows at Light Locations. If you saw our journal post from September last year, you may have noticed that we installed several gorgeous examples in our new office! 

A selection of our Light Locations also utilise these fabulous steel-framed, multi-panel windows and our clients love them too. So, what is the history behind Crittall windows and what makes them so appealing?

Crittall windows have been around since the 1880s when Francis Henry Crittall invented them at the family ironmongery in Essex. Their invention came alongside the growth of mass steel production and the increasing number of factories, many of which had Crittall windows installed. Until that point, most windows frames had been made of wooden construction.

The growth in production of Crittall windows in the early 20^th Century saw them being used on a number of iconic British buildings such as the Tower of London, The National Gallery and the Houses of Parliament. They were even used on the RMS Titanic. They were also used further afield at the Detroit car factories and the Hoover Building in America, the Bauhaus buildings in Germany and a host of other buildings across North America and Europe.

The heyday for Crittall windows was the art deco era and their use in today’s designs, most certainly draw inspiration from the sharply defined outlines of design from the 1920s and 30s. The graphic steel frames, which can be powder coated in any colour also successfully brings a contemporary and industrial feel which has been a popular design choice for many in recent years.

When shoot locations have Crittall windows, they are visually stunning as they add interest and sharp angles to wide expanses of glass. This in turn allows an abundance of light in, which is always a great advantage to the work of stylists and photographers. This combination of delicate light flooding through outlined panels of glass creates striking backdrops for our clients.

Whilst produced and used globally for more than a century, these windows are quintessentially British, and ooze class. When teamed with the large multi-functional living spaces in many of today’s homes, they bring with them a strong architectural elegance. This makes for strong, statement styles and we ❤️ them!