Can you imagine window treatments that fold up like origami? Apparently Dutch designer Hannah Allijin can, and she’s turned the idea into a tangible product. It’s not exactly new anymore, but it might make you wonder about the future of curtain design. Whether they roll up, part, peel away, or tear away, most curtains seem to lack the unique and artistic flair of Allijin’s intricate origami-influenced design. That said, this unique art-piece-turned-product certainly has its potential merits and drawbacks:

• The Good: First off, Allijin’s curtains are sure to win you style points with just about anyone who has an imagination. On a functional level, they save space because they can fold up into spheres. Plus, the less accessible they are to little hands, the less likely they are to compromise a child’s safety around the home.
• The Not-so-Good: How do all those folds stay folded over time, for lack of a better term? In other words, do gravity and constant use make the folds fade, leaving them flat and robbing them of their memorable design? I’m sure the designer already accounted for that, although I’d be interested to see it firsthand for myself. More importantly, it probably costs a good amount to manufacture something this detailed and complex. That means we probably won’t see it gracing many residences or commercial buildings anytime soon.

So where does curtain design go from here? In an industry that seems a bit slow to change in certain respects, I’m guessing the answer lies with designers like Allijin who can reconcile their artistic sensibilities with their practical instincts to create a safe, efficient, and lower-cost model that people can use and admire at the same time.

(Photo by Carolina Antunes via Morguefile)