the.com/jalousie
A window designed by someone who couldn't decide between privacy and a breeze.
means A window or shutter made of angled horizontal slats that let in air and light while blocking direct view in or out.
from From French 'jalousie,' meaning jealousy — the idea being that such a blind lets a jealous or watchful person see out without being seen themselves. The French word traces back to the same root as 'zeal,' via Latin 'zelus,' Greek 'zelos.' The shutter style spread through Europe under this name, carrying its suspicious little backstory with it.
- etymology
- French for jealousy, as in hiding your business
- design
- angled slats let air in, eyes out
- peak era
- 1950s Florida rooms, pre-air-conditioning
- downside
- notoriously easy to pry open, security nightmare