The tradition of decorating houses with carved wooden frames and other decorative elements did not arise in Russia out of nowhere. Initially, the carving had a cult character. The ancient Slavs painted pagan signs on their homes designed to protect the home, ensure fertility and protection from enemies and natural elements. It is not without reason that in stylized ornaments one can still guess the signs denoting the sun, rain, women raising their hands to the sky, animals or a bizarre interweaving of vegetation. Subsequently, the religious meaning of wooden carving was lost, but the tradition of giving an artistic appearance to various functional elements of the facade of a house has remained to this day.
In almost every village, town or city you can find amazing examples of wooden lace. Moreover, in different areas one can observe completely different styles of decorating houses with carvings. In some areas, predominantly solid carving is used, in others it is sculptural, but mostly houses are decorated with sawn or otherwise slotted carvings, as well as its variety - overhead carvings.
In the old days, in various regions of Russia, carvers used certain types of carvings and ornamental elements. This is clearly visible if you look at photographs of carved frames made in the 19th and early 20th centuries. Certain elements of carving could often be seen on all the houses of one village or village. In another village, the motives of the carved frames could have been completely different. The farther these settlements were from each other, the more the carved frames on the windows differed in appearance. The study of ancient house carvings and platbands in particular provided ethnographers with a lot of material in the study of migration flows and trade relations in our country.
In the second half of the 20th century, with the development of transport, printing, television and other means of communication, ornaments and types of carvings previously characteristic of one region began to be used in others. A widespread mixture of styles began. Looking at photographs of modern carved frames located in one locality, one can be surprised at their diversity. But maybe this isn't so bad? Modern cities and towns are becoming more vibrant and unique. Carved frames on the windows of modern cottages often incorporate elements of the best examples of wooden decor.
Colored shutters are a very beautiful window design option that came to us from Southern Europe.
Colored shutters are suitable for both wooden houses and plastered stone houses. This is a universal way to decorate windows.
For colored shutters to look beautiful, they must be sharply different in color from the wall, contrasting with it, as in the photo on the left. The blue shutters contrast beautifully with the chocolate walls and are supported by blue accessories. And if the walls of your house or cottage are painted in a light neutral color and there are several windows in a row along the wall, God himself ordered to decorate them with colored shutters, painted in different rich, but not too bright colors.
Platband details
Platbands consist of the following parts:
- carved kokoshnik, which is located above the window;
- vertically located slats;
- towels that are located under the windows.
These names, as well as the methods of their manufacture, are traditionally Russian. It feels like they are hundreds of years old. There are also additional details with the same self-explanatory names: tiaras, hangers, valance, crackers.
Carved cedar window frames
Painted carved windows
If you put platbands on the windows of your house, this will give the house a national flavor and express its individuality. Decorative intricately combined patterns used to have practical significance, now they are simply a decorative element. Everyone can choose a pattern not only to their taste, but also taking into account the style of the site and buildings located on it.
The most common ornaments on carved frames are floral. Russian masters, in their desire to capture grass, flowers and leaves, reached tangible heights in their skill. We still see houses with similar ornaments on the windows. And we can admire the carved windows, which are more than half a century old.
Very often there are platbands with geometric carvings. It is believed that this is one of the most ancient types of home decoration. Before mastering floral designs, wood craftsmen carved diamonds, squares or triangles on the frames.
Carved porch of a wooden house Carving on the attic window
Sometimes, with the help of drawings on the platbands, plot pictures are created. Every element, every detail emphasizes the owner’s attitude towards the world around him. Their meaning is deciphered as follows:
- if, during the exterior decoration of the house, the symbol of the wings was cut out, then this was intended to emphasize strength;
- the bird means the source of unification of different times;
- the sun represented life;
- the image of a snake was interpreted as a desire for wisdom;
- the cross is a Christian symbol of spiritual rebirth;
- vegetation personified man's admiration of nature, the desire to capture fleeting beauty for the whole year.
In addition, in the winding carvings you can sometimes spot geese, swans, horses, deer and other wild and domestic birds and animals.
Carved platbands on the window Window with carvings
Traditional English window design style
Of course, this method of decorating windows is only suitable for brick houses and cottages - even on plastered walls, such classic English windows no longer look so beautiful; they are best combined with brick - both red and gray.
It turns out especially beautiful when the design of the windows rhymes with the design of the entrance doors, as in the photo on the right.
Use dark, rich colors to decorate windows in the English style - burgundy, marsh green, brick red, dark brown, walnut, dull sea green. But be sure to combine them with white. The double-glazed window profiles should be white, and the window and door frames, the door and the decorative flower box under the window should be in dark, rich colors.
We will return to the traditional English style later, but for now, look at these photos - maybe this is your option?
Window decoration in Provence style
- this is a big and fertile topic, which is simply a pleasure to write about - the Provence style is so positive and there is so much positive energy in it. Yes, in our latitudes, few people think of building a house or cottage in the Provence style, but this is quite a good idea.
Just look at what Provence style windows come in - maybe you want something like that?
In the photo on the right there is an all-white window that enlivens the typical Provençal figured painted flower box.
In the photo on the left is a typical Provence style house with small windows in the most popular pastel yellow design. In the photo on the right there is a white and blue solution + the facade of the house is decorated with flower pots - a very common occurrence in window decoration in Provence. By the way, the window through which you can go out into the garden is called the “French window”.
Original window decoration in Latin American style.
If you like Latin American style, and if you want to show off originality in the design of your home, cottage, or cottage, why not think about brightly colored walls and windows?
Thank you to Latin America for the fact that we have the opportunity to use the brightest colors in home and garden design and not look tasteless. No other style in the world will offer you such beauty, energy and sunny mood in window decoration.
To decorate windows in Latin American style
, you need to paint the walls of your house or cottage in a bright color - red, orange, yellow, bright blue, green, blue. Paint the frames or order double-glazed windows in another bright color. And if this is not enough for you, feel free to paint the trim or shutters in a third bright color!
A fairy tale within a fairy tale. Photo gallery of carved platbands from old Russian cities.
Russian wooden hut “A treat for good people” You can view the entire Fairy Tales in the TEREMA Topic.
Fairy tale. A journey into history. The life of our ancestors
Author: Kapralova M.V.
“Behind the high mountains,” Behind the endless forests On his native land A man lived with his family in a village. But the village is not simple: It stands on a mountain, Nearby there is a golden field, A river runs below,
Outside the forest, a bear and a fox live there, there are houses along the river, looking at the road. They are decorated by Mother Nature herself. She gave the hut a forest of spruce and pine, oak and aspen: what she could - nature gave everything. Look around you
What will you see, dear friend?
There is a five-walled wall in front of you, like a painted tower. You knock on the gate and enter through the little gate. Three windows in a row look at you like carvings. The roof is decorated with a tree stump, nicknamed the stump.
Like a horse or a bird strives for the sun. It’s either a mansion or a house And there’s a little light with it, And in the little room above In the little room there’s a mansion The master’s daughter lives, She’s reputed to be a craftswoman. Vasilisa is a beauty Below the belt, she can sew a sarafan, Walk proudly in her peacock.
Look at the house and find the windows in it. Here is the red window, it’s slanted, Hey, master of the world! Everything is decorated with carvings, And they hang from the piers, The logs are tightly covered. By closing, they protect the miracle of the towels.
The house is well decorated and protected from evil. What did the master carve? How did he decorate his house? And the carving is not simple: Contour, slotted, openwork, overhead, here is a relief carving, it is ship-like. And the ornament is not simple! Look, wait a minute: You will see a snake, a honeycomb, Wonderful work: Here is a twist, a rhombus, chains, And beautiful leaves, Instead of evil guards from the gate, a lion looks at you like a cat, Here are mermaids, peahen birds - All are important and majestic . It’s just a miracle not to leave!
What lies ahead for us? Go up to the porch and quietly pull the ring. Look at the door - protection - There is a horseshoe nailed there, You will go behind this door, You will immediately find yourself in the hallway. The canopy holds the cold, so they can't get in here. You step through the threshold and wait here for a moment,
Yes, take a better look around and find the “red corner”, Cross yourself three times. Here the owners greet you and put you in the “red corner”.
And now look: The stove is to the right of the door, And opposite is a bench, a horseman’s bed, or a bed. A place to work, You can also sleep. There is a box under the bench, there are countless tools in it, for weaving bast shoes and baskets. Repairing nets, cutting spoons How do they live in the house? How is it managed?
Here is the hostess at the window, She is always busy. “Woman’s Cut” or “Seda” Here her years go by: Spinning thread on a spinning wheel, Cooking, sewing something,
Knits, embroiders, Svetets corrects... What is considered important in the house? What can't you do without? She always eats firewood, cooks, and warms you. Here is a story about a stove, And you can’t go anywhere without a stove, Everyone always needs one. Here is a grip and a poker, a broom, a mortar, a shovel. What else do you need, guys? There is a place to cook porridge, a place to bake bread, a place to steam the bones, and a place to lie on top of the bed. We have everything on the farm. Then we carry on with the story. Towel, washstand, Here’s water in the basin for you - Wash your hands, don’t be shy! Guests are always welcome here. You, mistress, don’t yawn, but open the shutter! Get out your loaf, Invite guests for tea!
And behind the stove, the brownie, he is friends with the whole family. They take care of him as best they can, and take him with them to his new home.
Look around, how many shops there are! We cannot count them all. If you are very tired, then you can lie down on the bench. The benches are attached to the wall, There is a place for you and me. And you will take the bench and bring it to the table. The main table is the family behind it. There is enough space for everyone. Let's eat this loaf - Let's put the dough again. Look around you! What did you notice, dear friend? Here are the baskets and baskets, Tues and boxes - The water brought in the field is stored in beetroot. What's it like to farm without dishes? You can't live without it! Look at the shelves you will find a lot of different things: Wooden dishes And always beautiful. The craftsman did a great job: it is solidly made. There are ladles, troughs, mortars, Spoons, cups and nesting dolls, Mugs, vases, bowls, dishes: Hey master! Well, dishes! A sight for sore eyes, just a miracle... Carpenters and craftsmen carved and decorated Dots, diamonds, curls... \Admire it, kids! Here is a painted ladle for you, This skopkar is carved from stem wood, from growth and bark, from pine and linden, cedar, oak, ash, alder... The master took it, dried it and cut it, and made up his own pattern. For good people, he decorated all the dishes as a keepsake... Rubels, rolls, ruffled... So that the hand would not get tired. Everything is decorated with bracket and contour carvings. These are gingerbread boards, cutting them is not at all easy. On the board you will see a fish, a bird and flowers, figured gingerbread cookies, printed gingerbread cookies. The masters did their best! Here is a board for gingerbread, There will be gingerbread for you. Then we carry on with the story.
This spinning wheel is a wonder for everyone, the masters know a lot about it! She is so elegant and beautifully decorated: Horses, birds, the sun is shining, And flowers on her, the moon... Guess quickly, children, Who is she for? After all, behind the spinning wheel on a winter evening, By the splinter, by the window, the Spinner sits there and looks at the spinning wheel. Spinning wheel since childhood, Spinning wheel is a marvel! Beautifully decorated. The maiden spins a thread, quietly sings songs. There will be threads made of flax, There will be a lot of linen. As soon as she sews shirts, trousers, sundresses, towels, “She will have a strong dowry, not torn.” Embroiders, decorates, Protects the whole family. You need a lot of linen, but there is only one weaver.
Invite to get-togethers, Let the girls rejoice. Jokes, laughter and jokes... Hours and minutes will pass; The guys will come to them too. What are they weaving here and what are they sewing here? How they sew, knit, tie, They put everything in chests, Everything will lie there until the wedding All gifts for relatives. The guys took a closer look at the girls, They sent matchmakers to the girls, They prepared the spinning wheels themselves. Everything is burning in their hands! I need to go see the girls
The spinning wheel is worth giving as a gift.
This is how life goes in the villages By rays, by candlelight.
The wedding is coming soon, let's go on a spree. We invite everyone to the wedding! Don’t waste time, open the gates and harness the horses. Dress them up in bells, in painted sleighs, arcs! I'm going to see my friend. We're going to church to get married, and then for the wedding
There will be a feast like a mountain, We will play the wedding. Well, honest people, I will treat you with bread and salt. In the spring they will build huts, so they can start life again. That’s the end of the fairy tale, and well done to those who listened! Author: me, Kapralova M.V.©
Photo gallery of carved platbands from old Russian cities
The platband is a decorative element, without which the hut, of course, will survive, but it is precisely this that makes a simple wooden frame a unique work of art. Initially, platbands were intended to close the gap between the wall and the window. Over time, the wooden plank began to be decorated with carvings and patterns, and painted in different colors. Different regions of Russia have developed their own unique traditions of window decoration.
For example, in the Volga region, where river boat craftsmen were engaged in decorating houses, the platbands looked luxurious and had ornamental features, and in Ivanovo and Shuya, a characteristic feature of the windows was platbands in the form of a fence.
Photographer Ivan Khafizov has been traveling around Russia for several years and taking photographs of carved platbands. His archive contains photographs from 101 Russian cities. In total, he plans to visit 500 cities and then publish the first large book dedicated to this type of folk art. The selection published by Ivan was compiled with love and a deep understanding of the subject.
According to the team of the All-Russian Museum of Decorative, Applied and Folk Art, Khafizov’s work is extremely important and relevant right now. “This art gradually disappeared. In the 70-80s, we thought that woodworking masters would cease to exist, but now we see almost a revival - a mass of young artisans have appeared who are adopting the traditions of their predecessors. If wooden construction develops, then platbands will also have a future,” said Tatyana Oleynik, senior researcher at the museum.
Using crowdfunding, the photographer raises funds to create a virtual museum of platbands. We hope that Ivan will continue his expeditions. You can help the project here.
Irkutsk platbands are distinguished by their large size - the height of such a window can reach two meters. Features of the frame include a huge finial and shutters divided in two by a pattern.
Platband from Kizhi. According to one theory, the symbol IXXI means “the second son of the brother of the head of the family.”
This casing is not typical for Izhevsk, but there are others like it.
In Kostroma, floral ornaments are widely used to decorate platbands.
In the village of Susanino near Kostroma, platbands, the pattern of which resembles fabric falling in folds, became widespread.
Balashovsky platbands, as in almost the entire Saratov region, have shutters and are painted in bright colors. The finial often resembles a lambrequin (the drapery of a curtain composition).
In the Ivanovo region, platbands have become widespread, the hem of which is equal in size to the finial or exceeds it.
It cannot be said that this casing from Danilov, Yaroslavl region, is typical for this area, although it is white, like the others, and the middle of the pommel is noticeably higher than the edges. But with cats.
Platband from Izhevsk, which is easily recognized by its vertical slits. These are found only in Udmurtia.
Shuya is one of the few cities where house carving continues to develop even now, so there are various types of platbands there.
The platbands of Maloyaroslavets near Moscow have characteristic artistic elements on the sides, similar to a fan. Most frames are white.
In Tarusa, an unusual tradition has developed around the platbands - the sides and lower part are decorated minimally, and the top has a characteristic structure: in the middle there is an element in the form of the sun, on the sides there are strips depicting rain.
The platbands in Yegoryevsk near Moscow are distinguished by three-arched finials.
In Nizhny Novgorod, in contrast to through threads, which are more common in the country, blind (relief) threads are found.
The Vologda casing is easily recognized by its extensions at the top and bottom.
Most Omsk platbands have shutters. In addition, Omsk is the only city where window frames with shutters in the Art Nouveau style are found.
Dragons on frames can be seen everywhere - from the Tver region to the eastern borders of Ivanovo and beyond. Most often they are found in Rostov the Great.
The ocher colors of this casing indicate that it belongs to Ryazan - in the city center, most of the wooden houses are decorated in sand tones.
Spassk-Ryazansky is one of the few cities where most of the platbands have a finial in the form of a sloping roof. Local residents almost never paint window frames white.
Platband from Myshkin, Yaroslavl region. Local window frames are usually painted in four to five colors.
Wealthy residents of the city of Yuryevets decorated their houses with platbands with an original top, which can only be seen here.
Dozens of wooden mansions have been preserved in the center of Samara. Most of the platbands on them have a characteristic protruding fracture in the middle of the pommel.
Platband from Suzdal. A unique author's work, the elements of which are not repeated in other window frames.
Michurinsk, Tambov region, brought to this day a special type of platband - completely cut out on a machine.
Tomsk platbands are made mainly in dark colors.
There are few platbands in Voronezh, unlike neighboring Borisoglebsk. Local carvers made vertical posts in the form of columns. Because of this, the window frame looks massive.
A special feature of the platbands in Nerchinsk are the carved shutters.
Unlike platbands in other cities, Tyumen’s are not the result of many years of honing their skills by carvers from among the people, but the pre-prepared and stylistically verified work of the architects who built the houses.
A grandmother from the city of Lyubima at first did not want to be photographed, but then changed her mind - she disappeared for a minute, tied a scarf, looked out the window and commanded: “Now take it off!” And the platband from Danilov is easily recognized by the unique window sill part, which consists not of a horizontal board, but of several vertical ones.
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