Quite often we will receive a telephone call or meet a new client that will ask,

“Where did the word ‘Jalousie’ come from?”

We also hear some interesting interpretations of its pronunciation!

Pronounced “Jhal-uuz-ee”, the Oxford Dictionary definition is:

A blind or shutter made of low angled slats

The Merriam-Webster definition is:

A window made of adjustable glass louvres that control ventilation

However, the origin of Jalousie dates back to the mid-18th century, derived from the French word “Jealousy” – permitting one to see without being seen.

Jalousie windows have been a common feature of mid-century homes, particularly in warmer climates where they enclosed outdoor areas like porches or were used in areas of the home that needed more light and ventilation.

Jalousie windows have evolved over time and these days can be seen as a design element as well as a technical device to utilize natural ventilation and temperature control. They are also used more widely in commercial projects.

Safetyline Jalousie louvre windows were developed by Technal in France (which is very fitting considering the origin of the name). They are the result of many years of product research and development with international teams of experts. Technal prides itself on innovation and design and the Safetyline Jalousie product is a testament to their claim.

With continued advances in design, efficiency and security, Safetyline Jalousie is positioned as a high performance architectural window that has been featured in award winning buildings in Australia and across the globe.