Trevor,
We attach the moldings with finishing nails or screws. Not all of our
interiors are historic, but we try to use a minimum number of smaller nails
in the historic settings. Any window treatment is a compromise, so of course
each building or even room has to be evaluated on a case-by-case basis. As
far as appearance, we have found that they nearly disappear if the molding
is properly installed and pre-painted to match the surrounding wood frame.
Any tinting less than 50% is barely noticeable if all the windows in the
room are covered. I would recommend against using any tinted window
coverings only in selected windows of the same room as they will certainly
be noticeable as compared to the untinted windows.

I agree that any historically correct window coverings such as shutters,
blinds, or curtains should be considered first especially if there is
historical evidence for them in the room. All of these must also still be
attached to the original woodwork in some way, and staff must be trained to
operate them properly. With a large and changing staff of guides to cover
our 40 buildings, we have found that a more permanent solution that does not
depend on the human element for proper implementation on a daily or more
frequent basis works best for us.

In the end, it comes down to what is best for each particular site, and
having many options in our bag of preventive conservation tricks is essential.

=========================================================
Important Subscriber Information:

The Museum-L FAQ file is located at http://www.finalchapter.com/museum-l-faq/ . You may obtain detailed information about the listserv commands by sending a one line e-mail message to [log in to unmask] . The body of the message should read "help" (without the quotes).

If you decide to leave Museum-L, please send a one line e-mail message to [log in to unmask] . The body of the message should read "Signoff Museum-L" (without the quotes).