There’s no doubt Crittall is having a moment – and has been for a while. If your home doesn’t feature the sleek, usually black, steel windows, famed for their ‘boxed’ frames, then, chances are, they appear in the image in your head of your dream home. When it comes to interiors, they’re the epitome of cool. Over the last decade they’ve gained ubiquity in the style ranks, joining the likes of cast-iron baths, waterfall showers, range cookers and kitchen islands at the top of people’s wishlists. The look has filtered down to accessories, too – so if your budget doesn’t allow, you can opt for aIn 1849, Francis Berrington Crittall took over an ironmonger’s in Braintree, Essex, and set up home above the shop with his new bride, Fanny Godfrey. Ten children followed, and after Francis’s death in 1879, eldest son Richard inherited the business, handing over to Francis Jr two years later. He began by diversifying the manufacturing side, directing his small team of craftsmen to make everything from bicycles to bridges, street lighting to drainage. Bolstered by success – the firm now boasted an order book stretching all the way to Liverpool – in 1884 Francis began experimenting with the product that would light up the world.
