Shutters have a long history in home design gracing windows before glass was readily affordable and available. Wood shutters were used as a defence from winds, weather, and even attack. They served to protect window opening, provide privacy, block the sun in the summer and add additional insulation during winter,
Due to the important purpose they served, they were made from exterior grade wood and were often very heavy.
But since window technology has improved, things have changed, Now, shutters are considered mostly a decorative feature for a home’s exterior or interior design. They have come a long way and are now available in a variety of sizes, colours and designs.
You might be thinking, since adding them to your home has now become a matter of personal choice than personal safety, the choices might be limited. But that’s not true at all! After reading the article, you’ll know why.
So, if you have a home that calls for operation external louvre shutters or if you want historically correct shutters for your old home, we would really love helping you with the shutter collection process.
Options for Exterior Shutters
Most decorative outdoor roof louvres are installed in a stationary manner around the perimeter of the window.
Have a look at the many affordable, stationary shutter styles on the market.
Hurricane Shutters
Being designed to protect the windows and doors from being damaged during severe weather condition, hurricane shutters are popular due to their strength, versatility and affordability.
It’s easy to think of hurricane shutters as the ugly aluminium panels; however, there are a lot of aesthetically pleasing options to choose from. Bahama shutters, for example, look more natural and beautiful. Other styles available include accordion, roll down shutters, storm panels colonial, and plywood panels. These shutters vary in quality, cost, strength, as well as their availability.
Aluminium hurricane shutters are by far the least expensive of the bunch.
TIP: As tempting as it may be to keep hurricane shutters up all year, it’s always better to deploy them only when there’s an actual threat of hazard.
Louvred Shutters
Although most decorative shutters usually use a horizontal slat design, louvred shutters imitate the appearance of a certain type of functional shutter.
Louvred shutters have slats that open and close just like Venetian blinds. Commonly manufactured in wood, these shutters can also be found in vinyl options. These shutters come in various styles such as board and batten design, raised board design and plantation design.
The only drawback of functional louvred shutters is that they are very difficult to repaint.
Options for Interior Shutters
Interior shutters serve as interior window treatments that allow you to control both light and privacy. Almost all interior shutters can be painted or stained and used on almost any type of window or door.
Interior shutters range from as simple as a small window covering that only covers a single section of the window to large shutters that hang from the top of the window to the floor.
Colonial Shutters
Sometimes known as traditional plantation shutters, colonial shutters are designed to pull open and close and are split in the centre of the window. They work best in rooms where there is adequate space to fully open them.
These shutters are mainly found in wood design and are designed to control inside temperatures and increase the aesthetic appeal of the house.
Colonial shutters are one of the most cost-effective shutters available in the market.
Plantation Shutters
Considered the more popular and modern choice, Plantation shutters are bolted to cover the entire window section. These shutters are available in a wide range of customisable option and feature a louvre that can open and close the slats of the shutters for ventilation and lighting control.
These interior shutters are mostly constructed from wood and can be stained or painted to look aesthetically more pleasing and to compliment the room’s design.
