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Are Plantation Shutters the Right Choice for Your Windows?
One of my favorite choices for window treatments is the plantation shutter. They are versatile, less expensive than custom draperies, and can increase the value of your home. They are the only window treatment that can be financed into the purchase of your home. Why? Because they are highly desirable and usually stay with the home when it's sold.
Let's take a look at how Houzz members are using them in their homes.
Let's take a look at how Houzz members are using them in their homes.
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| Plantation shutters are a popular choice for kitchens. When shopping for interior shutters, it's important to know if you are buying custom shutters truly built for your windows or if the company will take stock panels and cut them down to fit. Often, the prices are very similar. |
"Traditional" shutters are not the same as plantation shutters. They have the smaller, narrower louvers and are more often found in the New England states. Traditional shutters are rarely installed today since the trend is toward letting in lots of light and keeping the view open to the outside.
The Spanish introduced shutters to the Americas. Large plantation homes in the South often used the wider louvered style shutters, giving them their name.
The shutters shown here are designed with a narrow divider rail. This allows for separate control of the top and bottom louvers, a feature that comes in handy when evening arrives and you would like some privacy.
The shutters shown here are designed with a narrow divider rail. This allows for separate control of the top and bottom louvers, a feature that comes in handy when evening arrives and you would like some privacy.
by Kerrie L. Kelly
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Today's plantation shutters come in many different styles and louver sizes. The most popular louver size where I live is 2 1/2 inch as shown in this family room.
The shutters depicted here in this room appear to have the larger 3 1/2 inch louver style. What size louver you choose is really a personal decision. The 2 1/2 inch louver is more traditional and is a great choice for average size rooms with normal ceiling heights. If you have huge rooms with soaring ceilings, the 3 1/2 inch louver may be a better fit.
The shutters depicted here in this room appear to have the larger 3 1/2 inch louver style. What size louver you choose is really a personal decision. The 2 1/2 inch louver is more traditional and is a great choice for average size rooms with normal ceiling heights. If you have huge rooms with soaring ceilings, the 3 1/2 inch louver may be a better fit.
When shopping for plantation shutters, there are important features to look for. A custom shutter company will measure your window exactly and build your shutters to fit. These shutters appear to have been custom built because of the location of the divider rail. Beautiful.
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| Shutters designed with a divider rail or in the double hung fashion are a popular choice in bathrooms. They allow for closure of the bottom louvers for privacy while the top louvers can be left opened for a view and light. It's harder to get that kind of function with curtains, drapes or wood blinds. |
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| Sometimes a half shutter is all you need, but I would caution you on buying half shutters. They cost almost as much as full length shutters. You won't get as much insulation or sunlight control. Full window shutters beautifully let in lots of light and view while protecting your furniture and rugs from sun damage. So weigh the advantages and disadvantages before making the decision to go with half shutters. |
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When shutters are are built specifically for your windows, you will have lots of choices regarding how they are designed. For a window like this, the two panels could open from the center or bi-fold to one side.
If you never plan to actually open the panels back against the wall, having them open from the center is fine. But if you plan to throw open the panels and there is something in the way on one side (like the pipe running up the left side of this window) then bi-fold is the way to go. They work similarly to bi-fold doors, folding one on top of the other, off to the side.
If you never plan to actually open the panels back against the wall, having them open from the center is fine. But if you plan to throw open the panels and there is something in the way on one side (like the pipe running up the left side of this window) then bi-fold is the way to go. They work similarly to bi-fold doors, folding one on top of the other, off to the side.
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This window is designed to offer the homeowner many options for controlling the view and the light. First of all they are designed in a "double hung" fashion. This will allow opening of the top louvers while the bottom louvers are closed. And because they are double hung, the top panels could actually fold all the way back against the wall leaving the bottom panels in place. The homeowner also could throw all the panels back opening up the entire window. Pretty cool all the function you can get with a plantation shutter!
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These wonderful, old re-purposed shutters show how shutters designed to bi-fold would work.
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How your shutters are designed will depend on your needs/wants and the style of your windows. This window seat has three windows across the back. Since they are narrow, one large panel was designed for each window, as opposed to two skinny ones. This allows for lots of light and view. Also, they are designed with a divider rail for separate control of the top and bottom louvers.
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by sherry hart
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| Plantation shutters can be custom built to fit any shape or size window. |
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| These panels fit around the handle of the door. This room would just not look the same if a fabric treatment had been placed on the door. |
by Celia James
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When shopping for shutters, ask about:
1. Tension adjustment screws (to prevent issues with drooping louvers later)
2. Mortised hinges (looks better in a frame install and from the outside on bi-fold panels)
3. The wood from which they are made (never buy pine shutters, bad to bleed sap)
4. Rabbited edges (prevents light gaps through the center where panels meet)
5. Siderails at least 1 1/2 inches in thickness (prevents warping of panel)
6. References (and check your BBB). All shutter companies are not created equal.
1. Tension adjustment screws (to prevent issues with drooping louvers later)
2. Mortised hinges (looks better in a frame install and from the outside on bi-fold panels)
3. The wood from which they are made (never buy pine shutters, bad to bleed sap)
4. Rabbited edges (prevents light gaps through the center where panels meet)
5. Siderails at least 1 1/2 inches in thickness (prevents warping of panel)
6. References (and check your BBB). All shutter companies are not created equal.
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| I love the uniform look when all the windows on the front of a home have plantation shutters. Great curb appeal!
If you want to soften the look of your shutters in some rooms, such as bedrooms, feel free to add drapes or a valance on top of your shutters. They'll give you all the sun control and privacy you need and leave you free to add whatever decorative treatments you like. Do you have plantation shutters in your home? If so, have you added fabric treatments on top or do you like the look of shutters alone? |
Ideabook updated on Nov. 9, 2010.
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My Husband doesn't like them - so we compromised and got white venetian blinds on all the windows, not shutters but give a sort of shuttered effect with nice clean lines.
I too like shutters but we have a magnificent view and husband would like them back from early in the morning. I too like in Australia and am planning to have them in our bedroom because we just bought our unit about a year ago and the custom made curtains cost over $200 to have dry cleaned/laundered so think this may be the way to go but know they are expensive but will cost less to maintain in the long run. I am off to town tomorrow to look at solutions.