I prefer the shutters in the picture but do like a dark, heavy canvass dome style canopy /awning over the front entrance. When I lived in Atlanta my neighbor's brick home was adorned with a tan color one and it looked very nice.

On some houses, shutters look very nice, obviously, they have to be shutters that fit the style of the house. I've never seen anyone use shutters, so I don't see the value in having functional shutters. Since shutters would only be used for severe storms, which happen less than every 15 years, in all likelihood, a functional shutter will be painted shut and not functional after all.

Awnings can be pretty and are very useful for cooling in the summer, but you have to take them down in the winter. The permanent aluminum awnings look dreadful.

I think it depends on the style of house and location. If I had to vote for one I would say Bahama Shutters. They keep the sun out and can be lowered in case of a storm.

Shutters are so much more charming and never seem to go out of style!

Hi Emily! Thank you for starting this feed, as we have a lot to say about this. Shutters are a part of everyday life. They are truly the backdrop of our lives as they are seen all across the globe, and we at Timberlane cannot drive by a home without examining the shutters. That is very true for most, if not all, of our employees. :)

Although shutters have transformed into decorative pieces on many homes and have somewhat lost their credibility due to technological advancements, we are here to argue that there is nothing more flawless on a home than a pair of functional, authentic shutters. Sure, now that there is central air and heat homeowners do not need to install a pair of functional louvers on their windows to let the natural breeze flow in and out of their home, but if they would take a chance to look back at the history of their home, chances are there was once a pair of shutters installed.

The historical characteristic of shutters is what makes them so beautiful. There are records of shutters on homes dating all of the way back to Ancient Greece where they had louvers made of marble on the windows... talk about pricey! Shutters were used for protection, privacy, and ventilation on castles, huts and homes as they are seen through out some major historical time periods. Some include the Roman Empire (wooden shutters for protection), Medieval Times (wooden boards on stone castles), the Italian Renaissance (colorful shutters on stone homes), European Colonialism (Louvered shutters to spy - Louis XIV) and so on and so forth.

Sure, over time, the use of shutters has become "tired," but at Timberlane we see them differently. We see them as a work of art, a historical presence that should only be replicated in the utmost fashion. Panels, Louvers, Board and Battens and Bermuda (Bahama) shutters have proven to enhance the curb appeal and the worth of many homes.

They are not just earrings for your windows or wooden rectangles. They are a part of history and that is something that cannot be dismissed.

We are not implying that every home on every block of every town should have a pair of shutters, as we know that some facades do not have enough room for shutters (i.e, each shutter should measure out be half the size of the window). But when there is enough room, and the facade is looking a bit dull or needs some personality, adding custom, authentic, personalized shutters will only produce a timeless elegance.

Your design preferences are what makes your house a home. We are aware that shutters do not fit all home styles and design criteria, and we are aware that some folks just don't like shutters... but the next time there is an exterior renovation or restoration planned, we ask that you take a look back into the historical aspects of your home and consider adding shutters that have the ability to reflect your style and your interests.

I like shutters especially for homes in N.E. & don't see any awnings around here due to the cold, windy winters.

I admire houses with working shutters, but I decided to put minimal striped fabric awnings on my house in Michigan a year after I had the aluminum siding and faux shutters stripped from the house. I think the awnings suit the era and design of my house - and they do give my house a festive air in the summer.

The awnings shade my windows effectively, and let me keep my windows open during rainy weather. They've stood up to 50 mph wind gusts, and are easy to store in the winter. (While most of people in my neighborhood who have them leave their fabric awnings up year round, I do take mine down for the winter; it's not a big deal to hire someone to help me with them twice a year; takes about 45 minutes to put up or take down the 7 awnings.)

(I should probably mention that I had my awnings custom made locally. Great service from Grand Rapids Awnings/Muskegon Awnings.)

Very few awnings look good, especially aluminum ones. Most look tacky although I have seen a few roll up ones that look good. Shutters, unless they are too small for the window, are almost always nice.

I love the look of fabric awnings on older homes. I don't see them very often in Maine but I think they give an air of retro graciousness. I also love window shades with scallops at the bottom!

I prefer shutters. However at the Jersey shore there are many older homes with fabric awnings which add to the ambiance of the area so if I were to ever to purchase one of those I'd probably use awnings.

I'm not a fan of either, but if I had to choose, I would for working shutters. I can't stand the fake ones.

We had awnings on one of our houses. They were noisy and a problem in high winds. There are awnings on the store where I work. They are great, workable ones and work very well, but you must be ready to roll them up, again, once the winds start. I like the thought of them, but if only for decoration, then forget it. ( Maybe it depends where one lives)

It all depends on the homes architectural style. Shutters on a prairie style home, yes. Shutters on an Eichler, huh!

As others have said, it does depend on the architecture, but in general I think shutters add visual interest and open shutters give a welcoming feel to a home, awnings add function! And I'm not a fan for the awning look other than for quaint store fronts. We do have a couple awnings on our home, but they are in the back, and retractible, so I guess that says it all for me! Purely used for function and the need for shade.

I like shutters, dislike awnings.

Fabric awnings fade very fast, then the fabric weakens and a good wind will soon have them flopping in the breeze. I'm a shutters kind of girl! :)

Not much functional use for shutters in MN other than to dress a window. There are very nice metal powder coated awnings that work well to shade a southern window during summers and keep snow off doorsteps in winter.

Agree that many fabric awnings fade quickly and can look like someone's clothesline blowing in the breeze when torn.

I live in Australia awnings equal summertimes and getting inside a cool house. external shutters well it's a bit of a 'wally' thing to do; a bit weird here.

i have awnings on the outer edge of my verandah it keeps the heat off the decking and house; even in winter i use them when we have rain from the west which they face, works and looks good. Only have them down for hot days and rain otherwise they retracted away. If the wind is too strong, i have left them down they are designed to retract automatically.

The only mistake with awnings for me was i didn't use canvas but a synthetic which i could see thru, to keep an eye on the kids but that allows for some of the west setting sun to glare thru. The later last longer than canvas as well they don't fade.

Shutters i love but to use on the exterior would look odd on this cottage and there would be problems as I have bow windows or wide windows. I would if I could afford to replace most of the curtains and Holland blinds with internal shutters I like the clean no mess look of internal shutters.
Internal Shutters popular here so using both awnings and the internal shutter you get even better heat control

I'm from the Philippines where the year is half dry and half wet. We also experience, on the average, about 20 typhoons during the year. My windows are the awning type and I have been debating on whether to add awnings for shade during the summer or shutters for protection against strong rain and wind during the typhoon season. Clearly, I can't have both. Any suggestions? People say my house is Meiterranean in style because of the red tegula tiles.

This is a ridiculous poll. Why don't you ask if shutters or awnings are appropriate on a particular house? We might learn something from that discussion.

@paulineroselle, here in Florida we see Bahama shutters and clamshell shutters. These are made of metal, open upward to work like awnings when the weather is good, and they can be closed down and bolted shut to protect against storms.

It really was a toss-up for me. I like shutters, but prefer functional ones with shutterdogs. I think shutters beside windows where they clearly can't be functional, such as picture windows, look a little absurd. (Where did that style come from anyway?) I like awnings, too and I prefer canvas ones, but I even like aluminum awnings on the right house. I do like internal shutters and have some which need to be repaired and painted in the bathrooms.

Have you thought of Bermuda Shutters? They work as sort of a combination awning/shutter. www.timberlane.com/bermuda

both...depends

like your suggestion timber lane...now for the lovely house in the tropics to call my own to get those shutters..

Shutters are a very American design style, in Australia we tend to use awnings that can be pulled down as needed to keep the sun of windows. There are some very beautiful materials that are available for the design conscious.

shutters all the way!

I prefer awnings, just not the one in the picture. I like them because they actually have a function. Most shutters do nothing at all.

Did you design this survey to promote shutters? Your pictures show a really nice brick house with colorful flowers and lots of sparkle in one; plain, old-style white siding, a barely noticeable awning , and blah landscaping in the other. Pretty biased, I think!

Awnings serve a function, most shutters don't in our area.

As an awning contractor we happen to be partial to our own medium. :-) That being said, each house and owner is different and the beauty of going with shutters or awnings is that you can personalize your home with the finishing touches that you prefer.

One upside to going with awnings is that they keep the sun from ever reaching a window. Less sun means less heat. With so many different colors and patterns available of synthetic awning canvas you can design something that really adds to your home and will have a long life.

I really think it depends on the house. I would go shutters but not all homes can pull them off.
-Angeline, GKB

It really depends but I like shutters...I feel like they are more inviting.

- Janis, GKB

Do Bahama shutters keep rain off window?

Depends on the house and what climate you live in. Awnings aren't all tacky, they serve a purpose to block out damaging UV rays for one. Also to keep snow, rain etc. off your family and friends heads when they enter your home. To each his/her own.