This summer, the United Kingdom had a particularly strong and long-lasting heatwave, meaning that many people were looking for innovative ways to beat the heat.

However, for people who own solid wood shutters, one of the best ways to keep the heat out in summer and keep warmth from escaping in winter is to close the shutters.

A study by English Heritage found that shutters could reduce the amount of heat that was lost by over 50 per cent, with similar results found for stopping heat from getting in.

This is one of the benefits of shutters that you might not have expected, but there are other considerable benefits that range from the obvious improvements to privacy, lighting and ventilation, to other more unexpected benefits.

Here are just a few more benefits to plantation shutters.

 

Easier To Clean

Curtains can be a bit of a nightmare to clean, and so many people either limit their curtain cleaning to an occasional dusting or do not bother at all, which means that they are at risk of containing potential contagions, pathogens, allergens, and dust.

Shutters can simply, easily and efficiently be wiped clean, not requiring any more maintenance than that to last years.

 

Soundproofing

Because plantation shutters are made from a more solid material than traditional curtains or even Venetian blinds, they can be very effective when closed as a soundproofing material.

Part of the reason for this is the material; the solid wood construction blocks out external noise in the same way a door does, and because of this external noise is reduced.

This can make shutters very useful as a home studio or home office soundproofing solution as an augmentation to other soundproofing methods, allowing for more professional communications and better results.

To achieve similar results, curtains have to be particularly thick and made from a material suitable for soundproofing, which is less likely to be found in a home setting.

Many homeowners would love to renovate their properties, but with the cost-of-living crisis forcing most people to look after their pennies, they might not have enough money spare to carry out their redecorating plans.

However, there are still things that can be done to give your home a new lease of life. Firstly, The Telegraph suggests a fresh lick of paint to make a room feel completely different.

It also suggested painting ceilings, woodwork, walls and floors in the same colour to create a “complete look”, saying this “feels cocooning and lovely”.

Plastering wallpaper can also transform a room. However, the publication recommended avoiding feature walls, as stylist Gabby Deeming said: “It smacks of lack of commitment.”

“Wallpaper is at its best in the round,” she stated, saying when it is done properly, it can look “beautiful”.

Simply rearranging furniture and fittings can make a room feel different, with Ms Deeming telling readers: “I like to change the position of some chairs, or rotate a table, or swap some lamps around.”

Texture is also important when redecorating a room, such as a velvet sofa or leather upholstery. The trick is to mix it up, so there is not too much repetition.

Fitting split shutters for windows can also make a huge impact in updating a room. In addition to adding luxuriousness and value to the property, shutters have many practical advantages too. These include keeping cold air out during the winter, and heat out in the warm summer months.

When it comes to solid wood shutters, the best way to ensure you achieve a stunning and timeless aesthetic where your home interiors are concerned is to go for a set in a beautiful classic shade of white.

White is wonderful for embracing a clean and minimalist look and feel at home, making them the perfect addition to any stylish and contemporary interior design scheme.

They really stand out and bring your windows to life in a way that curtains simply don’t achieve and they tie in really well with a range of different design concepts, everything from the Mediterranean look to French decor or even shabby chic.

If you’re new to interior design and don’t want to make poor choices that you then have to live with for years, white is the obvious option for your shutters since the colour is easy to match up with other shades and it’s quite hard for it to go wrong. 

You’ll also be able to redecorate over the years without anything to worry about, since white works well with all sorts of different shades and colour palettes.

Practically speaking, going for white shutters is a wise investment, since white fabric will show signs of wear and tear comparatively quickly. In contrast, your shutters will really stand the test of time and look as good as they did when they were first installed, even many years down the line.

Shutters are also very easy to clean and maintain, so if you have noticed that the white is starting to dull somewhat, simply wipe the slats down with a microfibre cloth to bring them back to life in an instant.

At this time of year, there may be a great temptation to invest in new blinds, curtains or shutters. While the long daylight hours can bring a great delight to many, not least when walking along the shore or sitting out on a lovely light evening, the mornings can be an issue.

This is when you need solid panel shutters in Brighton, for while the summer sun may rise earlier in the north, it is still more than bright enough to wake people long before their alarm clocks go off. For some, this lack of sleep can be quite a problem, not least if they have young children who are literally up at first light.

While midsummer sunrise in Brighton comes before 05:00, anyone fancying an early night might appreciate the shutters before the sunset, which comes at nearly 20 minutes past nine in the evening.

Just as relevant, however, is the brightness of the sun in the day. While the daylight hours are longer further north, the sun gets higher in the south, up to 62 degrees at noon. That means if you are indoors and want a break from the sun or want to work without being dazzled, shutters can be invaluable in the day.

All this may make it sound like such shutters are chiefly of use in midsummer, which will soon pass. However, the fact is they can be just as important, if not more, later and earlier in the year. A low sun in autumn and winter can be even more dazzling, getting as low as 16 degrees above the horizon in December.

It is also worth noting that solid wooden shutters are great insulators, helping keep the heat in. That matters little in summer, but come the winter it will be of great benefit, especially this year with energy prices expected to rise again in the autumn.

Quite simply, solid wood shutters do not just help prevent premature awakening in summer or dazzling winter sun. They can also play an invaluable part in keeping your home warm when these long, sunny days of summer are a distant memory.

Households up and down the country are growing increasingly concerned about the rising cost of living, but this has not stopped half of Brits planning to renovate their home this year.

According to the latest findings from Experian, the majority of the country want to update their home before 2022 is over, with one in ten of these doing so to make their property more energy-efficient. This will help them pay for household energy bills, as these continue to rise, reported the Express.

Head of consumer affairs at Experian James Jones told the newspaper: “As the cost-of-living crisis continues to squeeze families, households are being forced to tightly budget.”

The survey found as much as a third of people are planning home improvement jobs to add value to their property, as well as boost their mood. This will help them if they go to sell their home, as they will be able to increase their equity and, potentially, release some cash.

One way to increase the asking price of a property and improve its energy-efficiency is to install shutter blinds in your Brighton home.

These look chic and stylish, from both the inside and outside, helping to boost the home’s kerb appeal and get viewers through the front door.

In addition to this, they are excellent at keeping houses warm during the winter, as they create a substantial barrier to the outside and prevent heat from escaping.

Solid shutters, in particular, are a good choice for cold houses, as the block of wood prevents any heat loss.

Having a home you are proud of is incredibly important and while you may have definite ideas for the big parts, paying extra attention to the details is a great way to ensure you have everything perfected for your space. 

Window coverings may seem like the last task on your to do list, but choosing the right kind can really change the entire look and feel of a room.

Blinds are a popular option as they are easy to install, easy to use and come in a range of colours and styles. The simplicity of blinds is part of what attracts people to them and the option to have them hidden is also a huge bonus. However, blinds can feel dull and boring and while functional, they add little to a room aesthetically.

Shutters are a fantastic alternative to those who want both style and functionality. Shutters act not only as window coverings but also as a feature of your home. Aesthetically, they are wonderful and can add a classic and fashionable touch to any room. 

Durability is also a huge positive. Well-made shutters can last a lifetime and if maintained properly will look incredible for years, whereas alternatives like blinds and curtains often deteriorate from exposure to sun and various cleaning products. 

Shutters are also fantastic insulators, which only makes them more desirable. They are able to be opened and closed depending on whether you want to retain heat or allow air flow. 

There is also a wide range of materials that they can be made from, meaning you have far more flexibility when choosing the style that is right for you.

Low maintenance, durable and stylish, shutters are a fantastic way to add character and individuality to your home and are sure to be a talking point for guests. 

 

For bespoke window shutters, visit The Brighton Shutter Company today. 

One of the first things you might notice when visiting a hot country is most windows are fitted with full height wooden shutters. So why are these preferable to curtains or blinds, even though they are known for trapping heat in?

Indeed, shutters are a great choice during the winter months, as they can keep homes nice and warm when it is cold outside. By providing another layer to block air from travelling through, it becomes harder for the chilly weather to seep into the house.

However, they are also the preferred option in hot countries too – for the exact same reason. As they block air flow, all the heat from outside doesn’t travel into the building.

By keeping out the sunlight and warmth, you can prevent interiors heating up. Shutters are ideal as they enable homeowners to crack open their windows for ventilation while keeping the sunrays out.

Unlike curtains, which do not provide a complete seal around the window and therefore, let some sunlight and heat in, shutters fit the window frame entirely, providing a barrier to stop air flow.

This is why houses in the Mediterranean all look as though they have been deserted during the daytime over the summer months, as everyone keeps their shutters closed so their bedrooms do not feel like a sauna at night-time.

When it comes to choosing the right shutter for your home, white is a wise choice as this also reflects the sunlight, helping to keep the house as cool as possible.

Bay windows are a highly sought-after feature in a house, whether for a period Victorian or Edwardian era home, or a more modern property. They were introduced to grander mansion houses in the UK during the Renaissance period, from the late 15^th century to the early 17^th century.

They are windows made up of three panels or more, which protrude beyond the exterior wall, on either the lower or upper floors. The most typical style of bay window is a hexagonal or octagonal shape, but they can also be curved or square. Upper storey protruding windows are usually referred to as oriel windows.

Until the late 19^th century, building regulations meant that bay windows were limited to grander styles of architecture and mansion houses. However, a rule change in 1894 meant that ordinary houses could enjoy the benefit of extra space and light, and the extended views afforded by a bay window.

While bay windows are a very attractive and desirable feature in a property, they can present a challenge when it comes to window dressings. Maintaining the sense of space and light control while providing adequate insulation and privacy takes some extra consideration.

Curtain rails are difficult to fit to bay windows, as they are often an irregular size. Even if a rail is installed, it is very tricky to achieve a close fit, meaning that the curtains let heat escape and light filter in. They can also look bulky, and detract from the sense of space created by the window.

Therefore, shutters are a great choice for bay windows, whatever the style of the property. They can be custom made to fit exactly, providing perfect blackout and privacy when you need it, and much more effective insulation. Full height shutters cover the entire window; ideal for lower floors where you want maximum light and privacy control.

For upper floor windows which are not overlooked, café style shutters are a popular choice. They are half-height, allowing the light to flood in. For the best of both worlds, you could also opt for tier-on-tier shutters, where the top and bottom half can be operated independently.

 

For more information on shutter blinds in Brighton, talk to us today.

In modern home design, huge windows are seen as a very important feature, and solid wood shutters help to ensure both privacy and greater control of how much light is allowed into a particular room.

However, when glass windows were starting to become widespread in the 17th century, there were some cases where the window would be covered with a rather more substantial form of shutter: brick.

The reason for this was a protest against one of the most controversial taxes the UK has enforced up until that point and would be commonly claimed to be the source of the term ‘daylight robbery’ to mean a cost that is seen as egregious.

The window tax was introduced during a period when the idea of income tax (a tax charged relative to a person’s earnings) was still particularly controversial and King William III had recently undertaken a vast recoinage scheme to try and stop the clipping of their edges.

To make up the £2.7m (over £200m adjusted for inflation) that had been spent re-minting all of Britain’s coins, King William wanted to bring in an income tax, but fierce opposition led to him enforcing a similarly banded tax based on the number of windows in a house.

It was made up of a flat-rate house tax that everyone paid (two shillings, or £14.19 adjusted for inflation), and a variable tax based on how many windows were in the home above ten,

Properties with between 11 and 20 windows paid an extra four shillings (nearly £30 in modern money) and houses with more than 20 windows paid eight shillings per window (£56.75).

In one sense, it was a relatively intrusive and easy to calculate tax because you could simply count the windows from the outside, but people strongly disagreed with it to the point that many windows were simply bricked up and it was called a “tax on light and air”.

Eventually, pressure from doctors and a growing agitation from people who connected a lack of light to ill health led to the tax being repealed in 1851.

If you’re thinking about redecorating the bedroom or looking at adding some finishing touches to provide the ‘wow’ factor, then plantation shutters may be just what you need.

Plantation shutters look stunning in any room in the house and perfectly suit the latest trends for blue-hued bedrooms. We have a look at five reasons why you should add plantation shutters to your bedroom.

 

They’re a great space-saving option

A great way to create the illusion of space is with window shutters. Because they fit right into the window recess, there is no protrusion into your room. Curtains, especially on bay windows are fitted onto the outside of the window recess.

 

Temperature control

It’s important to get the right temperature at night for quality sleep. Solid plantation shutters provide a level of heat insulation for the room and can make a significant difference in keeping your room warm in winter.

Conversely, the adjustable slats mean you can control the airflow around the room during summer, helping to keep the room cool, without compromising on your privacy.

 

They can help allergy sufferers

Curtains can harbour all manner of dust, mites, pollen and allergens, which can be problematic for allergy sufferers. However, wood shutters can simply be wiped down, and you will not have to worry about your allergies.

 

They add the wow factor

Plantation shutters are timeless and will never go out of fashion, as well as being elegant and versatile, and will still look great if you redecorate.

 

They keep out noise

Plantation shutters can help to reduce external noise because they provide a barrier between your window and your room. Whether it’s cars driving past, planes flying overhead or people passing by, shutters are an effective method of reducing noise levels.

 

If you’re looking for plantation shutters, visit our online store today.