Solid wood shutters are the best of both worlds in that they provide a distinctive look to your home whilst also effectively improving privacy and allowing you to control the amount of light in your home.

However, there are a few common misconceptions about these versatile solid window coverings that can cause people to get the wrong idea about what shutters can bring to your home.

Here are some common myths about shutters and the truth behind them.

 

Shutters Are Not The Same As Blinds

Perhaps because we talk about louvres for both Venetian blinds and plantation shutters, some have managed to conflate the two types of window covering.

However, they both produce a very different effect in your home even when using the same materials and colour schemes.

Venetian blinds, the closest analogue to shutters, use a series of louvres made of either thin metal or wood that are closed using a roller, whilst shutters are solid panels typically opened and closed using a latch or lever mechanism.

Whilst blinds are a common choice for windows, they can be difficult to operate, too thin and gather dust very easily depending on the design.

 

You Do Not Need A Traditional Looking Home To Have Them

Whilst plantation shutters have been historically associated with certain house styles, they are highly adaptable as a design concept and look great on nearly every home, with colours, louvre sizes, shapes and shutter systems to suit every need.

 

Shutters Do Not Darken A Room

Because shutters are solid and often have a border, there is a misplaced concern amongst some homeowners that they can sap some of the light away from a room.

Whilst they are very good at darkening a room at night when they are closed, rotating the slats provides a lot of light, and the shutter itself can be swung open to get the most natural light possible from a window.

The history of the beautiful solid wood shutters available today spans thousands of years and several fundamental changes in purpose, material and positioning in a home.

One of the most fascinating examples of this is how the first shutters ever made were made in Ancient Greece between 800BC and 500BC using, of all materials possible, marble.

Marble is a heavy, multicoloured stone that is more associated with Greek statues and column construction than it is with window coverings.

The reason for this is that it is especially heavy, requires special mounting points on a house and has louvres that are fixed in place, simply because no mechanical system would make them easy to move.

Because of this, Greek shutters were not really used to control light levels but instead were used to provide ventilation in the hot Mediterranean climate and protect against strong winds, dust and rain that were common in coastal towns.

However, because marble is also very expensive, it was typically only used for this purpose by the upper class and since the blinds were pointed downwards, they did not allow much light in. However, whilst marble was not the right material, the idea did have value in itself.

Either the Greeks or other Mediterranean countries would replace the marble with wood, which was not only cheaper and easier to build with but also allowed for movable louvres, which meant that for the first time a shutter could shut out as much or as little light as the homeowner wanted.

Eventually, as the centuries progressed, shutters would spread across Europe, most commonly in the form of solid panels for security and block out light, switching from helping air to circulate to helping to keep warm air in at night.

As glass would take over as the window covering of choice, shutters changed from being purely practical to being more decorative in nature, and to this day they are still used as a stylish way to control the levels of light in a room.

When people choose window coverings, how much they prioritise privacy will in many cases dictate what drapes they choose.

This is why so many people opt for blinds over curtains; there is a greater control not only over the natural light in the room but how much people outside could see into their home. People who choose solid panel shutters or plantation shutters over blinds prioritise their privacy even more.

However, when you close the louvres of your shutters, which direction the closed shutters are facing matters, as depending on what floor you are on, people can sometimes peer into closed shutters if they have not been closed the right way.

A carpenter did an experiment on social media that showed that if the blinds were closed facing down (where the closest edge of the blind to you is pointing down) and the lights are on, you can see inside a ground floor room from the outside.

However, if the blinds are closed in the opposite direction facing up, all someone will see through the blinds is the ceiling, and your privacy will be assured.

Interestingly, the opposite is true for upstairs rooms, which should face down to stop people from looking inside from below.

Whilst this is a useful hack to know in general, there are potentially interesting implications for future shutters that take full advantage of smart home technology.

There currently exist blinds that can be opened and closed remotely, and whilst these most often take the form of roller blinds, Venetian smart blinds also exist and unless they close completely flush, they need to take into account which direction the blinds are closing in to maintain privacy.

 

It may become the case that when smart shutters are sold to the public, they could need two closing options depending on which floor they are installed on.

Solid window shutters have a fascinating history that predates the glass windows they protect today, and outside of the marble louvres of Ancient Greece and solid hide protection, are one of the first window covering systems ever invented.

The most popular type of shutters, however, are the versatile, endlessly elegant and functional plantation shutters, which provide effective ventilation, home protection and control of natural light.

Initially, however, the concept of louvre shutters did not actually come from plantations, but instead, like the popularity of most window coverings, from the Sun King himself, King Louis XIV.

He insisted on the use of window shutters, in part so people could sleep comfortably in his royal domicile without being spied upon, and the royal cooks could use the kitchen without an abundance of sunlight burning them or making the kitchen too hot to use.

This, along with King Louis’ obsession with curtains on every wall, bed and other conceivable space, made him a very important part of the story of shutters, and it would only take a century or two for louvred shutters and curtains to spread beyond the Royal Courts of France.

Where these shutters would get their name would be in the Antebellum era in the southern United States, where the large plantation manor houses, often designed with overt inspiration from Gothic Revival and other European design movements, would employ shutters on every window.

After the end of the plantation era that coincided with the end of the American Civil War, many of the exterior window shutters were kept for decorative rather than practical reasons, helped by the development of more practical and affordable glass sheets that began in the latter part of the 19th century.

The days may be starting to get light again – although it will be some time before anyone notices much difference – but it is certainly cold most of the time. While Britain may have had its warmest New Year on record, the coldest weather usually comes in January and February.

Brighton’s southerly, coastal location means it is hardy vulnerable to the kind of perishing temperatures some parts of the UK may get, or the kind of snowfall seen on high ground, though there may be some flurries in town and plenty of the white stuff up on the South Downs.

Even so, if you have large windows, as many Regency buildings do, that’s a lot of area through which the cold can seep. That’s why solid wood panelling is a great option if you need full height shutters in Brighton.

Herein lies two of the great winter benefits of solid wood panels. Because wood is such a good insulating material, it helps keep the warmth in and the cold out. At the same time, it can have the reverse effect in summer if it gets very hot and you want to keep the room cool in the middle of the day – especially if you have just come inside after being out in it.

The second benefit is the way the opaque panels can keep the sun out. That may be easily overlooked on a cloudy day, but if your window faces southwards a winter day can provide a piercing low sun that gets in your eyes.

If the window faces in other directions, there may be times of day at other points in the year where there is a similar dazzling effect from a rising or setting sun.

While there are those who prefer a little bit of light filtering through, others like a clear all-or- nothing approach. For good insulation, avoidance of dazzling low sun and privacy, solid wood panel shutters are hard to beat.

With summer now a distant memory, it is time to embrace the colder seasons and revel in getting wrapped up and warm, kicking crunchy brown and golden autumnal leaves, and most importantly, getting excited about Christmas and the festive season!

As December gets closer, many people will be figuring out their festive decor for Christmas, if you haven’t already replaced Halloween with Christmas decor, that is! Have you considered how to dress your windows for Christmas yet?

We have a look at some simple ideas on how to dress your windows for Christmas.

 

Themed

If ‘Christmas’ is not enough of a theme already, then you can narrow your decor focus to something particularly, whether that’s a rustic feel, or building your theme on a festive colour, such as green or red.

Whatever you decide, extend your decorations to your windows. Not only will they match the decor elsewhere in the room. But they will reflect the light and create a lovely, warming feel to the room.

If you are thinking about a more rustic theme, why not buy a small wooden basket and decorate it with fir branches, fir cones and stars made from wood or old wire.

 

Lighting

Few things are as inviting as twirling lights at the window, from traditional strings of fairy lights to cascading stars like a waterfall. Battery-operated candle-style lights look great, as well as being safer near wooden window blinds and curtains than real candles.

 

Traditional

Maybe you want to be traditional with your decor, and the window is the ideal place to site a cavity scene, typically consisting of a stable, baby Jesus in the manger, Mary, Joseph, and everyone! Hang a star above the scene, and illuminate with fairy lights.

 

Simple but elegant

Not everyone wants to go over-the-top with their Christmas decor, and sometimes keeping things minimal can maximise the effect. Try hanging a traditional wreath on your window shutters, and use a can of artificial snow around the corners of your windows, with a few stencilled snowflakes on the glass.

 

If you’re looking for plantation shutters in Worthing, talk to us today.

It is never hard to spot full height window shutters in Brighton, with many windows featuring them. This is especially true of the ubiquitous Regency buildings in this city.

All that might make some wonder if the popularity of shutters is indelibly linked with Regency architecture and its large windows. The answer is that it is in the sense that the two go together well, but the history of shutters goes way back.

Shutters today can be made of aluminium or MDF, but, as with our range, wood remains the favourite material. However, it was not the original material for shutters, which are believed to have originated in ancient Greece.

The land of Plato, Socrates, the Acropolis and the Olympics pioneered the use of shutters to keep out the heat and light of the hot Mediterranean summer sun. That use has never changed, but what may come as a big surprise is that they actually made the slats out of marble, rather than wood.

Marble does have the advantage of being a durable material, but of course it is rather more exclusive and expensive than wood, so mass adoption and production of shutters for the wider population required a more readily available material.

Given the predominance of first Greek and then Greco-Roman culture across the Mediterranean, blinds soon became popular on the Italian peninsula and beyond.

The same process occurred when they arrived in England during Tudor times, when they were a luxury item made from glass. But, once again, materials diversified later on.

Despite the lack of shutters in 11^th century England, they were still an important part of a tall story about a very famous incident: Lady Godiva’s streak on horseback.

It was this incident, when the noblewoman was riding through Coventry in a protest over unfair taxes, that gave rise to the phrase “Peeping Tom”. The story was that the townsfolk had closed their shutters to avoid the indecent sight, but Tom couldn’t resist opening them and was struck blind in an act of divine retribution.

The story is believed to have been spun in the 17^th century, with its originator clearly unaware that shutters were not in use in Saxon times.

If you’ve been thinking about the benefits of window shutters for your home, you could be overwhelmed by the number of different styles, and unsure about which is best for your home, and different rooms.

Whether you want to add an extra layer of insulation to your windows, or your curtains are looking drab and your want a change, then window shutters are ideal.

Full height shutters are perfect for large windows, covering the entire window, providing elegance and privacy. They’re perfect for most homes, and can also be used as room dividers and to dress doors also.

The full panel construction means they are excellent for blocking out light and also reducing external noise, which is ideal if you live on a busy road.

Full height shutters with a mid-rail also help to separate the upper and lower Louvres, creating a windowpane effect.

Café style shutters cover only the bottom half of a window, leaving the top clear, allowing all the natural light to enter the room, while still providing the level of privacy you need. This makes them perfect for kitchens or bathrooms, providing you don’t have overlooking buildings nearby.

If you require maximum adaptability, the tier-on-tier shutters are what you might need. The upper and lower shutters can be opened and closed independently of each other, allowing you to fully control the light in the room efficiently.

For those sunny days, when the sun is glaring in through the south-facing windows, there is more option to control the shutters, without having to plunge yourself into the gloom by only being able to close the entire shutter, which makes them perfect for the lounge or office, reducing screen glare.

Whichever style you choose, they are a smart and stylish investment to your home, that will attract the envy of your friends and neighbours, eye-catching even from the outside of your home.

 

Talk to our experts today for more information about window shutters in Brighton.

Window shutters are one of the best ways to improve your interiors and get the most from your window areas.

If you’re considering making changes to your window treatments, and unsure whether to go for shutters over curtains or blinds, we have a look at some of the best reasons to choose window shutters below:

Shutters vs Blinds

Both shutters and blinds are aesthetically pleasing window treatments, as well as being a way to control privacy, lighting, and airflow into a room.

However, shutters are of much superior quality and a more permanent solution that are made to fit your windows perfectly, even to unusual sizes or shapes of a window, meaning there is virtually no light leakage that you would find with blinds and a significant improvement on energy efficiency and noise reduction from outside.

Shutters vs Curtains

Curtains are seen as a more traditional window dressing. However, curtains are tortious for harbouring dust and allergens, and due to their size, material, and pleating, can be very difficult to clean, leading to curtains looking older and dirtier,

Shutters can be regularly and simply wiped down with a damp cloth, which not only keeps them looking amazing but also hygienic for you and your family. It makes them ideal for children’s rooms and nurseries.

Shutters will also allow you to more easily control how much light and privacy you need than curtains, as louvres can be adjusted on separate panels to suit your needs, 

If you’re looking for affordable window shutters in Brighton, visit our website today.