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.

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.