After a balmy start to October, temperatures have certainly taken a dip lately and winter certainly feels like it’s on its way. However, homeowners with wooden window shutters can rest assured their house will stay warm. 

This is because shutters are great at trapping hot air in the house, creating a barrier between the glass window and the rest of the room. As a result, a layer of air becomes locked in, which means hot air from the room will not escape. 

Therefore, if the central heating is on, you can relax knowing you won’t be spending more money on your energy bills than necessary, and can avoid heating up air only for it to escape through the windows. 

At a time when energy bills are still extremely high, with prices capped at £1,834 per year for a typical household, this will be extremely important to most homeowners this winter.

Window shutters also make it harder for the cold air from outside to get into the house, helping to keep the interior warm and comfortable, so you can rest assured you can have a restful night’s sleep or a cosy evening on the sofa without feeling the chill. 

Another great thing about wooden shutters is the slats can be partially opened while the rest of the frame remains closed. This means sunlight can come into the house at the same time as heat loss is reduced. 

What’s more, this means bright winter sunshine can stream through the house, helping to warm it up while also benefiting from the shutters to trap air in. 

At nighttime, when the sun has set, you can close the slats fully again and boost the insulation in the room, reducing the amount of warm air being lost to the outside.

When it comes to elevating your home’s interior, window treatments play a pivotal role. The decision often boils down to two popular choices: wooden shutters and blinds. Both options have their own unique attributes and advantages, making the choice a matter of personal preference.

In this post, we’ll delve into the benefits of wooden shutters and blinds to help you make an informed decision that suits your style and needs.

 

Wooden Shutters: Timeless Elegance

Durability: Wooden shutters are renowned for their long-lasting durability. Crafted from premium materials, they stand the test of time and continue to look stunning for years.

Insulation: They offer excellent insulation, helping to regulate the temperature in your home. They can keep your space cooler in the summer and warmer in the winter.

Privacy and Light Control: The adjustable louvres of shutters allow for precise control over privacy and light. You can easily adjust them to let in just the right amount of sunshine.

Versatility: They are versatile and can complement various interior design styles, from traditional to contemporary. They are a timeless choice that adds an elegant touch to any space.

 

Blinds: Sleek And Practical

Affordability: Blinds are often a more budget-friendly option, making them an excellent choice for those seeking an economical solution without compromising on quality.

Lightweight: Blinds are typically lighter in weight, making them easy to install and operate. They come in a variety of materials, including aluminium, fabric and vinyl.

Versatility: Blinds offer a wide range of styles, colours and designs, allowing you to select the one that best matches your decor and personal taste.

Adjustability: Blinds provide flexible light control and privacy. You can easily tilt the slats or raise the entire blind to achieve the desired level of illumination.

Ultimately, the choice between wooden shutters and blinds depends on your individual preferences, needs and budget. Wooden shutters exude timeless elegance and durability, while blinds offer versatility and practicality. 

Whichever option you choose, you can be confident that your window treatments will enhance the beauty and functionality of your space.

When it comes to enhancing the ambience and aesthetics of your home, wooden shutters offer a timeless and sophisticated solution. Whether you’re a homeowner with a discerning taste for interior design or a professional seeking to add a touch of elegance to your workspace, custom shutters can be the perfect choice to elevate your space.

 

Material Matters

One of the key aspects of customising your shutters is selecting the most suitable material. Premium wood options like oak and maple provide a solid foundation for your design journey. Each wood type has its own unique grain pattern, giving you the freedom to choose the material that fits with your personal style and vision for the space.

 

Finish It Your Way

Your shutters should not only fit your windows but also your personal taste. Whether you lean toward a classic, natural look or prefer a more contemporary finish, the possibilities are endless. With various stain and paint options available, you can easily find the perfect colour to harmonise with your interior decor.

 

Size And Design

Shutters serve a dual purpose; they are both functional and decorative. The size can be customised to meet your specific needs. Larger plantation shutters create an open, airy atmosphere, while smaller ones provide enhanced privacy and a traditional look. Additionally, you can work with experts to select a design that complements your style.

 

Adding a Personal Touch

To make your shutters truly unique, consider adding personal touches such as custom-shaped shutters for unconventional windows or speciality cut-outs that reflect your personality. Customisation allows you to bring your vision to life, ensuring that your shutters become a reflection of your individuality and style.

In the world of premium wooden shutters, the possibilities are boundless. Whether you’re in the market for shutters to display nature’s beauty or looking to create an isolated city escape, the journey of customising shutters that resonate with your unique style awaits.

The cost of living crisis has provided all manner of burdens for people. In the most extreme cases, it has made it hard for some to pay their bills and put food on the table. For others, it has meant that while day-to-day living is manageable, economies have been made and luxuries curbed.

In January last year, research by estate agent Nested indicated that Britons spent a collective £22 billion a year (£330 per person) on interior décor, more than any other European nation bar Germany.

Since then, however, it is likely this passion for spending on interiors has been dulled by rising costs elsewhere. Households faced with a squeeze will have to put home improvements or redecoration on hold.

However, it need not be this way. You might find there are actually some exciting options for your home that are actually well within your budget. We would suggest affordable window shutters are just that.

As a local company aware that, contrary to some stereotypes, not everyone in Sussex is loaded, we know full well that affordability is an issue for many people, just as is an appreciation of finer elements such as skilful assessments of need and a professional approach.

Some might perceive that the cost-of-living crisis is fading away, as inflation, having topped out at over ten per cent, was 6.8 per cent at the last count and expected to fall further soon.

The Bank of England has just published its latest inflation attitudes survey, which showed there is an average expectation that the rate will drop to 3.6 per cent over the next year, although that is actually 0.1 per cent more than the predicted figure in May. Nonetheless, the general expectation is for the rise in the cost of living to ease somewhat.

However, this is against the backdrop of higher interest rates that can add much to mortgage costs. While the recent spate of increases may be near its peak, this has proved a shock for many.

All that means household budgets could be tight for a while yet, but that does not mean there are not high-quality and affordable shutter options available.

The best thing a good shutter company can offer its customers is lots of quality and choice, meaning you can not only get very good shutters and blinds, but also find just the thing that suits you.

However, finding the right shutters for your home may not be a question of a one-size-fits-all approach, as much may depend on each window’s size, location in the house (upstairs or downstairs) and its position in relation to the sun at various times of the day.

It is worth remembering at the outset that the ways shutters have been used down the ages have varied. In medieval times when most windows did not have glass, they were a barrier to keep flying creatures from insects to birds from entering the home, while they had more insulating properties later when glazing was the norm, as well as privacy considerations.

The latter is still an important factor now, so for the ground floor, solid wood shutters that prevent anyone from peeping in at street level are a good idea. Equally, it can also be important to have these for your bedroom, especially if it faces another upstairs room.

You may also have ideas of the right sort of shutters for Regency windows, should you live in such a building and have tall windows. These windows allow lots of natural light in, but how much you let in and keep out may depend on what direction it faces.

For example, a south-facing window should be free to let as much light in as possible in winter but the capacity to restrict it in summer, while those facing west may require shutters that can keep the light out when it is dazzlingly low around sunsets in early spring and autumn, around the equinoxes (you will be able to check this out later in September).

Finally, if you have a north-facing window, you must note that very little sunlight will ever encroach directly except very early or late in the day in summer, with the topography of the nearby South Downs limiting this further. That means you need shutters that open wider to get the best of the light here.

Just like any interior design decision, choosing what type of shutters to get can be very tricky, as you will need to think about what suits the window and the room, and which style will let in the right amount of light. 

Tier-on-tier plantation shutters are one of the most popular choices, so read on to find out why. 

 

Versatile

Homeowners love this type of shutter because you can control how much sunlight to let into the room at any time. 

As the panels are independently operated, you can keep one completely closed while opening the other. 

This is great if you want to let in lots of light but also wish to retain privacy, as you can keep the bottom tier closed and while opening the top. 

 

Best of both worlds

They are also great for those who cannot choose between full-height or cafe-style shutters, as they can enjoy having both. 

When you want to keep the light out, you can have the privacy and seclusion of full-height shutters. 

Alternatively, cafe-style shutters can provide a much lighter, brighter space, as only half of the window is covered up. Tier-on-tier shutters can offer this by being used like cafe-style ones.

 

Great for bay windows

This is why homeowners choose tier-on-tier shutters for their bay windows. 

Those who have a couch or chairs in their bay window can still enjoy their own privacy without having to sit in darkness, as they can keep the bottom section shut while opening the top half. 

This is ideal for those with homes on busy streets, as they won’t want everyone catching sight of them watching TV, eating dinner or snuggling up with their partner as they walk past.

British homes are built for a temperate climate, especially older buildings such as the Regency properties that make up much of Brighton and Hove’s cityscape. But are they well suited to all the challenges we face today?

On the one hand, climate change is bringing hotter summers, even if this was only apparent here in June before the stubborn Jet Stream gave us a cold and wet July and locked in the severe heat to the south across much of Europe.

On the other hand, winter can still be cold and high energy bills make people more reluctant to turn it on in the autumn, while a lot of British homes are nowhere near as well insulated as they should be.

This is where shutters and blinds could come into their own, however, as they can be extremely useful for dealing with the extremes of heat and cold.

Responding to a recent Oxford University study that suggested Britain will need to do more than most countries to adjust to a changing climate, structural engineer Oliver Neve of Ramboll told PA news: “There’s an awful lot of work that has to be done within the existing (UK building) stock to prepare us for these climate changes.”

He said that blinds and shutters could be a great way of keeping heat out, noting these are commonplace not just in sunnier southern Europe, but even places like Lille in northern France with an “identical climate” to the UK.

At the same time, shutters can be very good at keeping heat in. This is particularly true for wood. Provided it is dry, it has very low thermal conductivity, which means it is a very good insulator.

That is important for helping keep the heat in during the evenings as the temperature drops in autumn. Indeed, if you are thinking about purchasing blinds or solid wood shutters now, you may be thinking more of the cold seasons ahead than what remains of summer.

However, over the lifetime of your shutters, there will be lots of hot days and cold days. That is why it makes sense to have something in place that helps keep the temperatures at a happy medium.

Whilst British summers have historically had a reputation for being somewhat literal damp squibs, the last few years have seen temperature records be beaten time and again, to the point that hot temperatures are becoming the norm.

The problem with this is that a lot of British homes are not designed to handle the heat, with research from the University of Oxford claiming that if temperatures continue to rise, there will be 30 per cent more days where cooling systems are needed to avoid falling ill, matching Switzerland for the biggest change in cooling demand.

However, the report suggests a range of potential cooling systems that could help keep the temperature down without relying too heavily on air conditioning systems, fans and other powered systems.

Whilst some of the systems such as radiant panels, improved ventilation, green roofs and ultra-white reflective paint are relatively new and currently quite expensive technologies, one surprising intervention that can help is the use of solid wood shutters.

In many respects, this is not entirely surprising; shutters and thick curtains have been used for a very long time to insulate houses, and insulation not only serves to keep heat inside a home during winter but can help to block the heat out during the summer months and avoid causing a greenhouse effect in your home.

A lot of homes in the UK lack either passive or active cooling systems, unlike other European countries which have similar or even cooler climates, but this report suggests that if these measures were to be adopted, Britain would be in a better place to tackle rising temperatures.

Wooden shutters are an attractive solution, alongside removing excessive paving and patios around your home to reduce the urban heat island effect and adding more plants and vegetation to add natural shade around your home.

Interior fashions come and go with such speed that at times it is hard to keep up. That begs the question of whether any particular kind of item, even one with a long history of use, will stay in vogue and not become obsolete.

This question was posed in relation to shutters by Livingetc, with interior designers from the UK and US revealing how they approach the question in 2023. With few exceptions, they agreed there is a place for them.

Founder of New York interior design studio Arsight Artem Kropovinsky said it is not just the “traditional” appeal that endures, but the way shutters have adjusted to fit more modern homes.

He remarked: “Contrary to the belief that they’re old-fashioned and bulky, shutters have evolved. Today, they’re available in a variety of materials and designs to complement any contemporary interior, and their practicality is unquestionable.”

Other style gurus similarly backed modern shutters as a good option for contemporary homes. But at the same time, it is important to note that so many people today still live in older buildings where tradition works best.

This is certainly true on this side of the pond, London-based architect Brian O’ Tuama pointed out. He observed: “We and our clients have always been keen on panelled shutters in period properties, and we’ve retained, restored, or replaced many sets over the years.”

Of course, many people will do this when they install full-height window shutters in Brighton, as these are perfect for the tall windows that characterise Regency buildings.

This indicates that shutters offer the best of both worlds, being adaptable for modern times but still providing a traditional look for older buildings that need this to retain their character.

A factor some might have overlooked is that as the climate gets hotter, shutters may be more valuable as a means of keeping rooms cool.

This point was made by scientists at Oxford University as they warned that, at present, UK homes are among the least well-equipped for a significantly warmer world, since they are designed for a cold, wet climate.

 

When most people think of the practical benefits of solid panel shutters, they typically focus on improved privacy and blocking out light, allowing for a better night’s sleep.

However, shutters are also very good at regulating the amount of heat that goes in and out of a home, particularly if they are made of fairly solid natural materials such as wood.

It has been known for centuries that shutters are a great way to keep out the cold during the winter months and improve insulation, but the same principle is also true in the other direction, up to a point.

This can seem counterintuitive; often our first response to a hot day is to open a window to help improve airflow, but whilst this can work on some warm days or when there is a breeze to help regulate temperatures better, it can also serve to let hot air in or magnify the greenhouse effect that can occur with big untreated windows.

However, it is often more important to keep heat out than allow outdoor air in during heatwave-level temperatures, as the latter is more likely to improve the heat of the room, even if spending a summer day in a dark room is far from ideal.

Solid louvred shutters can help with this as they allow for much greater control of lighting and heating. Opening the windows but having closed shutters with slightly opened louvres can create shade in your room that can make the sunlight seem far less overbearing.

This, in combination with a fan or HVAC system, can help keep rooms cool even as the temperatures reach as high as 40 degrees Celsius, avoiding inadvertently causing harm to yourself if you decide to stay in and out of direct sunlight.

At night, however, try to open your window slightly to make up for that loss of airflow and avoid stagnant air in the room.