Buyer's guide to shutters

Shutters make a great alternative to curtains or blinds and give an elegant Mediterranean feel to a room. Mark Carter, Director of plantation shutters company, Shutterly Fabulous, gives ten tips for buying shutters.

1. Picture the scene first

Try to imagine how you are going to use the shutters once they have been installed. You won’t necessarily have to open the panels a lot, as by just tilting the slats you will be able to create a sense of privacy whilst allowing light into the room.

2. Where to position the shutters

Your shutters can either be installed tight to the window, keeping the sill inside the room, or towards the front of the recess. The former gives you the option of folding back the panels 180° and is ideal if you open the panels on a regular basis. The latter keeps the sill space inside the room, and enables you to create a better sense of space.

3. The wider the panel, the less cluttered the look

If you’re only opening panels to clean or open the window, it is recommended to go with a wider panel. It will help you to create a more spacious and less cluttered look as well as reducing unnecessary solid framing.

4. Tilt for privacy

Consider introducing a mid rail (a horizontal piece of wood in the shutter panel) or having a split push rod to allow you to tilt the slats on the upper and lower portion at different angles. It plays with the daylight in a great and practical way. By tilting the bottom half at a slight angle and the top section to 90° it will give you privacy and maximum light at the same time.

5. How to maximize light

The larger the slat, the more light you will be able to allow into the room. The 89mm slat is becoming increasingly popular due to its modern contemporary look and the ability to allow a great deal of daylight into the room.

6. Stained wood gives a dramatic effect

Stained shutters can look fantastic in the right setting. To ensure a strong and consistent look, take the other elements in your room into consideration when visualizing the end result. A stained wooden floor, wooden furniture and wood stained shutters could create a very heavy look, whilst a rich dark wenge or walnut shutter in a white room can look sensational.

7. Don't be afraid of colour

Whites and off–whites remain extremely popular but don’t shy away from stronger colours. There has definitely been a rise in requests for other neutral tones, such as greys, blacks and browns as well as brighter tones in purple and blue. Do always remember that people go for colour when choosing other window treatments like curtains or blinds – why should it be any different with shutters?

8. Rods – conceal or expose?

Concealed push rods are no more popular than regular front facing rods. If you decide to go for narrow panels, concealed rods can work better as it gives less vertical lines on the shutter panel. However, on a wider panel, the front facing push rod is a nice detail, clearly showing that it’s a plantation shutter.

9. DIY to cut costs

Installing shutters can be straightforward and something you can do yourself. If you are comfortable measuring yourself and want to save money, places like The California Company have a great range for you to choose from.

10. Think long term

Shutters are timeless and will last a lifetime if you choose the right company and quality of product. You are likely to change your interior before you change your shutters, but shutters in a neutral shade will work with any style.