Looking to embellish your windows? Well, nothing complements your windows more than a nice pair of shutters. And your timing is perfect: There are more shutter styles than ever before. Thanks to an array of innovative designers and manufacturers on the market today, there’s never been a better time to shop for shutters for your house.
What Are Window Shutters?
Shutters are adornments that are fixed to the exterior of the home – and occasionally to the interior – on either side of the window. They’re typically, though not always, the same color as the window trim. Exterior shutter styles can enhance the aesthetics of your home and increase its curb appeal.
Shutters Can Make the Perfect Window Accessory
Shutters can help highlight your windows because your eye naturally travels to a colorful and well-designed shutter. They’re also a perfect accessory because they require minimal maintenance; once they’re installed on the home’s exterior, there’s very little upkeep until it’s time to replace them.
Let’s Discuss Different Shutter Styles
Finding the right shutter designs for your home is paramount. Different shutters reflect different styles and aesthetics. If you already know what types of shutters you want for your home, then you’re ahead of the game. But if you’re looking for a refresher on what kinds of styles are out there, we’ve got you covered in the following sections.
Raised Panel Shutters
One of the most common types of shutters, raised panels feature two rectangles of raised material – a top and a bottom – on each shutter; that’s what separates them from a flat panel. This design is simple, charming, and never goes out of style. And, like the other kinds of shutters on this list, they can be made of a variety of materials, including wood, vinyl, and fiberglass.
Plantation Shutters
These window shutter styles became popular again in the 1980s and have been with us ever since. First used in the South in the 18th century, they’re now available everywhere. Plantation shutters boast a series of overlapping, horizontal slats with one vertical bar or divider down the middle. Although they were originally designed to be opened and closed, many exterior plantation shutters today are fixed and used solely for decoration.
Louvered Shutters
Similar to the plantation style, louvered shutters – sometimes called “lovely louvered” – possess overlapping slats. There are two key differences, however: Louvered shutters have narrower slats, or louvers, and there’s no vertical divider that goes down the center. Louvered are one of the most popular types of shutters, in part because they’re compatible with just about any kind of home.
Board and Batten Shutters
Sporting a series of wide, vertical boards (most varieties have three or four on each shutter), board and batten shutters look like pieces of a picket fence. They also feature two or three horizontal or diagonal boards (battens) that are placed over the vertical ones. Board and batten shutters are particularly popular with fans of modern shutter styles. What’s more, there’s a large variety of design options with this kind of shutter, as board-and-battens sometimes have differently shaped angles and edges on top, and the accompanying horizontal/diagonal battens can be set in any number of places.
Mission Shutters
One of the most distinctive varieties, mission style shutters come in a multitude of schemes. With mission shutters, a geometric shape is carved or fabricated into some part of the shutter, giving homeowners and designers endless possibilities for patterns. Although they’re usually wood shutters, they’re also available in other materials.
Combination Shutters
If you really want to add a signature look to your shutters, you can always try the combination route. Simply take two or three of the styles you like best and incorporate them into a single shutter. For example, you could install a shutter that has a raised panel on the bottom, lovely louvers in the middle, and a mission pattern on top. You might end up paying a little more for these shutters, of course, but if you’re looking to put your personal stamp on your shutter design, this is the way to go.
Interior Shutter Styles
Interior shutter styles aren’t as common as exterior shutters, but you see them in some modern homes. However, unlike exterior shutters, which are used almost exclusively as decoration, most types of interior shutters are functional shutters that open and close. For this reason, it’s especially important to ensure that you have a true fit with your interior shutters.
Finding the Perfect Shutter Style for Your Home
Now that you’re up to date on the most common shutter styles, it’s time to decide what works best for you. You’ll definitely want your shutters to complement not only your own style, but also your windows. If you’re installing both at once, you’ve come to the right place. At MI Windows and Doors, we offer a wide variety of window frame colors to complement any shutter design. Check out our Inspiration Gallery to get your imagination going and remember, if you can dream it, MI Windows and Doors can make it happen.
