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Ways Plantation Shutters Can Benefit a Home

3 May 2021 by Felecia Banks

Plantation window shutters provide functional and decorative benefits to a home. To discover how they can help, consider the following.

Opening Alternatives

Plantation shutters consist of a sturdy frame with horizontal louvres fixed within. These frames can attach to your window in various ways. They can connect with hinges that swing open to reveal the bare glass pane. You can install double plantation shutters that open to each side.

For a wall of expansive windows, you could install bi-fold shutters that fold to the side like a fan. Large windows may be beautiful in summer, but in winter, they can reduce your home's coziness. However, once you close the shutters, they form a solid structure that functions as a dividing wall of sorts, giving the room a cosy feel.

Suits Different Window Sizes

Plantation shutters form a neatly contained rectangle or square, so you can install them on any size window without overwhelming even small windows. Conversely, curtain folds take up more area, and they can get in the way. On a large window, you could fit shutters with wide blades. You can choose narrow blades that look in proportion on a smaller window.

Consistent Window Treatments

Because you can adapt the shutters' attachment and blade width, you can install them in any room in the home. Thus, you can enjoy consistent window treatments throughout for a polished look in the bathroom, kitchen, dining room and bedroom. As well, plantation shutters pair well with curtains. Thus, you can add extra lushness to specific rooms while maintaining overall unity.

Material Options

Timber, PVC and faux wood are several possible materials you can use for plantation shutters. Timber can be stained or painted to imbue rooms with a classic look. In humid areas such as kitchens and bathrooms, you could install faux wood, which better copes with humid conditions without warping or rotting. Plantation shutters come in a wide range of colours, including white, charcoal and blue, so you'll have plenty of options to harmonize the shutters with the room walls and furnishings.

Energy-Efficient

Because these shutters form a sturdy structure against the window, they help make your home energy-efficient. In summer, you can close them to deflect solar heat. Once closed, the shutters create an air gap between the blades and the glass, hindering heat transfer. Thus, you'll save on air conditioning costs. Similarly, in winter, the indoor heat won't easily escape through the plantation shutters, improving the building's insulation, which is especially helpful on chilly nights. 

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