What Are Plantation Shutters & Why Should I Use Them?

When deciding on whether or not to use curtains or blinds in your home, it is very unlikely you have ever considered plantation shutters. In fact, it is unlikely you know what plantation shutters are, though you will undoubtedly have seen them in action.

Let's deal with what they actually are first, then you'll know that they are, indeed, a viable option for your home.

Traditionally made of wood, plantation shutters are interior shutters consisting of broad slats set in a solid frame and mounted within the window frame. Although usually made of wood, they can also be manufactured in plastic, lightweight metals and other composite materials. These, depending on their construction, can be painted or dyed and are a more environmentally friendly than the use of wood.

The design of plantation shutters allows the slats to be adjusted to control airflow and light. This is especially useful in hot climates where the flow of air keeps the room cool while the slats keep out the heat and light as well.

Also known as louvres and jalousies, plantation shutters can be custom shaped and sized to fit almost any window and even doors. While the basic design of these shutters has been around since the Middle Ages, they get their name from the fact they were used extensively in Caribbean and American South plantation homes.

These homes rarely had glass windows so the plantation shutter was used, as they could be closed to keep out rain in inclement weather and opened again when the sun and baking heat returned for ventilation.

While your home will presumably have glass windows and therefore have no need for such practicality, the plantation shutter's versatility and range of designs make it ideal for creating a feature and improving the decor in your chosen room and, of course, will still help keep out the light when you want to.

Standard shutters usually cover the whole of the window with a rod in the middle to open and close the slats. In wide windows or doorways they will be hinged so they can be pushed to the side to allow full access.

Café-style plantation shutters will cover only half or part the window, allowing for privacy without covering the entire window. Such is their versatility that they can even be designed to fit triangular or circular windows.

So where would you use plantation shutters in your home? Typical rooms include living rooms, especially across patio doors for example, kitchens, where you would use the café-style to great effect, and possibly even in conservatories for that added bit of privacy.

If you choose wood for your shutters, then you have the opportunity to stain them or varnish them, increasing their attractiveness, while plastic or composite materials can be painted to match the decor of the rest of the room in which you're having them fitted. Consider aluminium (or other lightweight metal) slats for a more modern, contemporary look. This could work very well in a modern kitchen.

Ian Grainger is writing on behalf of Signature Shade, suppliers of plantation shutters.

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