To shutter or not to shutter — it’s an exterior decorating decision many homeowners struggle with. Beyond being classically stylish, shutters can add shape to a home.
The real answer to this question entirely depends on your home and personal preference. As you grapple with which decision is right for your home, here are a few questions to ask yourself:
Will shutters bring balance to your home?
Depending on the shape of your house and the size of the windows, it may look absolutely naked and unfinished without shutters. Shutters can change the overall look of a house by adding structure and detail that makes the home appear more proportional. But decorative shutters are an accessory, and not a necessary element for every single home. (Functional shutters are another story, however!)
… or make it look off?
On some homes, shutters anywhere — but especially on the ground level — can look unbalanced or too heavy. This is often the case when you have asymmetrical windows, or a large, off-center window that looks into the living or dining room. Depending on the facade, shutters can be distracting and unbalanced.
Pro tip: A general guideline to keep in mind is that if your windows are wider than they are tall, you may need to skip the shutters. There are plenty of exceptions, but if you think about the original purpose of shutters, they would have needed to be big enough to close over windows to protect them!
Do you have ample space on either side of your window?
The area immediately adjacent to your windows is critical in your decision to get shutters or not. Trying to squeeze in a shutter on a dormer that simply doesn’t have space is worse than having no shutters at all. Once again, this answer totally depends on your specific home!
How many windows would need shutters?
Believe it or not, your house doesn’t have to be uniform across the board. For example, the upstairs windows — often bedrooms — may simply be too close together to fit shutters, but your downstairs windows may look unfinished without them. There’s no hard and fast and fast rule that says every window must be identical!
Remember: You can usually get the same shutter style smaller or bigger so that different-sized windows can still correspond.
Not all shutters are created equally. There are a wide range of options available, varying in style, materiality, functionality and size. Here at Monument Shutters, we offer composite, pine, vinyl and Bahama shutters — explore our collection and find the style best suited for your home now!
