Lifestyle Advice – Interior Plantation Shutters

When choosing interior plantation shutters it is important that you select something that will suit your room and lifestyle as well as your budget.

You should consider how often louvre blades will be adjusted to allow light to enter the room and how much light is needed, as this may affect the size of the blade you select.  The larger the blade the more light, however, medium is the most popular choice as this is a good compromise between light and balance depending on window size.

If an uninterrupted view is most important to you, you can always opt for half-height, an offset or hidden control rod.

It is also worth remembering that light colours will create the feeling of light and space, and mean that they will always match your décor regardless how many times you change it.  So if you decorate often white may be the best colour for you.  Stains can make rooms appear darker as they don’t reflect the light as effectively, although they may match wood floors or other features.

The material you select will depend on your room.  For kitchens and bathrooms where there is a high level of moisture and where you may want to clean the actual shutter itself more often, Standard (MDF) is the best choice as it has a plastic coating built into the finish which makes it more durable.  It is also less likely to warp or be affected by moisture or steam.

If the shutters are likely to need continual cleaning it may be worth considering plastic (ABS), as these are wipe-cleanable and ideal for a playroom, utility room or for sea front properties where the air is salty.

If you are looking for interior plantation shutters to help to maximise space in a room you should ensure they are fitted within the window recess, so that your window covering does not encroach into the room.  This can be particularly noticeable with bay windows where curtains have previously been fitted across the whole window area, rather than fitted around the front of the window itself. 

If one of your family suffer from ashma or have a dust allergy then these are ideal as they are easy to clean, and unlike curtains cleaning can easily remove dust even daily if necessary.  The easiest way to do this is with the soft brush on your vacuum cleaner.

Solid is probably the best option if you live on a busy road or noise levels are high near your home, as they can help to shut out unwanted noise pollution.

Whatever your lifestyle, you can always request a survey from your local fitter who can provide you with advice on professionally fitted shutter products.  Alternatively you can register and ask Sam for advice if you would prefer diy interior plantation shutters.