Sam’s Top Tips for internal window shutters are…

1) Match the shutters to the window

Always match the shutter layout to your window layout.  Look at where the window design has wooden struts or separate sections of glass and where possible match the shutter design to these.  This way when you look through the open louvre blades you will not see unsightly lumps of wood or handles!

2) Match the shutter and window colour

Match the colour of your shutters to your window frames, not the walls or floor covering.  Whilst you may wish to change the décor of a room in time, with careful consideration at the outset you can avoid the need to replace shutters.  Look at the window frames and windowsills – most are white, irrespective of the colour of the rest of the room. This is why 9 out of 10 customers choose white shutters.  Large white wooden window shutters will make your room feel larger and stylish!

3) Match the shutters to the property

Sometimes it’s all too easy to focus on the single room you are decorating and neglect the bigger picture of the view from outside.  If you stand on the outside of your property and look at all the windows as a whole, imagine if all the windows matched.  So whether your budget extends to doing all windows at the same time or maybe in stages, lower level first – upper level later, consider matching all the windows of your house with the same colour and style of interior window shutter. That visual impact not only looks great, it also adds value to your property!

4) Go large on louvres!

Choosing larger louvre blades and wider shutters will provide the option of maximising light into any room, without the need to fully open or fold-back the shutters.  The larger size is particularly good for leaded-light style of windows!  The majority of customers choose the medium-size louver blades, depending on the size of their window, as this allows plenty of light in while making the window look larger.

5) Handle it well

Handles that protrude are often over-looked when the focus is on colour and style of window dressing. The best quality shutters are supplied ready-hinged in a 4-sided frame for ease of fitting.  So where the handles may interfere with the louvre blades rotating open, consider battens to be positioned in the recess ahead of the shutter frame being attached.  This will ensure the frame is fitted away from the handles, then the handles will no longer be a problem!

Expert advice

Leading shutter expert Sam Dunster of www.opennshut.co.uk provides expert advice to all his customers who require internal window shutters and blinds.