Shutters can add instant kerb appeal to a home's exterior, making windows stand out and breaking up the look of long outside walls. The bit of colour provided by shutters can also help to draw out the colour of brick or even your landscaping features or flowerbeds. When you are ready to buy shutters for your home, however, you might note some common mistakes that many homeowners make, and this can ensure you end up with the best shutters for your house.
Putting shutters on every window
If you have a certain exterior wall with lots of windows, there may not be enough room between all of those windows for shutters. Adding shutters, even small and unobtrusive one, to that space can make the wall seem crowded and cramped and might even draw attention away from the windows rather than enhancing that view.
Be selective about the windows to which you add shutters rather than thinking you need to install them outside of every pane of glass. If there are lots of windows along a wall, or those windows are very close together, forego shutters for that area of the home and just place them over windows that have plenty of room between them.
Shutter style
Your chosen shutter style should match the home's overall style. Traditional homes call for traditional slat shutters, whereas a more modern home might need solid panel shutters with little decorations. Country cottage homes are a good fit for board and batten shutters or solid panel shutters with cut-outs and other decorative elements.
You'll also want to choose a good shutter colour that matches your home's exterior. Never put white shutters on a white home, as they won't get noticed! Black shutters might also blend too much on a grey home. Choose a colour that contrasts yet coordinates with your home's exterior colour so they stand out and get noticed.
Material
Don't forget to consider the amount of upkeep needed by particular shutter materials or you may be left with more work to keep the shutters in good condition than you expected! Wood needs consistent maintenance, including repainting or a fresh coat of stain. Aluminium shutters are very resistant to corrosion and other damage but might get dented during a pressure washing. Engineered hardwoods are made with a mixture of wood and plastic materials, so they look like wood but are more durable than solid timber. Plastic or vinyl shutters require virtually no maintenance and are very durable and fade resistant.
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