Where louvres are built to last

Few people buy a product without first thinking about how long it will last before needing to be repaired or replaced.

A cheap product will actually prove much more costly than the apparently more expensive version if it has to be replaced at a future point – it’s what the phrase ‘false economy’ denotes.

In the world of interior design, the choice between two entirely different options could become a whole lot clearer if it’s evident one will last longer than the other.

So it is with our shutters. High quality timbers and the finest contruction techniques ensure that all our hand-crafted shutters last a lifetime.

We use superior joints, of the type used in bespoke furniture, meaning the frames won’t split. Our reinforced stiles (the vertical beams on each side of the shutter) are thicker than those of inferior designers, so they will remain level and true for many years. Our louvres benefit from advanced tensioning, so they won’t droop over time.

Beyond the timber and craftsmanship, it’s the finish that can make a difference. Ideally it should show through the paint but not be felt over the wood grain. Whether stained or painted, shutters should have a minimum of two top coats. They should also have a UV-resistant finish to prevent discolouration by the sunlight.

They are going to be used a lot too. After all, it’s worth taking advantage of the flexibility (in terms of controlling light, ventilation or privacy) they give you.

Curtains get their fair share of use, too, but even the best quality ones will deteriorate after a few washes and the rubbing of fingers against their surface. Their other shortcoming is the temptation they offer children to grab one end and pull...resulting in the rail coming away from the wall.

Talking of children, the trailing cords associated with some curtains are considered a serious hazard, as there’s a risk of entanglement unless particular care is taken to conceal them.

To sum up, the quality of design of a premium shutter will make it timeless, pleasing feature in your room, whatever the ebb and flow of fashions, and the construction will make it last for as long as you want it.

Greek beginnings

Greece conjures up images of sun-filled holidays, azure seas or, less happily, a debt-laden country that’s caused European finance ministers more than a few headaches in recent months. But for Lifestyle Shutters, it is really worthy of note as the place to which we owe the origins of the shutter.

Not quite the shutter as we know it, though: archaeologists have established that the ancient Greeks used shutters with louvres, but with a notable difference in that the material used was marble rather than wood. As with modern shutters, they were a versatile window covering enabling light and fresh air to enter and, when drawn shut, a measure of privacy and security. Greece was, and is, prone to alarming thunderstorms, so the shutters were used as storm-protection to prevent rain getting in.


A Samos view

The shutter concept spread to other European countries: glass, used by the Romans in their grandest dwellings, was not a practical choice for most people. Timber slotted into window frames became the protection of choice for many medieval Europeans. For the poorest people, bundles of thatch stuffed into the apertures had to suffice. The first glass windows, including those which became widespread in churches and merchants’ homes in 13th century England, were thin and fragile, so for protection from the elements hinged shutters would be fitted both inside and out. As glass technology improved in the late 1600s, sash and casement windows, with interior shutters for protection, became standard.

Perhaps appropriately for a city that gave its name to a type of blind, Venice was the Western world’s centre of glass production in the middle ages.

As for shutters in modern Greece, tourists on Samos or other islands will not have failed to notice the gaily-coloured shutters in village houses. Recreating this look in your own home will add a splash of Mediterranean brightness to your property. Bright blue, green, pink... at Lifestyle Shutters we can help you choose a customised paint finishes from a choice of around 5000!

But we don’t recommend marble shutters.

A balcony with the perfect view

A balcony is a welcome feature in any property, old or new.

Shutters for its windows work put a wonderful finishing touch, adding an impressive splash of colour, or, if a lower-key tone is preferred, blending the balcony into a harmonious whole with the roof, front door or other features. Exterior shutters in particular combine a hint of the Mediterranean (conjuring images of Italian villagers pushing open brightly-coloured shutters to let the morning sun flood through flower-bedecked windows) with the added practicality of being able to wander out onto the balcony and close them behind you, giving yourself a moment of privacy out of sight of those in the house.

The balcony commonly referred to as ‘Juliet’ does not generally project out of a building, essentially being part of an upper floor, with a balustrade only at the front. It should be possible to perform a morning weather check, or chat to the Romeo in the garden, without actually getting wet. The ‘French’ balcony is a similarly small, or ‘false’, projection, little more than a set of doors (French windows, naturally) through which you can step to lean against the railings and admire the view.

If you are fortunate enough to have a balcony of whatever form, custom-made interior shutters such as those designed by the team here at Lifestyle Shutters will show it to its best effect. They can be made to suit the architecture of the property, look classic or contemporary - and be just the right shape to match your windows (French or otherwise).

If you have set your heart on exterior shutters, we can talk you through the louvre options – including closed, semi-open or open. All our exterior shutters are finished with powder coated stainless steel hardware, which will keep them looking great over the autumn and winter months and for many summers to come.

Shutters for an English Bank Holiday

The final long weekend of the summer is upon us. We have a Bank Holiday Monday, then that’s our lot until the Christmas festivities commence.

Let’s hope for some clement weather to allow the scent of barbequed food to fill the streets and children to let off steam in parks or at one of the outdoor events that typically take place at attractions the length and breadth of the UK over the long weekend.

However, in life we have to be prepared for all eventualities, and in particular the British weather can never be taken for granted. Behind the dream of a long, hot Bank Holiday spent in the garden is the very possible reality of a cold, rainlashed dreary day.

 Is your home prepared for these circumstances? What you need to do is imagine what it would be like to spend an entire day with your family, and possibly your visiting relations too, indoors - which for many effectively means the living room. While such a room can fairly easily be made cosy and welcoming on a cold winter’s day, thanks to a log fire, in summer this is less easily achieved. A room can feel confining when we know that, but for the presence of cumulonimbi in the sky, we could be taking advantage of the long hours of daylight and doing what folk are supposed to do in summer.

This is where a plantation shutter enters our picture. You can adjust this type of window covering to help create the mood you are after in your living room. Want to shut out the sight of wind and rain pummelling your window panes? Keep the louvres closed. Wish to make the most of the sun, which has put in a brief appearance from behind a dark cloud? Just open the louvres and let the light flood in (closing them again when the kids complain about the glare on the TV screen).

If it happens to be a wet, humid day then a shutter will do a better job than a curtain in letting more air into the room through an open window.

This posting may have planted some ideas in your mind, in which case you should have a look our website and photos of shutters in domestic settings. Then, talk to us about a custom-made design for your living room. Happy Bank Holiday.

Shutters for all shapes

 Of all the points in favour of the wooden shutter, one that is sometimes overlooked, perhaps because it’s a functional point easy to take for granted once the covering is in place, is that they can be made to fit windows of varying and awkward shape.

Hexagonal or triangle or arched, the shutter gets to the places the curtain cannot. How could a curtain cope with a circular porthole?

Fanlight windows, which graced many a doorway to houses designed by the great Robert Adam, whose ‘neoclassical’ ideas introduced light and refined lines to 18th century architecture, are known to be particularly difficult to get right. It’s a job for the expert.

In a similar vein, an Art Deco window with its sinuous lines would quickly lose its allure if no satisfactory covering could be found for it.

As it happens, few windows are a perfect square shape anyway, which is why a custom fitting for shutters is invaluable for the best possible result.

The Lifestyle Shutters craftsmen have the know-how to ensure that your shutters are mounted level and true, and that they will close perfectly.

And, because we work in close consultation with the home owner, each window receives a bespoke dressing.

We’ve added a couple of photos of non-rectangular fittings to give you a taster of what we can do.

Café-style shutters and the Continental touch

By the time you read this you will have enjoyed a well-earned extended break from your computer screen and an August family holiday abroad.

Among the prime pleasures of an overseas break, especially in a European country, is to eat or drink in the congenial surroundings of a tapas bar, bistro, or cafe: call it what you will, sitting in one of these hostelries is the best way of observing the locals, watching the world go past, and achieving something close to blissful relaxation.

At some point in your travels you are bound to come across interior window shutters that allow you to eat your restaurant lunch away from the gaze of passers-by yet still get the benefits of the sunshine – and fresh air – streaming through. They may well have been the appropriately-termed ‘cafe-style shutters (particularly associated in many minds with France), where only the lower portion of the window is covered by a shutter.

Cafe-style shutters don’t have to be confined to cafes. How about bringing a taste of the Continent back home with you by arranging for Lifestyle Shutters to fit cafe-style shutters to your dining room or kitchen? The result will be a stylish, year-round reminder of your holiday experience.

Once in place, perhaps on a sash window with two halves, a simple adjustment of the louvres will give you total privacy when you want it – but at the same time all the light and air you need will enter through the uncovered top half.

For some homeowners, they are the solution for a ground floor bedroom, too. But not everyone relishes being woken early in the morning by sunlight blazing through the uncovered top half of the window arrangement, so a ‘tier-on-tier’ layout would be a fine alternative.

You might have a different idea in mind, or an awkward-shaped window to find a covering for. So bear in mind that full height, cafe-style and tier-on-tier are not the only options available to you. There’s the tracked window version, where shutters can be bi-folded away to allow uninterrupted views. And there are shutters to fit porthole windows, hexagonal windows and more. The team at Lifestyle Shutters can help you arrive at just the right design.

They say travel improves the mind: who says it cannot also improve the home?

Rooms, windows and shutters for life and work in the future

The more hours we spend in our homes, the more important it is to get the design and feel of them right.

It’s an apt time to be thinking about our living environments in a week that has seen the start of a new Channel 4 series, The Secret Life of Buildings, and an Evening Standard piece on the ‘workhomes’ of the future, which will be designed with both working and dwelling in mind.

In the UK, the number of people who work mainly from home has doubled in the last twenty years. There are social and personal benefits to avoiding a daily commute, but these can be cancelled out by the problems caused by a living space that isn’t fit for purpose.

Among the issues picked up on by the Workhome Project, initiated by Dr Frances Holliss (the architect interviewed for the Standard’s feature), is that of public-private space. A journalist might work quite happily from a spare bedroom, and the same space might seem fine for a graphic designer: but if a client wants to pay a visit to the latter’s studio, he/she might have to be led through the hallway of a family home and up the stairs, areas of the house lacking ‘professionalism’ (especially if there is the odd children’s toy in the way).

Solving this scenario would need some creative thought, but simple adaptations in bedrooms of the future, probably involving sliding doors, will separate working areas from those reserved for leisure. Downstairs, sliding covers could be pulled over kitchen units to make the space fit for doing business in.

What have shutters got to do with this?
Firstly, their value lies in their versatility. They suit both the room and the needs of the moment. You can open them wide, use them as ‘blackouts’, or let in just a little or quite a lot of light as you wish. They are perfect for keeping the glare off your computer screen as you work.

Secondly, from a company such as ours you get a bespoke service. We can’t redesign your room layout for you, but we can give you professional advice on the best shutters for you, from planning stage to completion.

For it is the lack of a personalised touch that bothers Tom Dyckhoff, presenter of The Secret Life of Buildings. He shares the view that homes will have to change to suit our 21st century lifestyles, being of the firm opinion that new homes in the UK are too small, with the windows - ‘about the size of a pizza box’ – particularly inadequate in an age when plentiful natural light is highly prized.

But at the heart of the problem, in his view, is the gap between the designers of the building and those who will eventually live in it. An office block might be built with a developer’s immediate needs in mind, with no scope for feedback from the workers who will take up residence (at the time of construction it might not be known what type of companies will one day occupy it). Similarly, in domestic homes, the emphasis might be on ‘one size fits all’, with the input of architects ending with the initial design template.

‘Workhome’ or not, your rooms have to work – for you.

A window of opportunity for your business

When it comes to commercial shutters, we don’t design and fit shutters for offices with functionality our sole consideration – though, of course, they are functional in that they give a measure of privacy to a room, keep you and your staff cooler in summer and warmer in winter, and don’t require the hassle of dry cleaning.

We firmly believe that quality shutters make a room appealing to the eye, and in a commercial space that eye belongs to a potential client or customer. First impressions count, and if a room feels both light and spacious (effects which well-chosen shutters can produce), and the materials used in the fixtures and furnishings lend them an air of distinction, the person entering for the first time will want to stay and eat (if it is a cafe), or be reassured that they are dealing with a company that gets all the details right and thus be readier to strike that all-important deal.

Naturally, our company has built its reputation on getting the details right. Our profession is high quality design, and the team at Lifestyle Shutters can advise you on all aspects of the available fabrics and trims for your premises’ interiors. Our own premises feature a showroom where you can see our full range of shutters.

As well as serving a practical purpose, a window dressing can become a promotional tool. A logo on your blinds will help people to remember your name and will keep you in the frame even when you have shut for the night, the wording on your blinds giving your organisation exposure to everyone who walks past your window.

There’s another financial implication in the shape of a lower insurance premium, as our fabrics are flame-retardant. And the insulation provided by shutters could just lower your heating bill, too.

Over the years, Lifestyle Shutters has worked on projects for restaurants, hotels, a chiropractic clinic and an office for an environmental services business.

Our shutters can be customised to fit any type of window in any building, so whether your business is banking or bagels we will work with you for the ideal solution.

Farrow & Ball colours added to all wood shutters collections

At Lifestyle Shutters we strive to offer you the widest choice of painted shutters possible. In previous blogs we have wrote in depth about how painted shutters can be an ideal solution for many homes in particular period properties such as Edwardian or Victorian.

Because we aim to give you the widest choice available we are delighted to announce that this month we have added Farrow & Ball colours to our standard paint finishes to all wooden shutters collections.

New colours by Farrow & Ball available: 

• Wimborne White 239   
• Pointing 2003
• White Tie 2002
• Clunch 2009
• Off-White 3
• String 8
• Pavilion Gray 242
• Hardwick White 5
• Blue Gray 91
• Elephants Breath 229 

How window shutters can save your hotel money

At Lifestyle Shutters we've often been brought in by owners of commercial properties to advise them on the various window dressing solutions that are available. The recommendations that we make are always based on the specifications of the design brief that may include the property's interior decor, budget and project time frame.

We are always very happy to meet with prospective customers to offer our professional opinion and, one of the advantages of this, is we get to know the customers and the challenges their business can face. For example we were recently contacted by a five star, beautiful grade 2 listed Hotel in Fleet, Hampshire who had spent over £3600 every year dry cleaning their curtains. The same hotel had additional problems with sun damaged carpets which needed to be replaced and being an old building, heat retention was a real problem. 

As strong proponents of window shutters we knew that with our beautifully crafted interior shutters we could offer them advice on the perfect solution. Below are the twelve top reasons why we believe interior shutters are perfect for Hotels.

The Benefits of Our Interior Shutters  

• Effectively black out rooms to ensure a good night’s sleep
• Provide a fresh, welcoming and inviting feel to every environment
• Dramatically improve heat retention in rooms, thereby lowering heating costs
• Carry a lower fire rating than curtains, which could reduce insurance premiums
• Eradicate expensive curtain dry cleaning bills
• Redirect harmful UV rays to eliminate ageing, sun damage to carpets and furnishings
• Create a timeless, elegant and uniformed look inside and out
• Increase security - you can fit them with locks and bolts
• Are maintenance and allergy free and will not discolour - giving a lifetime of use
• Give hassle free control of light and privacy
• Reduce outside noise
• Enhance any decor - from 4 poster beds to Hydro-pools. Shutters suit every interior

Why do commercial property owners commission Lifestyle Shutters?

Our experience has taught us a thing or two. With us you get a dedicated service from experienced professionals who have the capability to project manage large scale installations, whether it's 1 or 1000 windows we've got it covered.

With over thirteen years of experience working with some of the South East's top interior designers, architects and master builders we have an unsurpassed reputation as one of the UK's leading shutter providers.

From design and manufacture, through to a bespoke, project managed and beautiful installation. We work around your needs and requirements, allowing you to get on with your busy and hectic work schedules.

We have an 'Absolute Service Promise' to provide you with the best solution for your window dressing. We are here to create a hassle free beautifully crafted and perfectly tailored new look to the interiors of your property.

If you would like to know more about Lifestyle Shutters and our services you can contact us by email at info@lifestyleshutters.com or you can arrange a free design survey. 

Plantation Shutters for a Sussex farmhouse

We take pride in the projects we undertake and therefore are delighted to share with you another one of our recently completed jobs. This property, a country house, is situated in the village of Blackboys, East Sussex. It has recently been renovated but has managed to retain all the original Edwardian features which have being painstakingly refurbished.

The home owners were interested in plantation shutters because they wanted a window furnishing to retain the heat during the cold winter nights, but with the stipulation that the shutters should match the original Edwardian decor.

The solution was our phoenix wood solid shaker style shutter that matched and complimented the decor perfectly. As a natural timber reminiscent of an English Oak it is perfect for this farmhouse bathroom, painted white the beautiful grainy texture of the timber is still visible.

Window shutters are a perfect solution for period properties as you are able to order from an extensive range of timber and over 3000 paint finishes that allows you to tailor your window dressings to exactly match your decor.

Plantation Shutters for a home cinema

Interior design enthusiasts may have come across the word 'techorating' as they look for the latest trends to help them design their homes. But for those people who haven't yet discovered it is the concept of integrating the latest modern technology seamlessly with home decor. 

Increasingly we are spending more on technical devices such as plasma and LCD flat screen televisions, but how do we style our rooms to suit new electronic devices and to ensure the sound and vision is optimum without turning a once homely setting into an odd mix of electronic showroom and soft furnishing boutique?

New devices these days tend to be quite sleek and slender which does help, and it can also help to slim down our home furnishings too. Plantation shutters are a great solution, not only are they slim fitted, clean and crisp, but they are also have a warm homely feel.

If aesthetics and the feel of the room is not a strong enough reason to install plantation shutters, here are a few more for you:

• They control the light allowing you to create a dark and atmospheric ambiance in which to view your digital media
• They cut down on noise from outside and insulate against your own sound systems output from leaking out of the room
• Unlike curtains that easily pick up dust, plantation shutters are easy to clean and require very low maintenance to look after
• Plantation shutters offer greater security and will keep prying eyes away from your latest plasma screen TV 

If you find this article interesting and want to find out more, please contact us at Lifestyle Shutters where we will be able to offer you a free design survey.   

Be reassured with Lifestyle Shutters



At Lifestyle Shutters we have installed window shutters to a variety of customers that has ranged from private home owners to commercial businesses. Our company directors Nathan Clarke and Mark Costar have between them 19 years experience of working within the shutter and interior design business. They have a wealth of experience and they are reputed in the trade for possessing a great eye for interior design and knowing what plantation shutters work best for your property.

Lifestyle Shutters prides itself on its reputation and many of their clients have come through repeat business or recommendations. To ensure that Lifestyle Shutters retains the quality service that our customers demand as a company we have always gone the additional step to reassure them. This has included becoming the first shutter company in the South East of England to be accredited with the Trading standards ‘Buy with Confidence scheme’ and by offering a minimum 3 year guarantee for the work that we carry out in our name.   

We understand that if you are going to invest in our products then the onus is on us to prove our credentials and any genuine tradesman would be happy to do so. With Lifestyle Shutters you are not just buying the shutters (however gorgeous they maybe), but a dedicated service with tradesman of extensive experience who will ensure that the work is implemented efficiently and with care.

At Lifestyle Shutters we're committed to reassuring you, so if you have any further questions on our services please contact us by ringing 01825 766720 or ask for one of our complimentary design surveys.

Window shutters will enhance your childs room

We know that one of the most important renovations anyone can ever make to a room is when they want to create the perfect nursery for their child. The hours that people can put in to ensure that the room meets the most rigorous of quality assurance controls is immense. The improvements intended will of course vary from safety measures that include stair gates and bed rails to glossy paint finishes that makes the room look absolutely beautiful.  

Shutters also deserve careful consideration, in particular because we believe that window shutters offer both safety and practical solutions.

Shutters for a new born baby
We all want to sleep peacefully - like a new born baby in fact! But, many babies (and toddlers) have disruptive sleeping patterns and ensuring they are fully comforted is a time consuming job. Window Shutters can ease the situation by helping to create the perfect atmosphere by minimizing the noise from outside and controlling the light and warmth within the room.

Shutters can improve security
Plantation shuttering is the window dressing that offers you optimum privacy and increased security simply, by acting as an additional barrier your nursery room will be far more secure.

Shutters for young children
When people invest in window shutters, especially in quality shutters like we provide at Lifestyle Shutters they want it to be a long term investment. This is understandable and of course installing shutters for a new born baby alone can be a significant investment.

However, we feel that window shutters are equally useful for young children as well as new born babies and that parents should retain the shutters as the child grows up.

Especially, if you have very active children that you would like to confidently leave in the room top play safely, for example, there are no strings or cords that children can accidentally get trapped or twisted in. There is in fact a society called the parents for window blinds safety that was set up by parents who had children injured or killed after being strangled with blind cords. In 1997 a study found that 339 children had been strangled by blinds and as recently as this last year a new campaign was launched to create awareness of the dangers of blinds and curtains posed to young children.

Shutters as an aesthetic solution.
Raising children is so personal it is understandable that mothers want their child’s nursery to have a unique look and feel. Buying blinds and curtains from a shop doesn’t provide quite the same individuality that window shutters can provide. With window shutters you can have any choice of colour to create a bespoke window dressing that would perfectly compliment your child’s nursery.

If you want more assurances about installing window shutters in your child’s nursery please contact Lifestyle Shutters by ordering our online brochure or phoning us on 01825 760722 for expert advice