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.

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.

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.   

Shutters are not only for windows

Plantation shutters are not just for windows according to influential TV interior designers Colin and Justin. As they wrote in this article there are many other innovative ways shutters can be used. A good example of this (shown below) is Colin and Justin's transformation of a drab store room into a plush dining room.

"Who says shutters should only be installed on windows? Certainly not us. As part of this project we inserted them to conceal the dating sliding French doors, but then we had a brainwave. Why not also use them to divide the dining room from the living space that lies beyond? This approach provides the option of "open concept" while letting light flood into the adjacent room via the moveable door slats even when the shutters are folded together."    

Their recommendation is no surprise. Other than superb practical solutions like increased security, light control and ventilation; a great many people purchase for reasons of appearance, quality craftmanship and the great variety of styles and colours that can be personally tailored.

With so much choice in quality timber and paint finishes it is no wonder that leading interior designers are looking to use shutters for other uses. Using shutters as a room divider is an absolutely brilliant idea and would make a wonderfully unique feature. The additional benefits of being able to moderate light and help retain heat within a room also adds to their appeal.

We are always happy to discuss how we can help improve your house by installing shutters. Why not visit our website where you can find great examples of our work and what products are available.