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.

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?

Window shutters can enhance your home office

It is no longer the case that employees and small business owners are chained at their desk from 9 to 5, with the development of desktop technology and online internet services, many people nowadays take the option to work from the comfort of their own home rather than face the daily commute.

Many people working from home on a full time basis take the step to renovate one of their rooms into a home office. The renovation process is generally epitomised by the necessary installation of the stalwart office essentials - a desk, shelves and a comfy office chair. We believe that plantation shutters should also be given serious consideration as a practical and good looking addition. There are multiple functional benefits to installing shutters in your home office, but also there is the professional ambiance that is created, often helping to focus the mind away from domestic issues and chores. Not to mention the professional image they promote if meeting clients and conducting meetings.

Shutter installation enhances the room’s professional image, aids heat retention and overcomes the unnecessary minor annoyances that curtains can suffer from, such as failing to stay fixed to the railing and discolouring in sunlight. Plantation shutters also offer complete privacy which can be essential to providing security for expensive work systems, they reduce noise from outside allowing you to work in peace and can additionally provide light control and ventilation to create the perfect working room ambiance.

We are experienced in creating the perfect home office shutter solutions and we are always happy to consult with anyone wanting advice. Whatever the size of the window, we have a team that can professionally design and custom fit the perfect shutters for your workspace.

We work with a variety of materials that include a range of timber solutions such as Poplar, Red Cedar, Phoenix Wood and with 3,500 paint finishes - we are sure that there will be a shutter to suit you.

Contact us now for more information or to book a visit by one of our design team.

Image courtesy of Good Housekeeping

Shutters more effective than double glazing

New research by the Edinburgh World Heritage Trust has determined that window shutters are more effective than double glazing and can drastically reduce peoples energy bills.

The research was conducted using thermal imaging cameras to reveal where heat is leaking from a buildings. The results from the survey were consistent throughout, where shutters were used in properties, they proved to be extremely effective in keeping in the heat.

As part of the conclusion of the survey people owning period properties were advised on the benefits of acquiring window shutters and blinds for their homes. Chiara Ronchini of the Edinburgh World Heritage Trust stated,

 'We know that improving energy efficiency in historic buildings is very important if we're to reduce carbon emissions and alleviate fuel poverty'.

'There are issues, of course, with historic buildings, but they are so well designed that they need a little push to make sure that they are performing as well as most modern buildings'.

'The thermal imaging exercise really proved that very simple measures, like closing shutters at night and using full length curtains, can have a dramatic effect and make a dramatic improvement on the amount of heat being lost through the windows'. 

The research was funded by the climate challenge fund    

We're pleased to report this research doesn't come as a surprise to us at Lifestyle Shutters, the news only came a few days after our last blog on how you could reduce your heating bills after all!

If you want to know more about how to reduce heat loss with window shutters, contact us, we'll be happy to talk through your individual requirements.

Reduce Your Heating Bills With Red Cedar Wood Shutters

I'm sure you've all noticed we're now in the grips of Winter, we've all certainly noticed the days are shorter, wetter and colder. So you might, therefore, be thinking about how to keep your homes warm and cosy. The answer could be plantation shuttering. 

The protection against heat loss internal shutters provide is probably obvious. But did you know that the wood they're made with will also impact on this efficiency.  Here we explain why Red Cedar Wooden Shutters are the best choice for a cosy result. 

Red Cedar Wood Shutters 

The beautiful western Red Cedar Wood Shutters collection, available from us, is recommended by architects because of the woods strength, durability and exceptional thermal properties. Red Cedar wood is also a favorite of timber builders as it's resistant to rot and, due to its natural oils, even repels insects.

As a premium grade timber, it’s a dimensionally stable wood which allows it to be constructed into any style of shutter to fit any window.  It's strong too, making it a great choice if you want natural looking window shutters with optimum durability.

Red Cedars ability to reduce the transfer of heat makes it ideal as a natural room insulator

                                                                                                                              

Its low density and unique cellular structure creates interior air pockets that give it an insulation value higher than most other woods. Its thermal efficiency is equivalent to four times its thickness in concrete.

Selecting Red Cedar Wood Shutters retains heat in your home throughout the winter.

As well as a lacquered finish an ‘Oiled only’ version of louvre and solid shutters is available in natural grain. These shutters are coated and rubbed in linseed oil to enhance the natural and richly textured grain of the wood.

Our Red Cedar Wood Shutters are classic in style yet they sit perfectly in contemporary living areas too. So whatever your style of house and decor you can cosy up behind our Red Cedar Wood Shutters and keep the Winter outside where it belongs!

Contact us for more information. 

A buyers guide to interior window shutters

In previous blogs we have talked about how difficult it is for consumers to decide which plantation shutters are right for them. In this blog we go into a bit more detail.

It all starts with the company you choose to use. We were the UKs first Trading Standard compliant shutter company, and we are a member of the Buy with Confidence scheme. We are very proud of both these accolades and, of course, we think you should use us!

Once you have settled on a company to use the fun bit starts, you get to decide what shutters are going to make your window look amazing.

To help you decide, here are a few questions we suggest asking....

What type of wood is being used to make the shutters?  

There are many types of timbers, mdf and exotic sounding names for which both plantation louvre shutters and solid panel shutters are made from. Who’s to say which timber is best for you. You may prefer shutters with a deep grain visible through a white finish. You may prefer the durability of an engineered shutter or the beautiful grain of the premium Red Cedar wood. However, what is important to note is that some types of shutter materials/timbers may more suitable for specific windows and room environments. E.g. A heavy basswood shutter may not be particularly suitable for a large tier on tier opening window where you may wish 3 shutters to fold left and 3 shutters to open to the right. They can be fitted but would they be too heavy for that design?

How are the shutters constructed?

Quite possibly the most important question, although one that is often overlooked. The way a shutter panel is manufactured can have a bearing on the quality, longevity and cost of your purchase. For instance, a shutter that is simply glued together or has thinner profiles (less wood used in making it) is going to be cheaper than one that has reinforced vertical styles to protect from warping or one that is strengthened with mortice and tenon joints. However, with cheaper versions, there is a risk of breakage under the weight of hanging.

How are the shutters secured to the wall/fitted?

From our experience of over 10,000 design surveys there may be any number of ways your shutters can be fitted. The approach taken will depend on your window type, the height, existing openers and the window handles etc. However, there are other elements to take into consideration too, for example:

• How often are the shutters to be opened away from the window?
• How many shutters are needed per window?
• What louvre size do you prefer?
• Where should the shutters be mounted for best fixing
• Which material/timber are the shutters to be made from. 

It is important to make sure all these considerations are discussed in detail before finalising your shutter choice and the method of fixing.

Hopefully you have found our advice useful.  If you would like to discuss your own requirements in more detail, do contact us on: info@lifestyleshutters.co.uk or visit us at http://www.lifestyleshutters.co.uk/