I have been asked many time, what are the advantages of plantation shutters compared to other window coverings. And I would say it’s personal preference. They’re not for everybody but in my 5 years of fitting these (plantation shutters) I’ve noticed the obvious benefits and other benefits that become apparent later.

Major benefits of plantation shutters

Plantation shutters look fantastic and last a very long time

First of all on pure aesthetic grounds plantation shutters add a richness to any room, in my opinion any interior design project needs to include plantation shutters.

They are in a completely different class to blinds. Window shutters are solid, robust well designed and made to last a lifetime, most blinds will start to show their age in 5 to 6 years…our plantation shutters (hardwood or Upvc) will look as good in 10 years as the day they were fitted and unlike blinds they are more versatile.

You have full control of the amount of light you want, just open the top half (or bottom) and you can control light levels. Natural light can breathe live into any home but can sometimes shine in your eyes – shutters are adjustable so can prevent this from happening.

Curtains and blinds are also adjustable, don’t get me wrong, but to sometimes to a lesser extent I’ve found. Also remember, the more you adjust a type of window dressing, the more wear and tear can occur. Plantation shutters will stand many more adjustments over time and so are, therefore, more robust and long-lasting than blinds.

Plantation shutters can improve the privacy of your home

Then there’s the privacy aspect…you can open or close to suit…and you can do this with each individual panel…you can’t achieve the same with blinds, plantation shutters beat blinds in this respect too. So if you’ve looking for window furnishings, then shutters can be the ideal choice.

Plantation shutters can help save on your home energy bills whilst also helping to keep you cool in the Summer months.

Another couple of things I’ve found out since fitting plantation shutters are…the insulation value of the shutters (hardwood or Upvc). Up to 50% saving of heat through the window can be achieved…in these times of high energy bills, which only seem to be set to get worse, it’s worth a mention (or if its hot out there 50% cooler) and there’s noise reduction. If you live on a busy road it helps to reduce noise level.

Lessons learned from my time in the construction industry

I worked in the construction business for many years and did a lot of home renovations contracts some were for clients who were doing them basically to sell…. they were either semis or terraced propertys , in general we would start with the roof …slates, chimneys, flashings, guttering make sure the house is watertight and then the rooms in the house…normally rewire, replumb…new bathroom…new kitchen (these were the major selling points) new doors and windows, central heating, damp proof course re plastering and then decorate.

The general idea was to make the house as good as new……well actually better than new ….and the hope was this would create more interest and generate a higher profit, this was a tried and tested formula which had stood the test of time…….and it worked.

About 5 or 6 years ago a client who we had carried out many such renovations for said he wanted to add plantation shutters to the front of the house to give it more curb appeal, it was a nice house (stone) in a good area. When the house went on the market it sold in the first weekend of viewing and he said everybody commented on the shutters and it sold for a far higher price than he or the estate agents expected.

Now this chap was from the South originally (London) and on his many trips back there he had noticed how many houses now had plantation shutters and he thought how good they looked, which is why he asked us to fit them and it definitely added a lot more curb appeal, I’m not saying it added extra value because of having the shutters….but people on entering a property normally decide in the first few minutes if they like it or not, if they could live there.

Basically first impressions, if it attracts more interest it will attract more prospective buyers and they definitely attracted more buyers. Having plantation shutters installed, can really can add value to your property.

It goes without saying all the houses we renovated after that were fitted with plantation shutters and it’s not hard to see why people like them, high quality, timeless design, easy cleaning (feather duster, damp cloth) well engineered made to last a lifetime.

Next steps when thinking of having plantation shutters fitted

I would say to anybody, if you are looking for a new window covering for your home check out our range….hardwood or Upvc……40 colours and stains to choose from.

Some of our range can be supplied and fitted in only 5 to 6 weeks…Plantation Shutters at amazingly low prices. Our prices are amazingly low throughout the year because we don’t have to run expensive showrooms amongst other things, so our shutter offer is the same throughout the year – you pay the same affordable prices without the gimmicky sales.

Give us a call or continue looking through our website to find out more about plantation shutters. You won’t be disappointed.