Planning a masculine home

Avoid These Pitfalls When Choosing Decorative Exterior Shutters

16 August 2016

Felicia Carr

Exterior shutters can be functional and protect your home's windows from damage due to a storm or offer added shading against hot summer sun. They may also simply be decorative and help to break up the look of brick or aluminum siding and make your windows look larger on the outside. When choosing shutters that are simply decorative, you want to take your time to shop for just the right style and especially the right size, so that they look attractive and not out of place. Note a few things to avoid when it comes to choosing decorative exterior shutters for your home.

Size

Even if they're just decorative, shutters should be sized as if they will cover the entire window when closed. If you choose shutters that are too narrow or too short, they can look like an afterthought and be out of proportion, like a necktie that is too short. The same is true for shutters that are too wide or too long; they can overpower the windows and also look poorly planned. If you don't know the size windows on your home, take careful measurements of the glass and the frame and opt for shutters that are meant for that size in particular.

Awnings and landscaping

As with size, shutters should look like they're functional even when decorative, which is why shutters and awnings simply don't mix. When a window has an awning, a shutter can't close and they can look out of place. In the same way, you don't want landscaping features and shrubbery to cover shutters or get in their way; allowing bushes or a tree to grow too close to the shutters can cover this important accessory to your home. Be sure you keep landscaping trimmed and don't plant small trees too close to the shutters.

Color

The color of your home's shutters are very important; a light color against a light shade for aluminum siding or washed out brick can make your shutters practically invisible. Black shutters against a dark red brick can make the colors seem muddy and overwhelming. Opt for something that contrasts but complements your home's colors; a crisp white can work against a red brick home, or choose black or a dark red shade for a white home. If your home's siding is a grey shade, choose a deep shade of blue for the shutters. You can also note the colors of your landscaping and choose something to coordinate, such as rose red shutters against a white house with red rosebushes.

For more information, contact Shutterflex or a similar company.

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