Let's talk shutters...

There's something intriguing about shutters isn't there, especially the interior sort. I think generally, we have pretty standard pre-conceptions for what a room should look like, and often items can influence what we believe the feel, decor and accessories a room might have.  I'm not sure you really believe me though, do you - so let's try a small, unscientific experiment.

Take a look at the image below, now what did you think the interior decor was like?

Did you imagine a sparsely furnished room? With wood clad walls and minimalist decor? 

Photo credit: Direct Blinds

Photo credit: Direct Blinds

Or perhaps you imagined a roaring log fire, maybe a Christmas tree in the corner? Lots of lush colours, perhaps some tartan thrown into the mix?  Was the room cold, or cosy?

Me? I imagined a snug, warm, cosy room and one I'd be happy to use and hibernate in.  And all that, from a simple picture of the window and its shutters. 

Fascinating isn't it?  Completely unscientific, of course.

Despite what you might think, shutters work in both modern and traditional houses - the Victorian houses opposite us have them on their ground floor in their bay windows, and I think they're practical.

Clearly they can shut the light out, but they also help keep the heat in and cold and noise out and provide privacy too. And better still for allergy sufferers they can provide a good alternative option to curtains, which if we're honest although we may give a shake every now and then, we rarely clean properly (and I don't think that's just me...)

But where to start if you want shutters of your own? Like anything there's still plenty of decisions to make once you've decided on shutters. One of the biggest decisions is likely to be full height or cafe style shutters as well as considering the finish to opt for. Over at Direct Blinds their cafe style shutters could be just the thing. All of their shutters are made to measure for your window and offer a range of options.

Shutters definitely give a clean line and bring an elegant look to a room.  In the apartment we stayed at in Porto there were full length shutters for the windows at the front of the property, which faced directly onto the street outside.  There was something grand about opening them each morning in a kind of chatelaine-like way, even though I only had two shutters to open!

More+great+shutters+in+the+quirky+apartment+in+Porto's+Bomfim.jpeg

Figuring out their folding combinations fascinated me and they're definitely something I'd consider - what do you think about shutters? Would you consider them for your house?  Leave a comment and let me know.

* This is a collaborative post but all views are my own.