Colonial Window Shutters

0 Comments | Rating: 0 | |

A regional design created for protection against environmental conditions is colonial window shutters. Once an identifying signature of New England and Colonial homes, this design element has grown to a nationally as a home-style element. Home-shows showcasing shutters, their benefits, and their just downright curb appeal, have helped create the excitement in the shutter industry.

Once manufactured only in the Northeastern United States, early exterior colonial shutters protected homes from hurricane winds and rain, as well as threats from invasion. The wood utilized was always Basswood, which was known for its character tight straight grain that resisted shrinkage. The superior craftsmanship and woodworking created a shutter that even today uses the same design elements that require no hard ware to hold together these functional shutters. Many modern exterior colonial shutters are purely decorative and are made from a variety of materials. Some of the materials used in these are also wood, but also composite wood, aluminum, and plastics or vinyl. A multitude of colors are available or you can purchase an unfinished product and paint it yourself.

Interior colonial shutters are identifiable by their beveled style slats that are easily operated with a center rod. The shutters are 1/4 inch wide it is this width that identifies the shutter as colonial. Typically, this is a permanent window treatment and depending on the size of your window, there are some different options for you to choose from. Panels can be configured in a double bi-fold on each side of the window. The smaller shutters ranging from 6-12 inches are hinged together and can be folded open to full window exposure. Larger windows usually have two flair-folded window shutters operating individually so you can fold open the top and leave the lower shutters closed for privacy. This café style design is still used today dating back to the Pre-Revolution, which is really pretty amazing.

The interior colonial or traditional window shutters offer a semi-opaque window treatment. Many of the more modern styles of interior shutters can be made of polyvinyl, other type of wood or faux wood products. Basswood is still the preferred wood of choice it is a lightweight wood unlike some other wood will not cause stress on your hinges or woodwork frame. It also will not warp, and the uniform grain and other properties of the wood allow for applied finishes to enhance its' natural beauty. Basswood is a renewable resource and grown only from Quebec to Delaware.

If you are looking for a design element that will add class and style to your home window shutters can be what you are looking for. Adding curb appeal or a country cottage ambiance, interior or exterior colonial window shutters are great assets to your home.