Up Close & Personal with American Shutters

We chat with the professionals from American Shutters about the versatility and style of these designer products.

Besides being a functional item, how do shutters work to enhance the overall design style of your home? When you consider the choices available on the market for window and door coverings, shutters must be right up there at the top of the list adding a luxurious and elegant feel to almost any interior. With AMERICAN shutters’® selection of ranges and the numerous design details we offer, your shutters can assume the décor style of your choice and this adaptability makes shutters an attractive option. From traditional to contemporary styles the design of your shutter can be structured to enhance your interior. Why are shutters your personal preference for window dressings? I love the look, their practicality and the calmness they bring to an area. I think it’s the horizontal lines that create the calmness and the ease of use, just tilting the louvres to control your view without having to open the panels. As far as the practicalities go the list is endless, from privacy to security and from airflow to light control and insulation. They are easy to clean, don’t rattle in the wind and from personal experience, having had my shutters for many years, I can vouch for their longevity – they have remained looking as good as new. Would you recommend shutters in smaller, more compact spaces where light is limited? I don’t think there is an issue when it comes to installing shutters in rooms with limited light, in fact if you have white shutters and the louvres are tilted at a particular angle, the shutters can actually reflect light into the room. However, configuration is important and it would be best to have them installed to completely fold off the opening allowing all available light to flood into the room when necessary. The wider the louvre the larger the gaps will be between the louvres so it would be a good choice to opt for wider louvres and one could also consider having shutters installed on the lower half of the window only, commonly referred to as café style shutters. What about humid areas such as bathrooms or outside patios? Wood shutters don’t do well in damp areas, it’s best to install our Woodbury shutters which are 100% waterproof or our aluminium shutters in bathrooms, showers and wet rooms. What if you have an odd shaped window, will shutters work in such spaces? Unusually shaped openings are no longer a challenge; AMERICAN shutters’® have specific shutter ranges that can be manufactured with functioning louvres for curved openings like circles and arches. Our most popular range of Decowood® shutters can be manufactured to fit angular openings and still have operable louvres. How do shutters increase the value of your home? Developers and homeowners have reiterated that the inclusion of our shutters increases the value and desirability of their properties as they add value because they are custom-made to fit specific openings and therefore considered permanent fixtures. They also increase the value by the benefits they offer, they look good, have a long lifespan and their thermal ability reduces power usage which lowers your power bills. Once you have experienced our shutters first hand you will also realise how practical they are, with overlapping stiles providing privacy and with louvres allowing natural airflow and light control, all without detracting from your views.

Why are shutters the ideal interior solution for summer? Shutters have a summery feel, they are light and airy and installing them in areas that link the indoors with the outdoors perfectly suits our summer way of life. They are easy to clean, particularly our robust Decowood® and aluminium ranges and if you live at the coast they cope ideally with all that sticky salt laden air. AMERICAN shutters’® Security Shutters are ideal for enclosing patios and braai areas because they are 100% waterproof and the smoky cooking smells are not absorbed into the material. Shutters are perfect for creating that casual holiday beach house look and will help to keep your rooms cool in summer.