Plantation shutter styles: which suits your windows?
Most windows suit one of three styles: full height, tier-on-tier or café style. There are also styles for doors and wide openings and for awkward shapes. Everything is made to measure, and you can mix styles around the house.
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Full height shutters
One panel from the top of the window to the bottom.
Full height shutters cover the whole window with single panels, from the top of the frame to the sill. They're the simplest and cleanest look.
Best for: Most rooms, and the cleanest look in a bay. More on full height shutters → · Casement windows →
Tier-on-tier shutters
Top and bottom panels that open separately.
Tier-on-tier shutters have two sets of panels, one above the other, and each opens on its own. Close the bottom for privacy and open the top for light, or close both at night.
Best for: Street-facing bays and sash windows. More on tier-on-tier shutters →
Café style shutters
Covering only the lower part of the window.
Café style shutters cover just the bottom part of the window, usually about half to two-thirds, and leave the top open. You get privacy from people walking past while the room keeps all the light from above.
Best for: Street-facing rooms where you want lots of light. More on café style shutters →
Bi-fold window shutters
Full height panels hinged together, folding back in a neat stack. (For bi-fold doors, see tracked shutters below.)
On a wide window, one big panel each side would swing a long way into the room. Bi-fold shutters split each side into narrower panels hinged together, so they fold back on themselves and take up far less space when open.
Best for: Wide windows, and rooms where furniture sits close to the window.
French door shutters
Usually bi-fold panels that fold back to the sides, so the doors open freely.
On French doors we usually fit bi-fold panels, which fold back into a small stack at each side. Some doors suit panels fitted to the doors themselves, with a cut-out around the handle. Matt recommends the best way at the visit.
Best for: French doors and single glass-panelled doors. More on door shutters →
Tracked shutters
Panels that run along a track at the top and bottom, and fold back to the side.
Instead of hinging off the frame, tracked shutters hang in a track, so you can clear the whole doorway. The track adds to the price, and your quote shows exactly how much.
Best for: Patio doors, bi-fold doors and very wide windows. More on door shutters →
Bi-pass (sliding) shutters
Panels on two tracks that slide past each other.
Like a sliding wardrobe door: the panels slide past one another, with no folding, so they suit openings with no room at the sides. The track adds to the price.
Best for: Sliding patio doors, where there is nowhere to fold panels back. More on door shutters →
Shaped shutters
Made for windows that aren't rectangles.
Angled tops, gables and sloping windows can have shutters too, made to the shape of the window so they match the rest of the room. Every shape is different, so we'll tell you at the visit what's possible for yours.
Best for: Gable-end and angled windows.
Bay window shutters
Made to the angles of your bay.
Each window in the bay is measured on its own, and the panels are made so they meet neatly at the corners. Any of the window styles above can be used in a bay.
Best for: Victorian and Edwardian bays. More on bay window shutters → · Victorian & Edwardian homes →
Choosing your shutters
Louvre sizes
Louvres are the slats that tilt. They come in three widths: 63 mm, 76 mm and 89 mm. Wider louvres give a clearer view out and a more modern look, while narrower ones suit smaller windows and period homes. Matt brings samples to the visit so you can see them against your own window.
Colours
White is the standard finish. It goes with everything and makes a room feel brighter. There are also eight standard colours, at £500 per square metre instead of £400, VAT included. Matt brings samples to the visit, so you can see them in your own light.
Hinges and frames
Hinges come in white, brass or chrome, and hidden hinges are also available for a cleaner look. Matt will show you the options, and the price of each, at the visit.
Each shutter hangs in a slim frame fitted in or around the window. There are a few frame shapes, chosen to suit each window. Shutter frames explained →
Tilt rods: four ways to tilt the louvres
Centre tilt: the classic look. A slim rod runs down the middle of the panel, and moving it tilts all the louvres together.
Offset tilt: the same rod, set off to one side, for a clearer view through the middle.
Hidden tilt: the rod sits at the back of the panel, out of sight from the room.
Invisible tilt: no rod at all. A small mechanism hidden inside the side of the panel links the louvres, so tilting one tilts them all. The cleanest look.
Matt will show you the options at the visit, and your quote says which one you've chosen.
How shutters open
The panels are hinged, so they fold back to the sides of the window like small doors. The louvres tilt with a light touch, so you can let in a little light or a lot without opening the panels at all.
What our shutters are made of
We specialise in composite shutters: a strong PVC-based material with aluminium inside the louvres and uprights for strength, with a scratch-resistant painted finish. They're made to measure for each window, wipe clean with a damp cloth, and come with our 10-year guarantee (1 year on hinges and other hardware, 3 years on the invisible tilt). Real wood is available on request, with its guarantee confirmed on your quote. Wooden or composite: an honest comparison →
Styles: your questions
Which shutter style should I choose?
It depends on the room. Full height suits nearly every window, tier-on-tier gives the most control over privacy and light, and café style keeps the most daylight. For doors and wide openings, look at French door, tracked or bi-pass shutters. Matt will suggest what suits each window at the visit.
Can I mix styles in the same house?
Yes, and many people do: tier-on-tier at the front for privacy, full height in the bedrooms, and café style in the kitchen. Using the same colour and louvre size throughout keeps it looking consistent.
Can shutters be longer or shorter than the window?
They're made to the window. Café style covers just the lower part, and where there's a radiator or a window seat below, the shutters can stop at the sill, sit above the seat or run to the floor. Matt talks the options through at the visit.
More pages
Also worth a lookNot sure which style to choose?
Matt brings samples to the visit, so you can see them against your own windows.