OPEN & SHUT: Function still a factor when choosing, hanging shutters

Although glass and screens have eliminated the practical need for shutters, theyre still popular for decoration.

They add another layer of thoughtful detailing to a house, said Ted Cleary, a landscape architect in Charlotte, N.C.

But to get the right look, you still have to consider function when choosing and hanging shutters, experts say.

Beauty in architecture, as with many objects, often stems from seeing a detail that illustrates its purpose, Cleary said.

A pair of shutters can cost anywhere from $100 to more than $1,000. Some tips on choosing the right ones for your home:

Size

Originally, shutters were used to keep out weather, noise and animals; when closed, they had to cover the whole window.

So shutter size is the most important thing to consider, said Lindsay Daniel, a Charlotte architect, who agrees with Cleary that homeowners must think function first, not decoration.

Make sure the shutters meet and completely cover the window opening. Otherwise, she said, the shutter looks like a stupid afterthought.

This means that shutters dont work on double-width or picture windows, said Richard Taylor, an architect and president of RTA Studio in Dublin, Ohio. To my eye anyway, it looks ridiculous, he said.

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OPEN & SHUT: Function still a factor when choosing, hanging shutters