Welcome to the 820th Metamorphosis Monday! Oh my gosh, I have so much I want to tell you about the trip up to Ohio but I will save that for a future post because it was quite the adventure. Ha! Everything went really well until I hit the Cincinnati area. They had completely shut down all of I-75 North for the weekend to do road work.
When I first left early that morning, Waze said something implying I-75 in Cincinnati was shut down, but I thought that meant there was an accident and the lanes were temporarily blocked. Nope, 8 hours later when I got there, it really was completely shut down! Thankfully, Waze routed me (and the rest of the world) off the interstate, around the repair work, and back on. That did cause quite a delay. I ran into two more slowdowns due to “crashes” as Waze calls them, and all this happened during the last 45 minutes of the trip up. I will share more about how I got the truck loaded and what the whole experience was like in an upcoming post. I think it would be helpful for anyone considering renting a U-haul truck in the future.
Just before I left to return to Georgia, I got a text that the plantation shutters being made for the kitchen and office were complete and ready for installation. I couldn’t wait to get back to the Dollhouse and see those in place! I went way out on a limb and took a bold step (for me) when I chose the design of these shutters. A little backstory: Many years ago, I worked for a wonderful plantation shutter company as a sales representative. With a child in middle school, it was the perfect job for me at that time since I could completely control my schedule. The office booked all my appointments during the hours my son was in school.
During those 5 years that I worked with the company, I learned a tremendous amount about how shutters are made. The company with whom I worked made all their shutters from scratch. A lot of companies back then, and I think even today, buy premade shutters and cut them down or frame them to fit which helps hide issues if they don’t exactly fit the window as they should. Of course, a lot of customers like their shutters framed even if they are custom-made since it completely hides the hinges on the side. I have always preferred having them inside-mounted and not framed, but the only shutter company I could find that makes their shutters from scratch, i.e. true custom shutters, always frames them in. They feel it looks more finished. Thankfully, they don’t attach the framing on top of the existing window molding, partially covering it up. This change was a tough one for me to accept, especially since the windowsills in this 86-year-old house are nice and deep and perfect for an inside mount since the hinges wouldn’t show due to the depth of the window molding and windowsill.
When I bought the Dollhouse, one of the very first things I did was get a quote for plantation shutters. I’m not sure how it is now in the Atlanta area, but back in the day, there were a lot of choices for where one could purchase shutters. Two companies were especially known for quality shutters, one of those being the company for whom I worked. Here in the Dayton area, there aren’t a lot of choices and there was only one choice that I could find for true custom shutters. The company I chose is 10 minutes away from my home. The owner is nice and helpful, but he has strong preferences for how shutters should be designed, and many of his ideas went against what I had learned back in the day. Plus, his taste in how shutters should look are very different from mine.
To further complicate things, the windows in the Dollhouse are all very different than what I’m used to seeing in homes. It was very easy to design the shutters for my Georgia home. Not counting the three bathrooms, there were only two sizes of windows throughout the entire house, including the basement. So there were not a lot of design decisions to make from window to window, I knew immediately what I wanted in that home: 2.5-inch louvers with divider rails so I could operate the top and the bottom separately. Love that on the longer 73-inch windows and even on my upstairs 53-inch long windows. Also, back in the day, I was taught that 2.5-inch louvers were standard for most homes, especially traditional homes which was the style home most of our customers had. The 3.5-inch louver was normally what we recommended if a room had really high ceilings and huge windows. They were also popular in places like Florida.
The owner of the company I used for the shutters here in Ohio really encouraged me A LOT to go with a 3.5-inch louver which went against everything I’d been taught. The Dollhouse is a very traditional home with mostly small windows. There are no floor-to-ceiling (73-inch) windows in this house like I have in Georgia. The other thing that made it so difficult is the windows in this house vary drastically in size. I don’t mean from shifting or being in an old house, I mean the actual windows themselves. That means that how you design the windows in the living room and dining room, may not work for how you design them in the kitchen or the upstairs bedrooms. Sometimes the windows vary drastically in size in a single room! The living room and two upstairs bedrooms have different-sized windows in the same room! All this gave me a major headache and delayed me actually placing an order for shutters since I was so indecisive on how I wanted them designed/made. Plantation shutters are not an inexpensive window treatment, so it’s not something you want to get wrong.
Since I was so unsure what the heck to do in this house due to how varied the windows are in size, AND since I was so indecisive about the design of the windows (louver size/divider rail vs no divider rail) due to the weird window sizes, AND since they were being framed instead of inside mounted, which is what I’ve always loved, I decided to start with the two rooms where I desperately needed window treatments, then make decisions about the rest of the house later.
After much angst (and I do mean much!) here’s what I ultimately chose. Since the windowsills throughout this home are nice and deep which is perfect for going with a larger louver, thus retaining more view, I decided to take a chance and went with 3.5-inch louvers. After doing a bit of research online, I found that most people, even in very traditional homes, do seem to be going with the 3.5-inch louvers these days when adding plantation shutters to their homes. There are two windows in my kitchen and they each measure 28 inches wide x 37 inches tall. That is close to the same size as the windows in my bathrooms back in Georgia. Here’s how 2.5-inch louvers look in that bathroom with 2 panels in the window, and they are inside mounted.
Here’s what I chose for the two windows in the kitchen: 3.5-inch louver since I have nice, deep windowsills, one panel per window. The owner of the shutter company pushed me to just do one panel per window, saying I could block out way too much view if I went with two panels per window. I love a traditional shutter look so it was hard for me to go with a single panel for each window, but I did want to keep as much view and light as possible for these two windows.
If I had gone with two panels, it would have looked like the bathroom window back in Georgia, just with bigger louvers, so a bit more view. I think two panels with 3.5-inch louvers in a small 28 x 37 window, would have looked out of proportion for the window. I do love the two-panel look with the 2.5-inch louvers in the bathroom windows, though. I don’t regret doing that size in all my bathroom windows in Georgia, especially since they have the more shallow windowsills that are standard in a lot of traditional homes there. This is how the shutters look slightly tilted upward for privacy in the kitchen in the evening time. There’s a home that sits slightly higher up on this side, and though I’m sure the homeowner who lives there has a life and much better things to do than look out her window into my kitchen (hahaha) I still like being able to tilt them for privacy when it’s late at night and I’m running around the house in my PJs.
Here’s the view with the louvers open. Again, this is the 3.5-inch louver size. It almost looks like it’s one big window with two panels in it, doesn’t it? The inside framing does look very finished.
What do you think? Did I make a good design decision for this window? Would you have gone with the larger 3.5-inch louver as I did? Would you have done a single, 28-inch wide panel in each window as I did, as opposed to two 14-inch panels which would have cut out a lot more view/light? In case you’re wondering, to clean the windows when needed, I will pop the shutters off their hinges due to the height of the faucet. That won’t be hard to do—I’ve done that with doors (and shutter panels) before, so it’s not a big deal. Update: A plumber showed me that the goose-neck faucet lifts right off its base, so it won’t block the shutters at all when I need to open them for cleaning.
Okay, let’s check out what I chose for the office! Again, more angst! Designing shutters for the house back in Georgia was a breeze because all the windows in the upstairs rooms, except the two bathrooms, are all the same size. So easy—make one design plan and you’re done! I wish it was that way here, but at least all the windows in my office are the same size, unlike some of the bedrooms! Arggh!
I know some of you asked to see “Before” pictures of the office before the shutters were added. When I first moved in, there were thin, see-through sheers hanging in the windows on both sides. Here’s a view from when the home was listed a couple of years back. I love how this looks! This room was one of the rooms that made me want to buy this home!
Though beautiful, the sheers didn’t function well in this room for two big reasons. 1. They didn’t block the light at all, which made looking at my computer monitors almost impossible. The windows in this room are positioned almost perfectly east/west. The bright morning sun streams in on the left side (where you see the desk) starting around 9:00 in the morning, then you get a break around 12-2 pm, after which the extremely bright, west sun streams in through the other side of the room the rest of the day. I love all this wonderful light, but it’s a bit much when you’re facing out into the room trying to see computer monitors.
The second issue with the pretty sheers is if you close them, they block all four of the A/C/heating vents in this room. Since this room was added to the house in 1951, 13 years after the home was originally built, it has its own separate HVAC system. Located under the windows on each side of the room, there’s both a vent and an intake vent. When the sheers are pulled closed and the system comes on, the sheers get sucked into the intake vent and block it off. Also, they block the air coming out of the other vent and this scenario happens on both sides of the room. Long curtains/draperies, or really any fabric window treatment, are not a good choice for this room.
Since the sheers didn’t help at all with the light coming in, I purchased non-see-through panels to make do until I could come to terms with how I wanted to design the shutters in this room. Using double-sided fabric tape, I taped them up so they wouldn’t block the two vents on each side of the room. Even with sheers that were much thicker and non-see-through, I still had trouble seeing my monitors. That’s how wonderfully bright it is in this room during the daytime!
Once I added the rug, I started worrying about the sunlight fading it while I awaited the building of the shutters. So, I purchased temporary shades that I placed in the windows underneath the sheer panels. Even with the temporary shades AND the non-see-through sheers pulled closed, it was still plenty bright in the room, but I felt the rug was safe from any risk of fading. I took the photo below on the morning of the shutter installation. I had removed the sheers and the sagging curtain rods that were there when I moved in, so I’d only have to take down the temporary shades the next morning. In this photo taken the morning of the installation, the sun is just starting to come in. I wish I could really share how bright it is in this room throughout the day, but my camera just doesn’t do it justice.
Here’s a photo that same morning of the other side that faces west. The sun wasn’t blazing its way in yet, but by afternoon, it would be there! See what I mean about the vents. That’s the A/C/heating vent on the left and the Intake vent is the one near the floor on the right.
Another view looking toward the east windows in the morning. I wish I could really show you how bright this room is throughout the day. It’s wonderful and I love it, but I need to be able to control how much light streams in at various times of the day, both for working at my desk and for protecting the rug and any art, or additional furniture (chairs, etc…) that will eventually be added to this room.
Okay, let’s check out how those plantation shutters look! Someone had asked to see the installation part. I was working at my desk for part of the time and downstairs for the rest of the time, but I did snap a few pictures. I didn’t want to make the two owners feel weird with me taking photos, so I sneaked in a couple of photos when they were out of the room for a few minutes. I went with 3.5-inch louvers to keep the maximum view. This photo is a pretty good example of the view, with and without the panels in place.
Here’s a photo showing the view on the other side during the installation process. As you can see, I did not go with a divider rail which is the rail that goes across the center of a shutter panel that lets you operate the top and bottom louvers separately. The company that I ordered from does offer a split tilt-rod so you can get separate operation of the top and bottom louvers without the divider rail, but I knew that when the sun pours in throughout the day, I would need to adjust both the top and bottom simultaneously to control the light. Just closing the bottom half of each panel would not have been enough light control.
So how do they all look in place? Here’s a wide-angle view. I still couldn’t quite get all the windows into the frame, but hopefully, this helps to see how it looks when entering the room.
Here’s the west view with the 3/5-inch louvers wide open. Sorry about the glare, better photos ahead!
Here’s the east view… The owner of the shutter company tried his best to talk me into doing 1 big panel for each window. 🙁 The shutter company I worked with many years ago would never go over 28 inches wide for any louver or you could get into issues with the louver sagging/warping. The owner of the company that made these shutters said they can go wider because the louvers are all finger-jointed. He showed me the finger jointing on an unpainted louver. These windows in the office are 34-inches wide and I knew I would really miss that traditional 2-panel look. I kept thinking how I should just go with blinds and forget the shutters if I was going to go with a single wide panel. I’m so glad I listened to my gut and went with two panels in each window.
This still doesn’t show how open the view is. I have to say I’m am loving these bigger 3.5-inch louvers!
Okay, I was finally able to capture a better picture of the view through the 3.5-inch louvers. I am very happy with how this looks! What do you think?
I love how plantation shutters look and function! I love being able to slightly tilt them when needed for privacy and light control, yet still keep as much view as I wish, depending on the tilt. At some point, I will probably add the sheer panels or some floor-length drapery/curtain panels at each end to add some softness to the windows. For now, I am happy with them just as they are.
One of my goals for this room is to have those dark brown vents changed out, or at least painted so they don’t stick out like the proverbial sore thumb. I talked to a heating/AC company about that and he said that it would be much easier to have them professionally painted by someone who paints cars (or things like that) than to try and find white ones due to their unique size/shape. Add this to the list of weird things you deal with in old houses. lol
So let me know what you think! Do you like the larger 3.5-inch louver in this room? Do you like the idea of adding a drapery panel or sheer back to the far end of each bank of windows for a bit of softness? I may add the sheers for now, then change those for draperies later once I know what chair or chairs I’ll be using here. I’m the slowest decorator in the world and with how much I’ve already had to spend on electrical and plumbing, I’m extra slow in this house! Ha! I am happy though with how the electrical/plumbing is working now—still have a few more plans though, like stair lighting down to the basement.
I hope you’re enjoying following along on this crazy adventure! I have so much more to share, so lots of Before and After coming up this week! Looking forward to all the wonderful Before and Afters linked for this week’s Met Monday! Pssst: Did you know Between Naps On The Porch is on Instagram? You’ll find me on Instagram here: Between Naps On The Porch. Like to know when a new blog post is up? Subscribe for email updates (it’s free) and your e-mail will never be shared. Subscribe for free post updates here: Subscribe.
Metamorphosis Monday: Metamorphosis Monday is a party that’s all about Before and Afters. Please link up your Before and After projects like DIY projects, room makeovers, craft projects even recipes. Please do not link up Table Settings, save those for our Tablescape Thursday party on Thursday. If you are participating in Met Monday, you’ll need to link your post to the party using the “permalink” to your MM post and not your general blog address. To get your permalink, click on the name of your post, then copy and paste the address that shows in the address bar at the top of your blog, into the “url” box for InLinkz when prompted.
I love the way the shutters look with the single panels and the 3.5″ louvres! We have basically the same shutters in our home and I’ve been completely happy with them. I’ve so enjoyed following along on your new adventure and you definitely made the right decision about the shutters!
Thanks so much, Niki! I think I’m going to love the extra insulation they add to the windows this winter.
I do like the shutters. I’m glad you didn’t give in to the owner trying to talk you out of and/or into something you didn’t want. Aren’t you happy you had the experience so you knew what should be done?!! Looking forward to more before and afters!
Yes, definitely! Have to trust our gut instinct.
Thanks, Anne!
Susan, the plantation shutters are gorgeous. We have them too in our house and it never gets old seeing how pretty they are. I love being able to flip them opened or closed.
And I really love what you did with the kitchen window. I wouldn’t have gone with one big blind, I thought what you did is perfect. I’ve never seen two little windows like that in the kitchen.
Also, I hope you’ll update us on what you did with those black heating vents!
Wendy
I will. I need to do a bit of research and maybe talk to some HVAC guys to see what they recommend. Really all the vents in this home need to be repainted/recoated.
I love the 3.5 inch louvers! I live in an all brick traditional (mouldings and keystones) patio home in an over 55 community, so it is smaller (kind of a doll house). There are about 6 styles of homes in my small neighborhood with different facades etc. About 50%of the homes have shutters and all of those are the wider ones! Having had the 2.5 louver in the past, I would definitely go with the larger ones. I kinda think they look more upscale! I love the look of your shutters! They look fantastic!
Thanks so much, Debra! That is so neat that so many in your community have shutters. I love how they look for outside and the consistency they give to the front of a home.
I love the look of them. I think the sheers would look very nice and give you the softness you are looking for. What do you do if you want the windows opened? Do the shutters just fold back? I am so happy to hear you safely made it back to Ohio and am looking forward to all the details of your adventure.
Thanks, Pam! Yes, they open from the center. If I had double windows on either side, they could have been designed to bi-fold back, but since there are three windows on each side, the two shutter panels on each window open in the center.
You are one gutsy lady, I admire you so much
Thanks so much, Maryann! ♥
I love them, Susan. You had me going all through our home to see how the previous owners outfitted ours during the renovation before we bought this home. Ours are a mixed bag! Those on the side of the home are what you described as split, tip rail; all those on the front of the home, including the French doors on the patio, have a divider rail, and all are 3.5″. I love them, and find them easier to clean. I prefer no drapes or sheers, but you have to do what makes you feel coziest! I can certainly appreciate your angst in the decision process, though. Look at how long we took on the Speed Queen. I’m just glad you went first, and that my shutter decisions were already made. I know it’s a costly one because we were provided with original invoices for major updates here!
That’s so interesting that you have a bit of a mix. I think you’re right, the 3.5-size louver should be a lot easier to clean. lol I know, SQ are a bit pricey so we had to make sure we got it right!
I love the way your shutters turned out.
If you can find a company that does powder coat, they will strip off the brown finish and powder coat them white. Appliances are power coated and they are almost impervious to chipping.
Oh, I’m going to jot that down so I don’t forget it. I was thinking earlier today that it will need to be a type of paint that can handle heat or cold. Thanks for that suggestion!
I have shutters in every window on the main floor of our home…and love them. ( I live far on the east coast of Canada). I ordered mine from Home Depot…and did not hit one snafu before, after or during installation. (they are white as well)
It’s so nice when you have a great process like that! I’m looking forward to doing more shutters in this house, probably the living and dining room next.
The shutters look great and you were smart to trust your instincts. I had to take several deep calming breaths while reading about the company owner trying to ‘guide’ you into going along with his ideas. I really, really hate that kind of contractor.
I def would not have been happy with a single panel in each of the office windows, that would have been a costly mistake, for sure. Thanks, Cyndy!
Your plantation shutters are beautiful! They are very well-made and a perfect fit.
Thanks so much, Mary Ellen!
XXX
Shutters look great! You made the right choice.
Thanks, Linda!
XXX
I love the shutters and think you made the best choices all around. Ah so many “fun” travel adventures. I think driving a big truck &/or pulling a trailer is a skill that one has to practice – I drove a U-Haul across the Rockies towing a car one time in November … that was brilliant, but since I lived through it, I can tell lots of amusing stories! Thanks for sharing it all with us, and as always, thanks for hosting! Have a lovely day in your sunny office!
Wow, I can’t imagine doing that. Towing a car can be tricky, for sure! You were brave to do that, especially through the mountains! I bet you do have some great stories from doing that!
Everything looks great Susan, and you made the right decision going with the larger louver. I have shutters on my double window in the eating area of my kitchen. They are large double hung windows, the only windows in my kitchen. When we moved in 16 years ago, I went with the 2.5″ shutters in the same bone white the builder chose for trim, and I open them completely in nicer weather to let in additional light.
I have finally gotten around to painting all of my trim white except the shutters, as I want to get rid of them. I’m debating another type of treatment, or new shutters with the 3.5″ louver in white for a better view.
Regarding sheers, I think they’ll cover too much of the shutter and may look strange just as side panels. If you had more wall for the stack back, you could do it. I’ve seen upholstered valances with shutters, but that doesn’t necessarily soften the look of the shutters.
So many young people nowadays don’t do anything but blinds or shutters in the living areas. Like you, I enjoy a bit of softness around the window. I’ll be interested to see what you decide. You have good instincts, so go with them!
I may not have enough wall space for the sheers on the ends, now that I look more closely. I wish I did. Maybe if they hung a tiny bit in front of the shutter panel on each end, it would be okay. I will have to experiment around to see how that looks. I still really like the 2.5 inch louvers, too. In a way they give more privacy when you want it. I have to tilt these big 3.5 louvers up a good bit to really feel like you can look into the room where you don’t have to do that with the 2.5 since the louvers are closer together.
Susan – Your choice is right on! I definitely like the larger louvers. The smaller the louvers are they remind me of the wooden inside shutters from the 1960s. Those were a p-a-i-n to clean! Great Job! Five Stars ******
I have those teeny, tiny louvered shutters in two bathrooms here and they are all partially broken. Can’t wait to do shutters in those windows! Thanks, Sharon!
They look great! Love the blue walls with the crisp white shutters and paneling. I definitely believe the 3.5 was the way to go. That’s what I have and I’m very happy I went with that size, to maximize the view. Glad you got that one checked off your ‘to do’ list. I’m sure you’ll enjoy them and they should keep the room a little warmer in winter, too.
I like that contrast, too! Blue and white is such a beautiful classic look! Thanks, Pam! I’m looking forward to doing more in this house.
Excellent choice!
Thanks, Susie!
I think the wider louvers on the shutters was clearly the right choice….especially given your deeper set windows. Absolutely the best choice. They look fantastic. I’ve always loved shutters. You were smart to just do a few windows….now you know which direction to go for the rest of your windows.
Thanks, Toni! Yes, got to take it slowly so I don’t make expensive mistakes. lol I can’t wait to do the other windows!
The shutters look fabulous…love the larger size! Always wanted shutters and planned on those when we downsized…looking at cottage style homes. We ended up in an apartment with beautiful floor to ceiling windows that look out on farmland and landscaping with nobody behind us. Did not think shutters would look good….went with Hunter Douglas shades that are controlled by a remote and charge up with a cord. Love them….great view when we want it, privacy when we don’t…but still look lovingly at shutters when we are on our walks ! Enjoy yours !
Thanks, Ann! That sounds like a stunning view! I would love that view!
The wider louvers are great. I would not add panels in your office but do a valance with tails on the sides. Don’t add too much to the windows, they are so pretty, just frame them a little.
Thanks for that suggestion, Celeste!
Shutters the way they are look great! I especially love the shutters in your office! Good going! (Now, can you come to my house and help me with mine?)
Thanks, Karen!
XXX
Your shutters look beautiful! I think you definitely made the right decision with the traditional double shutters in your office. Draperies might be nice someday,but the shutters look great and maybe you should live with them as is for a while before deciding. I actually thought of you Sat morning when I heard I 75 was closed-I figured that was the way you’d be going. Had to be stressful!
Thanks, Terri! I agree! I need to just live with these for a bit. Yes, very stressful. Thankfully, by the time I got to that whole mess, I had been driving the truck for 7+ hours so was pretty comfortable with it at that point.
They look beautiful! I have the 3.5 shutters in my house and love them!
Thanks so much, Kit! 3.5 does seem to be what everyone loves now.
The shutters are great and I would love to see some fabric panels on the sides.
I would also take those hvac vents off and try to spray paint them before trying to find a pro. I don’t think it would be too difficult.
I’m worried I would clog them up if I painted them, or the paint would start peeling. They badly need cleaning, too…the little adjustment handle seems to have rusted in place.
Susan, the shutters look fabulous and I’m so glad you like them and that you stuck to your guns! If you are worried about fading, there is a transparent film you can get to cover the windows that blocks out about 99% of UV rays. We had it in our old house for our west-facing wall to wall, floor to ceiling (2 stories) living room windows and it worked really well. We also put it in our new house. Enjoy your gorgeous plantation shutters and can’t wait to hear about your U-haul trip!
Beautiful!!
I have 4 inch shutters with a split tilt rod on some of them. I don’t have any curtains or drapes on any of my windows because I don’t want the dust they collect. Shutters are easy to clean with a Swiffer duster. When we lived in Florida I had 3 1/2 inch shutters and was thrilled when we moved to Georgia and found out that they were now making the 4 inch shutters. I am having so much fun watching you bring the Doll House back to life.
Love your shutters and the 3.5 size. I’ve been toying with the idea of doing the 10 windows in the front of my house and then I wonder if I should do the rest in the back. I really have to think it through! Love the new Dollhouse!
Your shutters look very nice but, can they open wide enough for your tilt in windows to tilt in to be washed?
I wouldn’t bother with curtains yet. Keep things plain and simple until you get further along. Furniture first!!!
Love the wider shutters. If you like a lot of view I wouldn’t have anything at windows. It’s an office room so just shutters looks good.
Thanks so much for hosting!! I really appreciate the time and effort that goes into it along with visiting all the links!! I hope you are enjoying your week and you are doing well…
Hugs,
Deb
Debbie-Dabble Blog
I love the plantation shutters, they are perfect. As for the vents, after you consult with someone about what to do, Signature Hardware has pretty vents that are available in a variety of finishes. Check it out.
Best wishes,
Lynette
Susan, love your shutters and the 3 1/2″ are perfect! If you’re like I am especially having grown up in Vermont, the more light the better and these bring a coziness to the room. For the window treatments, absolutely, I think panels would look amazing. For me, I’ve got to have some sort of window treatment, otherwise, my rooms just don’t feel finished. Plus it will bring in another design element and definition to the room. I can’t wait to see what other furniture and patterns you bring into this room.
And you are fearless and I love it and reminds me of myself! Can’t wait to hear about your adventure going North! I’ve done similar things and it gives you a huge sense of empowerment after you’ve done it! Gooo Susan!
Hugs,
Becky
It looks like you made all the right decisions regarding the shutters; your head must have been spinning having to make so many choices. With your shutter experiences, do they close tight enough to darken the room much? We have wood blinds and they let in much light when closed.
I love, love the shutters you chose, Susan. You made the right decision. I have shutters in half of my house. At the time, I could only get the 2.5″ size shutter but, if there is a next time, I would go for the 3.5″ size.
The other half of my house has Hunter Douglas Silhouette fabric shades. They are stunning and elegant. They look great in my living room and dining room. However, they do not block out the sun as well as the shutters do. In the office I went with shutters, because like you mentioned, it is easier to control the light when you are working on the computer.
Thank you for sharing all your crazy adventures. I so look forward to every new post.
You are truly inspirational and courageous — Amelia Earhart comes to my mind. But, in my mind’s eye, I see Susan from ‘Between Naps on the Porch’ bombing down the highway in a U-Haul truck! Ohio better watch out, here comes the Boss Lady!
You definitely have made the right decision on the shutters; they look really nice. Regarding the vents we spray painted ours ourselves and we’ve never had a problem with them. If we ever do we’ll just repaint. LOL
PS I should have said our house is almost 50 years old.
Susan, the shutters are amazing. I am a little confused about the kitchen window. Do they swing open? I have mixed feelings about sheer curtains. I think shorter ones would look strange. Can you use tiebacks ? I would be happy with how the shutters look until you decide otherwise.
Good thing you had prior experience and knew what you wanted and stuck to it.
Yes, they do. It’s two windows with a single panel in each window and they do open, but I’ll have to remove them from the hinges to clean behind those due to the tall faucet. I won’t do fabric if they block the open part of the louvers/shutters. I like how they look too much to block them.
Oh, and don’t worry, I would not put back short curtains on the ends either. Def don’t care for that look.
We added plantation shutters to most of the windows in our new Georgia home. We used a designer and she encouraged us to go with the 3.5” louvres and also to have one shutter for each window, not to break them up. We didn’t know any better but I’m pretty happy with the way they look.
I’m behind since the holidays with reading your journey with the Cottage, but I had to comment on the Plantation Shutters. They are absolutely perfect and beautiful. I chose the 3.5 inch for the new shutters at our Lake house when we built it. This was the best decision I made, since the views of the Lake are so beautiful thru the wider shutters. We have enjoyed them so much. I think your decision to use these was perfect for your house and you will be so glad you did it. I love the idea of drapery panels at each end of your office windows. Can’t wait to see the fabrics you choose for furniture and drapery panels.❤️
Thanks so much, Peggy! It’s definitely a big change for me, going with 3.5 inch louvers, but I do love the view you get with those. I can see how they would be perfect for you lake home!