Plantation shutters have been admired in homes for several hundreds of years. This is actually one of the first window treatment design solutions ever. Original to the south and breezy homes of the Caribbean, plantation shutters now complement even today’s more contemporary upscale homes, when selecting larger louvers. (Louvers you say? We’ve included a quick diagram with the components of a shutter.)

As early as the 1700’s plantation shutters were appreciated for their ability to block the direct heat of the sun while still allowing in the cooling breezes. In my client’s homes now, we sometimes struggle with creating a clean, uniform look without the fuss of a soft window treatment. Sometimes it is strictly a result of wanting to maintain temperature inside the home. They often act as a great insulator to drafty windows.. With the high standards set long ago, the plantation shutter has been able to transcend its original setting and lend beauty and ambiance and style to many homes today.

Taking a look deeper into the construction of shutters, here are some thoughts that may sell you on the solution for your own home. With each louver forming a perfect line, one after the other, the all-wood, custom plantation shutter provides a room with a unique combination of form and function–a beautiful design either completely open or closed. But when slighted tilted, the true beauty of the plantation shutter lies in its ability to blend the elements of the inside of your home with the outdoors without neglecting their task as privacy filtrates. Each louver reflects light at different angles in the room and offers a nice warm glow throughout your room.

In today’s fast-paced, pressure-filled world, everyone appreciates an escape from the tension of everyday life. As more of today’s homes are designed to benefit from and embracing natural light with large windows that you are sometimes left puzzled with how to make them function in your home and lifestyle. Plantation shutters are now more appealing than ever to the old home suffering from heat loss in the winter, and cool air in the summer- to Contemporary homes that need to find a clean sleek definition for the windows.

Plantation shutters are a great money saver over time. They save energy in winter and in summers. They slow the loss of heat through the glass in winter. Keep shutter window coverings open on sunny days to let the sun’s warmth in and close them at night to insulate against cold, outside temperatures. In summer energy savings result in keeping hot air out reducing air conditioning bills.

Loosing heat through windows and doors represents a significant chunk of most heating bills. Some sources estimate that loss through windows alone could account for up to 35 percent of heating bills. The upfront cost of a shutter may seem high look to spend somewhere between $300-$600 per average size window- also consider man made shutters (painted in many stocked shades of white) which is much more cost effective than natural wood and they have a tendency to be warp resistant. When you start to think about what it can do for you over time, they pay for themselves!

Here are a few things to do around your home that can help you decide if you are a candidate for shutters:

Energy Efficiency Tips:

* Check around windows and doors with a candle or a light piece of thread on a windy day to determine where drafts are. This will reveal problem areas in need of immediate attention.

* Remove and replace damaged caulk and weather-stripping. Self-stick foam and rolled rubber weather-stripping are easy to install, and can contribute greatly to your home’s efficiency.

* An inexpensive method of weatherizing windows involves attaching thin, clear plastic film to the window trim inside of the house using two-sided tape. The film is then stretched taut using heat from a blow dryer to remove wrinkles and creases.

* Decorate your windows with efficiency – closed shutters, window shades, blinds, curtains and lined draperies. All contribute to energy savings by helping to insulate windows.

* For a long-range solution, consider installing efficient replacement windows, or storm windows and doors OR TRY SHUTTERS!