Everything we add and remove from our homes alters both its value and the way that we live in it. It doesn’t matter whether it is an entire home extension or a single window. Both the personal and financial values of a property are based on what it contains and how well everything fits together. With that in mind, are plantation shutters – one of the most attractive yet underused window features a worthwhile investment for your home?
What are plantation shutters?
Custom made shutters fit over the edges of the windows, or within the recess creating stronger and more durable alternatives to other blinds that can be used for a wide range of different purposes. Shutter blinds come in many different configurations and permutations, they can be heavily customisable, fitting onto windows of all shapes and sizes.
Even better, they are often used as a way to control both light and heat in a room, providing the same basic benefits as a curtain or regular blind without being as much of a hassle to use properly. While they used to be seen as a relic of the past, more and more modern homeowners have begun to use plantation blinds like this on their new properties. Due to being the most expensive window furnishing, they are often considered a bit of a status symbol to own making them quite popular.
Are they expensive?
While plantation shutters are definitely more expensive than other kinds of window shutters, they make up for the price by being one of the most stylish choices available, few other window furnishings can pull off the same look. They are also surprisingly long lasting, even simple PVC plantation shutters can be very durable and extremely good at handling day-to-day damage, such as high humidity or increased temperatures. Combine that with the fact that they are very easy to adjust and fit into a window of any size, then you have something that easily makes up for the increased price.
Like all window coverings, DIY shutters can be constructed out of a range of materials. This could be anything from natural-looking stained basswood or timber shutters to entirely synthetic parts, some of which will be more expensive than others. However, this is similar to the way that curtains can become more expensive due to certain design elements or materials, so it isn’t out of the ordinary.
Are they valuable?
While a good set of DIY plantation shutters might not be too much more expensive than other blind types, they can add a lot of value to a home. The window shutters don’t wear out easily and hardly ever need to be replaced – with careful maintenance and cleaning, you can have the same set for multiple decades, and might only have to do surface-level repairs. Simply having them in any home can increase the value of the property, which will scale up as more windows have them.
Given that they can be used on internal windows or open spaces between two halves of a room makes this even more useful. The aesthetic value of these shutters is incredibly high, and if they match the rest of the home in terms of colour and style, this can increase even further. When viewing them from the outside, they offer great curbside appeal that no other window furnishing can match. The only real downside is that they can be hard to change once they are attached – unless you are willing to pay for a professional removal, and in doing so they can damage your windows. But you will find, you shouldn’t need to ever do this unless they have reached the end of their life cycle. If that’s the case, it might be time for a complete renovation anyways!
What else can they do?
Plantation shutters aren’t just useful for the way that they look, though. They can be great at managing heat and strong sunlight – just look at some of the best plantation shutters Australia has to offer – as well as providing a good level of privacy. They serve the same purpose as normal blinds, but with much more style and far more stability overall. Since they connect to the wall rather than just hanging down, they can even be used to dampen sounds coming from outside.
Of course, if you are getting blinds, you generally want to cover up a window. The advantage of these shutters is that they can be adapted to fit any window, even those with curved edges or rounded tops. By mounting them on the sides of the window, there is no chance that they can get tangled or easily fall off, and some homeowners even have them built into the walls themselves as a permanent fixture with the use of U-Channels.
Where can you get them?
You should source your plantation shutters online if you aren’t looking to break the bank! There are many DIY plantation shutter guides available on the net. Alternatively, you can source someone to come our and give you a free measure and quote. They can be difficult to install if you aren’t too handy.