Types of Interior Shutters

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What are interior shutters?

Interior shutters are window treatments that beautify the interior décor with a consistent adjustment of light and airflow around the room which also provide privacy.

Interior shutters are grouped depending on their appearance and design among other characteristics like individual type louver size.

Different types of shutters are made best for specific windows and doors.

The list below will help you get a better understanding of the many types of interior shutters.

old window wooden solid shutter panels and security bars

Table of Contents

1. Shaker shutters

These are also known as solid panel window shutters.

This style is mainly characterized by the flat and solid panels that can be extended to fit the entire window, and are mainly made of wood, composite, and other materials that can be stained and customized to fit the interior needs of any décor.

They can be both interior and exterior. However they are used, the shaker shutters create a very beautiful and detailed look.

They are fit for any type of window, especially those from the old eras, like the Victorian, since those might be of unusual size and shape. They provide absolute privacy and are good for light regulation.

They are majorly in two styles, the completely solid and the louvered top.

The completely solid is easy to dust and clean and makes your room feel complete.

For the louvered top style, it has both a complete solid bottom and a louvered top, which can be opened separately for flexibility and convenience under various circumstances like providing proper ventilation when hot, providing appropriate natural light when required.

This provides total privacy and allows light into the room because of the solid bottom and open top.

They are perfect for instant beauty and they can add value to the home.

2. Plantation shutters

A corner of a room and plantation shutters that are open

These shutters are popular with most people because they have large louvers, which give the room an elegant look.

Their louvers are usually 3.5 – 4.5 inches. While they are most suited for dining rooms, you can also use them in kitchens and bedrooms.

Most plantation interior shutters are made in three types of material, namely composite, vinyl, and wood.

This enables them to be more adjustable, provide a wider view of the outside, and allow more light indoors.

3. Tier-on-tier

This type is made of louver panels that are designed in a way that each panel sits on another, or above the other, hence the name tier-on-tier shutters.

Most have louvers hung on a single-hung panel, and most measure 2.5 inches.

This specific characteristic makes them able to open the top or bottom part independently, or, depending on the specific needs of an interior room, both can be fully open. And the resulting change is amazing.

They are extremely versatile, and very flexible with many windows, but not necessarily suitable for all windows.

They are suited best for Victorian windows, and especially those in an open surrounding such as close to a street.

This way you can maintain privacy by only opening the upper louvers while the bottom louvers remain closed.

4. Café style shutters

Also known as half shutters, this type is designed to cover only half of your window, normally from the mid-window to the bottom frame, although they can be customized to extend higher or lower.

This enables it to give enough privacy, light, and a good outside view. Most are made of wood, polymer, and composite materials.

They are good for rooms with high humidity such as bathrooms and kitchens.

Before purchasing this type, ensure that the measurements for the windows, shutters, and louvers you have and want are right and that the materials used are the best to your liking.

This gives a more customized balance to your interior. Colors and paints can be used to match them with the interior décor.

Perfect for sash and bay windows, they are bright, beautiful, elegant, and have a nice curb appeal, as they look good both from the outside and the inside.

5. Louvered shutters

View of a garden from a luxury styled bedroom with louvered shutter

Louvered shutters are majorly characterized by their wood slats that overlap each other on the same frame.

This makes them good specifically for ventilation and privacy to your interior. They are mainly available in single or double-height, with supports in the middle to give a stronger look.

There are different styles for these shutters depending on the louver style applied including faux, fixed, and operable louvers.

Most have wide louvers, typically ranging from 1.25 inches to 4.5 inches, but can always be customized to your specific needs. They are multipurpose, as they can be used for both interior and exterior decor.

They are also easy to clean, provide privacy and are good for insulation and light control.

6. Ovation shutters

The outstanding feature of the ovation shutters is the adjustable louvers, which makes it easy to adjust the amount of natural light allowed in the room.

They are usually made of teak and wood, with various stains and colors used to enhance the interior décor.

They are best for rooms with hardwood floors, as their rich variety of stains enhance interior tone, and give a touch of elegance to your home.

They are mostly in styles of L frames, Z frames, and decorative frames, with louver sizes dynamic from 2.5 inches to 4.5 inches.

7. Tracked shutters

modern sliding shutters on aluminum track

Tracked shutters are fitted with tracks at both the top and bottom, with an aluminum bottom track that helps and guides the rest of the lovers, when folding it away in a concertina way.

They are mostly available in two types, the bi-fold, and the bi-pass.

The louvers are fully versatile, therefore best for total privacy and partial light when fully deployed, and full light when opened, making it good for large windows and doors.

They also give the room a sleek and sophisticated essence when closed, and look neat and tidy when folded.

Bi-fold shutters have their louvers in pairs on both sides, making them even. The louvers are hung from a track fixed at the top but have a lower guiding track, and are folded upwards.

A bi-pass shutter has its louvers sliding behind each other to the side when opened.

8. Vinyl shutters

These are the least expensive shutters and provide a chic and practical solution for your window treatments.

They are mainly made of PVC and aluminum, which makes them more resistant to moisture than other materials.

They are also good to block sound and light, resulting in a quiet and cool room. The louvers are fitted into the window frames themselves for a sturdier look.

They are extremely easy to dust and clean by simply using a vacuum attachment to dust off the shutters, and a soft cloth slightly soaked in warm water with detergent to wipe.

Two-story house with gray vinyl window shutters

Below are the types of vinyl shutters;

Hollow vinyl – as suggested by the name, their vinyl frames are hollow.

They are limited to size because the hollow frames are not suitable for larger frames. Although they are cheap and affordable, they can sag over time.

Structured hollow vinyl – This type is fitted skeletons that help the hollow shutters hold their weight when opened to reduce sag. They have a better design.

Solid vinyl – These vinyl frames are fitted with blown PVC, making them more stable. They are also affordable.

Solid vinyl with an aluminum insert – These have metals that support the frames and are more durable.

Vinyl-clay wood – their shutters have a third hardwood frame with a vinyl coating which increases durability and strength. This frame is also resistant to moisture because of the vinyl coating.

9. Norman shutters

These are also known as composite shutters or faux wood shutters.

They are mainly made of engineered wood, MDF to be precise, with a PVC coating or wrapped in vinyl. They are popular for their high durability, alongside humidity and weather resistance.

They are the exact duplicate of wooden shutters but unlike the wooden ones, the shutters can withstand high temperatures and other environmental stress over a long time without any damage or physical effect and change.

The Norman shutters add a great architectural look and beauty to both your interiors and exteriors.

They can also be customized in any form according to your needs. Lastly, the vinyl or PVC coat is flexible with any color and stain, which makes it easy and convenient for customization to match the interior décor.

10. Custom made shutters

These are window treatments that are made specifically for certain windows.

They are most suited for bay windows, as each shutter can be designed to fit individual bay window panes, making it easy for the bays to fully show and retain their original intention, unlike the curtains that blind the whole view.

They are the most suited to implement beauty and add elegance to a room.

Just like in the traditional Victorian and Edwardian style windows, in the modern and contemporary designs, they follow the bay design and provide maximum privacy as well as maximizing light in a room.

It is however very important to have the measurements right for each bay to have the custom shutters made in the best design and form with the guide of the measurements for a perfect fit.

And the louvers should be customized accordingly depending on the liking of the owner.