BLOG

How To Install Plantation Shutters To Fit Your Window

[vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]

Plantation Shutters 101

Welcome to a new series here at Wasatch Shutter Design: Plantation Shutters 101. Over the next few weeks we will be discussing some of the common questions that people have when considering different window covering options for their home. We will delve into topics surrounding window shapes, installation challenges, different types of shutter materials and their ideal applications, as well as how plantation shutters are custom made to fit your unique windows.[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]In each home that we visit, the windows are all built a little differently. We have installed shutters in homes that were recently built, homes built in 1900 and everything in-between. As we have seen the inside of thousands of homes, we have had to get creative in the way that we build and install plantation shutters into different sized windows, as they are all very different.[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]Some windows have been framed around the edge, some have tile window sills, some sills are flush with the wall, and some windows have no frame at all. In all situations, plantation shutters can be custom built to fit each unique window, creating an artfully framed window and enhancing the beauty of the room.[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_media_grid initial_loading_animation=”none” grid_id=”vc_gid:1473792576423-f335833b-5f0c-7″ include=”2378,2374,2379″][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]Watch the video below to see the many different types of window frames we have encountered and how we have created custom applications for each one. Plantation shutterscan be installed in almost every window type, watch and see if you have any of these window situations in your home.[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_raw_html]JTNDaWZyYW1lJTIwd2lkdGglM0QlMjIxMDAlMjUlMjIlMjBoZWlnaHQlM0QlMjI0MTUlMjIlMjBzcmMlM0QlMjJodHRwcyUzQSUyRiUyRnd3dy55b3V0dWJlLmNvbSUyRmVtYmVkJTJGd2RMTklNS0gxQWclM0ZyZWwlM0QwJTIyJTIwZnJhbWVib3JkZXIlM0QlMjIwJTIyJTIwYWxsb3dmdWxsc2NyZWVuJTNFJTNDJTJGaWZyYW1lJTNF[/vc_raw_html][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]Since we custom build a mounting frame for each window, we are able to install shutters into any type of window frame. Mounting frames are also built to accommodate any architectural style such as craftsman, modern, colonial, traditional and contemporary. Even if no frame currently exists, by the time our installers are done, your window will look framed and finished.[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]

Questions?

Hopefully all of your questions about plantation shutters will be answered throughout the next few weeks as we debut this educational series. As always, if you have further questions, please don’t hesitate to contact us at 801.432.0966 or info@wasatchshutter.com.[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row]

Happy Holidays!

326695

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Wishing you and your family a Happy Holiday! On behalf of Wasatch Shutter Design and staff!

Window Treatments and Indoor Gardening

plants on windowsillMany of us love to bring a touch of nature indoors with some indoor plants, be they kitchen herbs, small cacti and succulents, or larger ferns and shrubs. Growing plants indoors can be tricky, however, especially when you consider the unique sunlight, water, and soil needs for each plant that you bring into your home. Here are some tips on how window treatments can help support better indoor gardening.

Give plants the sunlight they need.

As you probably already know, it’s highly important in indoor gardening to place plants around your home where they will get the sunlight they need. If you’re growing aloe, basil, or rosemary, all of which need plenty of sunlight, for example, these plants will thrive best near south facing windows; this is because sunlight streams in through south facing windows for the majority of the day. If you have plants that thrive best with exposure to morning sunlight and afternoon shade, you’ll want to utilize your east-facing windows. Plants that thrive in shade? Utilize your north-facing windows.

As you place your plants in strategic areas around your home to give them the sunlight they need, it’s important to be able to maximize the sunlight in these areas. This is where window treatments come in. In areas where you want your plants to see as much sunlight exposure as possible, you’ll want to opt for window treatments that can be opened or raised to let sunlight in. This makes plantation shutters, blinds, and shades all excellent candidates for these sunny areas of your home.

Decorating Around Plantation Shutters: Dos and Don’ts

Decorating Around Plantation Shutters: Dos and Don’ts

dark wood shuttersAre you considering installing plantation shutters on the windows in your home? Here are some home decorating dos and don’ts you’ll want to consider.

Do choose curtains wisely.

Plantation shutters look great when paired with curtains; but especially if you have shutters that open into the room, curtains surrounding shutters can become cumbersome. The trick to pairing curtains with shutters is to select and position your curtains wisely. Hanging panels positioned alongside your windows, for example, allow you to maintain optimum usability of your shutters, as they will not interfere with opening and closing your shutters. Tiebacks installed to the sides of your windows can also keep curtains out of the way when needed.

Don’t feel like you absolutely need curtains.

On the other hand, don’t feel like you need curtains to complete your “window look.” In fact, if you opt for custom plantation shutters for your windows, you may very well see the finished look and admire the simple sophistication that shutters bring to your windows. Plantation shutters truly do stand out on their own as a window treatment, and the addition of curtains might be superfluous in your space.

Do consider your “shutter opening area.”

Plantation Shutters For Doors

Plantation Shutters for Doors

Plantation Shutters for DoorsMany homeowners choose plantation shutters for the windows throughout their home, only to take pause when it comes to the windows on and surrounding their doors. Plantation shutters, however, are a great option for all of the doors in your home, and you’ll find that shutters can be custom-made and fitted to a variety of door types in the home. This means that with plantation shutters, you’ll have a window treatment that works seamlessly throughout your home. Here is a look at just some of the applications of plantation shutters for doors.

French Doors

Plantation shutters can, of course, be fitted to just about any French style door that features a large glass window. Shutters for these doors are typically mounted directly over the glass. One major advantage to having a plantation shutter over this style of door is it eliminates the banging that blinds would have. In addition, plantation blinds will not get caught in the door the way that curtains would. When mounted, shutters can still be raised and lowered to let in varying amounts of sunlight. Plantation shutters can be mounted even on French style doors that feature uniquely shaped windows.

Sliding Doors

Yes—it’s possible to have custom plantation shutters made for your sliding doors as well. Plantation shutters are a wonderful option for sliding glass doors because they offer a sophisticated alternative to

Plantation Shutters for Uniquely Shaped Windows

Plantation Shutters for Uniquely Shaped Windows

Plantation Shutters for Uniquely Shaped Windows | Wasatch ShutterShopping for window treatments can get difficult when your home has uniquely shaped windows, such as circle windows or arched windows. The good news, though, is that there is a window treatment to solve this problem, and that window treatment is the custom plantation shutter. Here is a look at some of the most common shaped windows in homes and how custom plantation shutters can be made to fit them perfectly.

Circle and oval

Does your home have a circle or oval window? If you’ve considered blinds or shades for your windows in the past, you probably ruled out finding a suitable window treatment for this window. With plantation shutters, however, you can have a shutter custom made with precisely cut slats that cover only the circular shape of the window. Shutters can be made to have all horizontal slats, or they can be made to have slats that are oriented around the center of the circle (sunburst).

Arch

Many of today’s windows feature an arch shaped window on top of a standard rectangular window. Arched windows actually come in many different types and have different names to classify them, including half-circle, eyebrow, quarter round, ellipse, and circle top. Whether your arched windows are perfect semi-circles (half circle), or they feature straight edges along the sides (eyebrow with extended legs), plantation shutters can be custom made to suit

4 Ways to Make Your Home More Private

4 Ways to Make Your Home More Private

4 Ways to Make Your Home More PrivateAt a time when it seems that social media is making our lives less and less private, it’s nice to know that there is still a great deal that we can do to ensure that we maintain some privacy in our lives. One way to help keep part of your life out of the public eye is to make your home a sanctuary that offers you privacy. Here are some ways that you can help make your home more private for you and your family.

Install a fence.

Installing a fence is, of course, a good first step to take in making your home more private. A fence will allow you and your family to spend time in your backyard without being under the watchful eyes of others—not to mention it will keep out unwelcome intruders. The most private of fences are wooden or vinyl; they will feature either a solid wall-like surface, or alternating slats that are positioned close to one another. But even if you opt for a cast iron, aluminum, lattice, or picket fence, you can still invest in a privacy screen for your fence.

Try creative landscaping.

Fencing isn’t the only way to add privacy to your yard and property; you can also customize your landscaping to provide the ultimate privacy. Consider planting taller shrubs or trees at your property line, or creating raised beds around your property line for planting medium sized plants. With the help of a professional landscaper, you can even landscape your yard in such a way that you create “pockets” in your yard, where you won’t be able to see your house or another part of the yard. Hedges are another create shrub to landscape with if you want to up your privacy.

A Brief History of Exterior Shutters

A Brief History of Exterior Shutters

A Brief History of Exterior ShuttersLike plantation shutters, exterior window shutters seem to have their beginnings in Ancient Greece. Believe it or not, these shutters were actually designed first for the inside of a home before they were designed for the outside of a home—not the other way around. These original interior Greek shutters were made from marble, and then eventually wood once the demand for these shutters rose significantly. The original purpose of these shutters was to provide protection against the Mediterranean climate. (You can read more about these early plantation shutters in our blog post about the history of plantation shutters.) These original shutters would soon feature a louver that would allow the shutter slats to be moved upward and downward to control light and ventilation. Shutters pointed downward could shelter against rain, and closed shutters could provide privacy as needed.

Fast forward to Tudor England, the turn of the sixteenth century. Glass at this time was still an expensive luxury, and many windows featured only a glass pane on the top half, with shutters installed on the bottom half. These shutters were often made simply of wooden boards, and the shutter would be opened and closed to let in air and light as needed. Closed shutters would offer security, privacy, and insulation against extreme temperatures. Soon in the 1700s, once windows commonly began to feature glass on both the top and bottom panels, interior shutters would be used increasingly as a decorative element that covered the top and bottom panes, in addition to being functional.

How To Make Your Bedroom a Sleep Oasis

How To Make Your Bedroom a Sleep Oasis

How To Make Your Bedroom a Sleep Oasis - Wasatch ShutterOver half of Americans don’t get the amount of sleep that they need each night. It might seem like a small thing to miss out on, but lack of sleep can cause major risks to both personal and public health.

Lack of sleep leads to accidents behind the wheel, at work, and while operating machinery. Additionally, getting less than the recommended 7-9 hours of sleep per night greatly increases your risk of chronic diseases like hypertension, diabetes, depression, and obesity.

One of the biggest things you can do to improve your nightly rest is to change your bedroom. Turn it into a haven of sleep. Try incorporating these changes into your sleeping space tonight and see if you can spot the differences in the quality of your sleep… and the quality of your life!

Get a White Noise Machine

White noise blocks out distractions that will disturb your sleep. Additionally, white noise can work as a signal to your brain that it’s time to relax and sleep. If you make it part of your sleep routine, it can become a powerful tool.

Keep Electronics Out of Your Room

Planning Your Room’s Lighting Design

Planning Your Room’s Lighting Design

Planning Your Room's Lighting Design - Wasatch ShutterA room’s lighting can set a mood, create depth and space, highlight the strengths of a room, improve the functionality of a space, and even regulate our sleeping & waking cycles.

Here are some tips to guide your room’s lighting plan:

What kind of mood do you want to create?

Different rooms should set different moods. For example, we like kitchens to feel bright, cheery, and functional. A bedroom, on the other hand, should be comfortable and relaxing. Bright lighting and task lighting can help a kitchen fulfill its purpose. A bedroom should allow for low lighting and block outside light when you need it to.