Budget Friendly Shutter Guide
Wood offers superior durability and temperature control when compared to many other types of shutter materials. The most popular custom wood shutters are constructed using different types of wood.
When it comes down to shutters, however, all wood is not created equal. Two popular choices for wood that are very cost effective are Basswood and Engineered Wood. Both these choices make for budget friendly shutter remodels.
Basswood: This popular wood material offers many key advantages including stability and resistance to warping as well as its lightness. It's also more affordable than other types of wood materials. However, basswood is softer than other types of wood and is not water resistant. Therefore, this type of wood isn't recommended for exterior shutter applications, particularly in high-moisture environments.
Engineered Wood: Engineered wood, or finger-jointed wood, is a hybrid of different wood materials glued together. This material is ideal for tall or wide shutters due to its stiffness and is also more cost-effective than other types of wood. It can be made in a variety of shapes and colors. However, it cannot be stained since the joint lines will be exposed.
French Bros. Custom Shutters uses a number of high-quality wood materials to construct its custom shutters. Please visit the products page on our website for a list of available shutter materials. To browse through some of our installation examples of custom wood shutters, check out our page on Houzz.
Plantation Shutters for Your Home
Plantation shutters have been extremely popular for a long time and have been used in not only homes, but in many businesses as well.
In warmer climates near the beach, plantation shutters are especially popular and bring an array of benefits to your home for years to come.
At French Custom Shutters, we provide our clients with top notch custom shutters as well as excellent customer service. Plantation shutters offer privacy while allowing the sunlight into your home with their adjustable louvers. They can also provide great shade while allowing air to flow through the window keeping your house or business nice and cool.
Typically, plantation shutters are made of wood but are now offered in more choices for the material. From basswood, to /polysynthetic, we can make purchasing your next set of plantation shutters not only easy, but fun too.
Wood is traditionally the style for plantation shutters as it is offered in larger sizes if required and comes in a large variety of colors and types. Basswood is the most popular form of wood used for plantation shutters, but if you are looking for something a little more high class cedar wood is also a great option. Wood plantation shutters are very sturdy and will last a long time.
Here are the wood types we offer for plantation shutters
Poly/Synthetic plantation shutters are also becoming very popular due to their easy maintenance and long lasting durability. They are solid shutters that will not warp or swell over time and will not peel from being in the sun for years. Poly/synthetic plantation shutters have the look and feel of real, natural wood, for a much more affordable price.
For more information or a free quote regarding plantation shutters, contact us today and speak with one of our experts at French Custom Shutters.
Don't Sacrifice Privacy with Elegant Shutter Treatments
Window dressings are one of those decor elements that may not cross your mind when you're planning your interior design, but they can dictate the whole feel of a room. Windows determine the presence of natural light and can direct the flow of air and energy through your home. They can also expose a bit more of your private life than you would like. In times long past, external shutters were used to let in the daylight at dawn and keep out the darkness at dusk with little in-between variation. Fortunately, modern windows treatments provide much greater options for the privacy-conscious homeowner.
Climate and Lighting
In terms of heat transmission, the thicker and more solid the construction the better your window treatment will be at keeping out the heat and cold. Curtains can be a beautiful addition to a room and can offer a great amount of privacy, but it is difficult to adjust the amount of daylight you want entering a room with curtains alone, as they can be unwieldy and are essentially limited to two options: open and shut. Other types of screen shades can be extremely effective for blocking light and ensuring privacy but these do not pose an opportunity to add to the elegance and design scheme of a room. Shutters not only block unwanted visual exposure, they can serve as effective noise blockers as well when properly made and fitted.
Plantation Shutters for Privacy
Blinds and curtains that offer the most privacy are not always the most attractive. Plantation shutters afford full privacy while being sturdy and elegant and a definite design statement. While obscuring the view to the inside, plantation shutters can still allow a breeze to pass through when the slats are partially opened. If you want a window treatment that will disappear into a room, you will do well to stick with a simple screen shade to keep out light and prying eyes. But, if you want something to make a real statement and add to the elegance of your room you will want something more solid and interesting. Plantation shutters add a rustic yet sophisticated look to a home's windows and doors. When they are fully shut, you achieve full darkness and minimize heat loss; when they are open fully they let through 100% light and air. But, they can be swung shut and by moderating the slat position, you can adjust the light to your ideal level.
Some options that offer privacy are not very visually customizable. Curtains, of course, can come in any fabric you can find, but blinds and screens really only come in one or two neutral colors. The solid construction of plantation shutters, typically wood but occasionally synthetic materials, can be painted to meet your exact desire. You can stick to white or brown and let them fade into the background or work them into a bolder design theme and match their color to the rest of your interior.
We all value privacy at home in a world where our personal lives have become so public. While each option suits different needs differently, plantation shutters provide the best of all worlds.
4 Reasons Homeowners & Designers Love Plantation Shutters
When is the last time you changed the curtains in the family room or den? Plantation shutters are an excellent solution for sprucing up your home. They not only bring a great deal of beauty into a drab room, but they also help bring the sunlight in just enough to help regulate your home environment.
Why We Love Plantation Shutters
There are some reasons why plantation shutters are all the rage with both homeowners and designers. Below are some of the more common reasons they have become the holy grail of interior design for window treatments. They come in a wide variety of colors and hues, making the possibilities endless.
Versatility in Light Control and Environment
One reason homeowners love shutters so much is the ability to let a little ( or as much) light in as needed. Some days you may want to allow the sunshine in entirely then pull the plantation shutters closed at night for maximum privacy. Plantation shutters can match your mood to let as much of the world in as you choose. Plantation shutters allow you to have both options anytime.
Ease of Maintenance
Another reason both homeowners and designers love shutters is the fact that can be maintained so easily. Just take some mild cleaner and a washcloth or sponge to clean dust and debris. They always look as good as new!
Many Design Options
Professional designers like plantation shutters because it allows you to start with a blank canvas when decorating a room. Designers recommend either painting shutters a contrasting color to add a bold statement to the room or painting them the same color as the walls to make the window itself stand out more. Either way, shutters are a beautiful option to your interior design plan.
Quick Installation
Finally, both homeowners and designers love plantation shutters because you can install them the same day you order them and start enjoying your home makeover right away. There's no fuss like there is with installing new curtains and the ease of installation makes them a great quick fix for a room that needs a facelift.
About French Brothers Shutters
French Brothers Shutters offers a full line of window treatments and solutions to match your home's unique personality size. We can help you with Norman or Hunter Douglas brand blinds, shutters and shades in a variety of colors and styles.
We have been serving people in the San Diego area for years with beautiful and efficient window treatments that give you a new outlook on the world.