I would say take them off, unless you replace them all with the proper shape and size. Ideally they should look like they would actually work and cover the window if closed, and these don't: they are a bit short, a bit narrow, and they are not curved at the top as if they would curve over the eyebrow of the window when closed. I can't tell but the louvers are probably facing Down, right? They should face Up in the open position so they face down in the closed position.

These are all common shutter mistakes. I like the overall fa�ade of the house though :)

I agree - take them off.
Diane

I would replace them with proper shape and size shutters as pal said. I think it needs shutters but do it right with real ones. Shutters and a little landscaping will improve the house greatly. It's a beautiful home and that grass is tdf. Congrads!!!

I would remove the and replace w/something like what i've posted in the link. Even the color would be beautiful w/your brick.

Here is a link that might be useful:

I would also remove them. Love the house!

I think the house would look odd and bare without shutters. Would you remove the panel below the windows also?

The link to the house picture a couple posts up doesn't work.

We recently purchased a 60s brick ranch with many similarities to yours (hip roof, diamond leaded glass window). We are in the midst of a major interior remodel and an exterior facelift. We hired a very well respected architect. He has proposed that we replace the existing casement windows with traditional double hung and ADD shutters. The plan calls for traditional wood operable shutters with hinges and shutter dogs. It looks great in the drawings.

I think your house needs shutters, but they should be operational (which means they need to be large enough to actually cover the windows if closed).
I think you would lose a lot of the charm and character without them. Beautiful home, by the way!

I'd remove the shutters and complete the facade with deep landscaping beds.

What caminnc said.

Without the shutters you have a proportion problem with the windows. My guess is the house and windows were designed for shutters. Never intended to work shutters. Not uncommon for that time period.

The proportion issues you're going to have is when you take away the shutters, you're left with a skinny window casing that's bottom-heavy. It looks as unattractive as it sounds. If you don't have shutters, you will forever be trying different band aids to achieve curb appeal that "looks right".

Easiest and IMO best solution is let it be what it is and work with what the 1950's gave you.

My opinion is to take them off. And see how it looks before you start making other plans. That's a nice home :)

Here's a variety of arch-top exterior shutters~my personal favorite is the board/batten, which I have on my home and left a natural wood. Your home looks to be on the formal side, so maybe the flat panel, painted a very dark green-black, rather than just black.

Here is a link that might be useful: here

OFF!!!

I don't like the shutters you have. But I also don't know that I'd like the house without shutters. I think a nice board-and-batten shutter, sized appropriately, on proper hinges with nice shutter dogs, would look great.

Here is a link that might be useful: Board and Batten shutters

The area below the windows is just to give the windows the appearance of jib windows, which open to the floor. They were used with or without shutters depending upon the period and the climate. Sometimes the panel hinged into the interior, sometimes the entire sash went up into a pocket in the wall.

I do think the house was designed to have shutters because of the facade, but they would be improved by being the correct shape and size. That should be more easily accomplished now than it was in the 1950s-60s when their occasional use was for ornament only with no real attention paid to full realism.

Yes -- replace the shutters with larger, longer ones in a simpler style.

And a vote for satin-finish black shutters ....

Also -- consider switching to much larger black-finished lanterns by the front door ...

Shutters. The house would look kind of raw without them. Congrats on the new house!

funcolors makes a very good point. If you can't afford the appropriate shutters right now, though, perhaps you could remove the old skimpy ones and grow ivy in the brick spaces (like on the garage end) to fill in the gaps a bit. Not a solid wall of ivy, mind you, just a nice trailing patch to cover some of the bare space.

Yes shutters that are right sized.

As someone who has ivy growing on brick, I wouldn't recommend it at all. Removing the ivy to put in new shutters will leave spots on the brick, plus ivy grows so fast once it matures, it's a PITA to keep it off screens, etc. AND...they're the perfect place for yellow jackets to build nests. LOL

Re the ivy, if you're in the right climate, consider creeping fig. It doesn't root into the mortar.

Thanks for the input everyone. For the time being I think we will take off the shutters and see how it looks, then either replace the shutters or try doing some landscaping to accent the facade in the spring. I'll post up a picture of the house without shutters to see what people think.

Try to get a head on view if you can. It will be interesting to see.

Finally got around to taking down the shutters, check out the picture and see what you think. When I removed the old shutters, under several of the panels I found swarms of boxelder bugs overwintering (those trees in the picture are maples, which they love to live in). It looked like something out of a horror movie.

I don't think it looks that bad and once you get some landscaping it should really pull it together.

Ditto what farmchic said. If there were a like button, I'd click it :)

How about a full frontal view.

I think it looks unfinished without shutters. I don't think I've ever seen the wood panels under the windows without a full dressing, with shutters.

But it doesn't look awful! Would still like to see the balance from the front, not an angle.

I think it looks very nice and will look lovely once you get some foundation plantings and other landscaping installed.

(Ick, I can only imagine the bug swarms!)

Take them off, plant that dirt area in front and it will be perfect. use plants for your zone that will show-off your style (modern, country, tranditional etc). Beautiful grass. Just noticed the last pic, house looks beautiful. Now if you want you can make those planters on either side of the door much taller.

I think it looks far better without the shutters (and no place for those bugs to hide - ick!). Once you get some landscaping in it will look beautiful.

Sorry, I don't like it without the shutters. Makes your house look like a commercial building. It looks like you have 5 doors across the front. But I guess some landscaping would help.

With the shutters off, the house lacks personality and is very plain looking. The single windows are not that attractive and shutters enhance them.

The board and batten shutters that jakabedy posted would give your house a French flavor. Reconsider, and get a new style of shutter in place of the old style ones.

I think the house looks like a school without the shutters. The brick is beautiful and I love the hip roof, though.

I would keep it true to its period by replacing the shutters with those appropriate to the window size and design, and also the lighting fixtures. House is beautiful. Good for you and congratulations and best wishes for many happy years to come.

I think shutters look best when they are the same color as the trim of the windows. It makes them look like they truly belong and are truly working, a part of a whole package. The black and white do not work for me. And yes proper size matters!!

To me your house is a fabulous outfit in need of a necklace. I say put the shutters back on but you may wish to play around with their color.

I think you need shutters on this house. I agree with others, it no longer looks residential. Looks like a bank or a small town hall building. I don't think landscaping alone is going to help with that.

I do like the small double window on the garage without shutters. A window box would be very nice.

It's a beautiful house. But I think if it could talk it would beg to get it's shutters back!

I don't find it commercial or lacking without the shutters, and I do think the windows are attractive! I think it's a lovely house. As mentioned before, foundation plantings incorporating mid-height evergreen shrubbery will make a huge difference. I'd also incorporate a small flowering tree closer to the house in front of the large expanse of brick between the two windows on the left (from our viewpoint), having layers of different height and texture in your plantings.

Ninjakicks, It all depends on your personal stylee. If you like country or cottages and feel like change is bad then put on shutters and let some ivy grow on it. :-) I'm just being funny. It looks great without the shutters but does need plants. You have already made sure your house does not look like every other ranch of the period. Which for my personal taste is good and I like ultra modern to greek revival, to Victorian. :-)

I think a lot of people say no shutters because they simply do not like shutters. I don't think the house itself was designed or proportioned to be without them and it would look better with them on, as planned.

I do like shutters - ones that look real, on houses that look old enough to use them. The house in no way looks like a bank or a school, it just needs some gardens!

I like shutters and have them on my house, but I think this house looks very nice without them. The shutters were a focal point. Without them the absence of landscaping is more noticeable, but this is fixable.

You may replace them, but i can find that you have a good amount of outdoor space and i had a thought that why not to decorate them with some nice furnishing options available at online portals like eod. You may look at the wide portfolio of outdoor furnitures and may consider that option.

Put them back, I would play to a en francais style shutter rounded at the top. The shutters grounded the house and added charm, the facade looks stark now without them.

Around here they do a stucco/cement type of surround with sills on the bottom built in. Some have keys at the top. It adds a 3D effect. There are some Romanian men here who are artists in what they do and they are amazing. It just looks so classy and adds so much depth and interest to the house. If you add shutters back on I'd do the hinges that look authentic and put the shutters away from the brick to give a realistic look. I'd do the double paned type in a black semigloss. I would change the trim to an off white, not yellow but a soft white that would add warmth to the color and yet still pop. Beautiful home.

I think I would like to see shutters. Love the french country idea

Also - it might look nice if you changed the white of your trim too:

[Traditional Exterior design[(https://www.houzz.com/photos/traditional-exterior-home-ideas-phbr1-bp~t_736~s_2107) by Dallas Landscape Architect Harold Leidner Landscape Architects

[Traditional Exterior design[(https://www.houzz.com/photos/traditional-exterior-home-ideas-phbr1-bp~t_736~s_2107) by Portland Photographer Whitney Lyons

But this may not be your style....

Landscaping will also make ALL the difference. Some nice boxwoods and even a birch of some sort.

Shutters, for sure.

Properly sized shutters, for sure! Now it looks too institutional and bare. It is a lovely house, and needs the shutters to make it sparkle! Something dark toned with a matte finish would look the best, IMHO.

Seems like opinions are split over whether or not to go with shutters. I know my fiancee prefers the look of shutters, so that's probably what we'll be going with down the road. In the meantime, I think the shutters will stay off until the spring, when we can get the front landscaped. I'll post another topic asking for some landscaping ideas. Thanks for all the input.