I'm using plantation shutters to block the sun only in a small window over the bed where the heat comes in. I hate not being able to look outside without impediment. For my style I prefer drapes and I have some blackout drapes in front of several French doors where the sun comes in. We live in the country on a private road on a hill so privacy is not really an issue. Your back garden is gorgeous and I wouldn't put anything there. To me shutters are fine in a bathroom but would make me feel closed in almost anywhere else. They're functional, but I want the freedom of being able to look out of every window. Your home is lovely, and I would leave everything as it is.

So sweet of you Ingrid! So, leave the honeycomb blinds on the Windows as is?

Yes, that would be my choice. They look light and unobtrusive, and I assume they do what you want them to. I would imagine they're also easier to keep clean than shutters. I notice you do have shutters in a room other than the bathroom, and they are beautiful, and if you're fine with them I certainly wouldn't take them off. I have the feeling you've already made the right decisions on all your windows.

Ingrid, you're right, the blinds are fairly unobtrusive. We've lived here for almost 2 years and I haven't felt the need to change the window treatments except occasionally thinking the blinds look unfinished.

cyn, thank you! Yes, the garden was the draw for us and the house somewhat secondary.

I like both shutters and shades, but shutters do block a view. While I like some consistency when viewing a house from the front, I don't mind if there's a mix elsewhere in the house. You could add draperies in your dining room to soften the look of those windows.

Fun, I've thought about drapes for the dining room too. I have a few custom drapes from the previous house that I could use. I was staying away from drapes because after 15 years of having drapes, I found their absence refreshingly airy. But I guess I could do drapes just for the dining area.

I would whip those blinds off the living room window so fast it would make your head spin :-) They look fine, but seem unnecessary and block the upper part of the window to that exquisite garden area.

I really love the look of the blinds closed in the dining room; kind of luminous and unobtrusive letting the trim really be featured. And I think where there are shutters they look beautiful and would leave them if they meet your needs.

The mix doesn't bother me at all. Since you're posting the question, I wonder if something about it bothers YOU?

Oly, thank you! I now feel encouraged to take down the blinds in the living room. The mix doesn't bother me, but there are two things about the honeycomb blinds that gnaw at me. First, in the kitchen and dining area, when we need natural light, they are a pain to raise and lower. Second, many of the them are looking dingy and need to be replaced, which automatically raises the question: do I replace them with new blinds or something else? Thoughts? TIA.

What about top down bottom up shades so you could let the tops down for light and still preserve your privacy? I think maybe you can get remote controls, too. Shutters would work for that, too, unless you don't like the amount of light they block all the time.

Love the honeycombs! They fold up pretty tightly out-of-the-way and they don't require anywhere near the level of care and dusting that plantation shutters would need and plantation shutters cannot be opened unless you leave a huge amount of space all around them. I understand them on some windows but in general I would avoid them.

I don't care for cellular shades, ever since having them in the 80s. I'm sure they've probably come along way since then, but that remains my association and I just don't like 'em. I have plantation shutters throughout my home, so of course that would be my choice. We have 4" slats and I don't find the view suffers greatly at all. I'd not put any covering on that window that looks onto your glorious garden, but for the other windows where you want privacy and light control, I'd definitely go with the shutters.

We recently replaced all the honeycomb shades in our home with shutters. They were only 4 years old (previous owner) but looked dingy already especially the ones that got a lot of sun and every time they were raised and lowered, you could see the dust settle on the table underneath the one window even though I had vacuumed them. Shutters are a breeze to dust with a micro fiber cloth. I dont mind different window treatments in a home but in an open concept area where you see them at the same time I prefer uniformity.

My LR has a similar window situation, but mine is just a single window. I have not covered it and have never considered more than a valance or shade that would be pulled up all the time. It sits so close to a built-in that anything I did use would have to hang inside the window and that would reduce the already small window. Sometimes I start feeling like it needs dressing, then I talk myself out of the limited options.

I would not put plantation shutters in the kitchen. I think they would be too much and a pain to clean. I would add shades only if needed for privacy or light control

In the DR, I would prefer shutters or drapes. Honeycomb is too casual for me. They need to be clean and fresh where they are used or they really do read 1980's-90's (in case you need a justification for taking them down in the LR).

Practigal, I hear you. I like them for the same reason too. Even if I stick with shades, I still need to replace the current ones because they're dingy.

Rose, shutters would work everywhere except the kitchen andbreakfast area where I need to have them open most of the time and they'd look bulky open.

Jen, I hear you about the 80s look, but that's not a concern for me.

Lascatx, I am leaning toward shutters or drapes for the dining room too.

Thanks everyone!

Oh, forgot to ask: what about faux wood blinds in white to match the trim, which can be raised or opened more easily? And look less casual than honeycomb?

Oly, yes, I thought about top down bottom up shades too. Of I decide to keep the look of shades, I Mau do that! Thank you!

I have 11 yr old Silhouette shades in my home. Really dislike them.. Have replaced the bedroom and several bathroom shades with Plantation shutters. They are wonderful but I would not use them in rooms where I wanted to preserve my view.

So, in rooms where you love your view and in your kitchen...avoid the shutters, IMO.

We recently used a very nice textured blind in our office that would also look nice in a home. A roller type shade. It blocks light but not all light. When up it is very unobtrusive. Comes in tons of colors. Building a lake house and I am considering this for my lake view Windows.

The wood blinds are what we did. I would think about what kind of light and/or privacy control you may want -- and that can vary depending on the season. I get sun coming in at such a low angle in the winter that it can be the most annoying light problem we have.

Blinds allow you semi-privacy when open and can be adjusted for some light control with a view. Because they are heavier, it is not suggested to leave them up for extended periods. I had in the past, but with the long windows in my FR, these are heavier than what I'e had in the past and the guy we bought them from said open, don't raise them for light and view. Raise them for cleaning and put them back down.

Shades vary by type, but tend to give you filtered light or no light on the portion they block. The top down shades there now do look nice -- like an internally hung tailored valance, but they block light and trees from the top but allows you to see the table and anyone sitting at it or what is going on in the yard even if seated. If you leave them mostly open and get enough light, they may be fine.

If you would rather see the trees and sky and screen the furniture, you light like a bottom up version. Most of those also give you the option of raising them and going top down. That is what I plan to put in my MBR.

Ok, wood blinds or Roman shades or top down bottom up shades seem like good options. I like that fabric look ilovered!

Love wooden blinds and have them on all wndows. They allow light control and privacy without the heavy, room darkening effect of plantation shutters. For my particular house, they are also historically accurate.

Your house has lovely views, light, and wndows- I would take down the plantation shutters.

pkpk, I agree wooden blinds are easier to handle. Thank you, I do love the views from our windows. It's hard to believe it's in a central area of the city as it feels so cozy and private surrounded by the lush trees. However, where we have plantation shutters, I am not inclined to take them down, for two reasons: For one, the bedrooms, bathrooms and the keeping area all have many windows where the plantation shutters are working well for light control and privacy and they look good. Also, given how many windows there are, it doesn't make sense to change out something that looks pretty and works well in those areas. I know it's hard to tell from the few pics I posted that the plantation shutters, where they currently are, are not a problem.