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Windows Design Dilemma

Plantation shutters with external shutter?

last year

last modified: last year

Can I install cafe plantation shutters (internal) if my house has external, louvered shutters?

Thanks!

Featured Answer

decorpatti

last year

Oh, Patricia! YOU hate something (plantation shutters) so much that you cannot imagine why they are still popular. I suppose it is because YOUR taste is not everyone's taste, and that is a good thing. I know you have strong feelings about 4000K lighting, shutters, sage green with brick, and several other choices, and I know you are a "Pro." When you say "I hate" someone's choices, it sounds so demeaning (like "I hate" the name you chose for your child). I often agree with your constructive criticism, but find some of the comments potentially hurtful. By the way, we have beautiful plantation shutters and I love them, but I know they are not appropriate for all homes and also know that they are not everyone's choice. To each their own. As for the OP's question, I believe that the interior and exterior shutters would never be visible from the same vantage point, so I see no reason not to have them if that is what works for her.

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Comments (7)

millworkman
last year
Sure they should both be and operate (if the exterior are operable) independent of each other.
Bethany Rue thanked millworkman
PRO
Patricia Colwell Consulting
last year
I hate plantation shutters inside and have no idea why they are still popular I spent at least 3 yrs 15 yrs ago removing them in homes I worked on . So many better choices for window light and heat control . As for going with the exterior shutters I would need to see the house but in many cases the exterior shutters do not belong either . What do you want from the interior shutters ?
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Yes, Penney's installed them and it's included in the price. There was only a choice of real wood or composite. Then you could pick your color (they had many colors including stained) You also pick your louver size. They are made my Norman Shutters. Scroll through their website and there are some beautiful pictures. I wonder if different Penney's use different brands???? I only did the front of my house but that included french doors and that sometimes raises the price a bit. So with my 40% off sale, my total for 14 windows and 2 french doors was $6100 and then I got another 10% off for doing the whole house with them. (wood blinds on the back) So that brought it down to $5490 The French doors have a cutout for the lever that I think looks pretty cool. Here is a link that might be useful: Norman Shutters
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@Jan Moyer the colors I like are white, cream, warm greys and greiges, light beige, light blue, and soft pinks and yellows. I don’t like orange, red, bright yellow, navy blue, or black. So that’s why I think the cream walls or trim *might* work? I did break down and paint my bathroom cream walls to match the cream trim and cabinets. It looks great! I added pale turqoise bath mats, and a white shower curtain, and some artwork with pastels. But, it’s just a guest bathroom. I’m nervous about duplicating it in the larger areas, that will be more costly to paint. It’s very outside the box for me to not have white trim, and so much cream everywhere…I could get annoyed with it.
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chloebud
last year
Good advice from millworkman and decorpatti. We love our interior shutters and don’t have them on the exterior. I’ve seen homes with both where it works nicely. Plantation shutters have been a popular item where we are (Southern CA) for years.

Definitely more polished, professional ways to offer an opinion or advice than ”I hate…”
Bethany Rue thanked chloebud
Bethany Rue
Original Author
last year
Thanks for the comments. To follow-up on questions / comments, we live in a brick cottage style house where exterior shutters are appropriate. its an old NE style house - one that traditonally would not have plantation shutters.

what i want from interior shutters / blinds / curtains is privacy while still allowing light. our interior is very visible as you are walking by on the street so cafe style seems to be the best for privacy and allowing in light.
Jilly
last year
Give it a rest, Patricia. We all know everything you hate because you post them every single day and have for years. It’s really tiresome.

Bethany, as to your question — absolutely. It would be fine.
Bethany Rue thanked Jilly
Ida Claire
last year
Absolutely, Bethany. We've had plantation shutters throughout our home for the past 8+ years and absolutely love them.

Pay the naysayer(s) no mind. Some who identify here as "pro" are anything but.
Bethany Rue thanked Ida Claire

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