Plantation shutters

[oldboiler]

Our neighbour has just put these in (victorian townhouse terrace) and quite frankly they look so good that their house is showing ours up. I looked online but they seem extortionate. Are they worth the money? Do you think they look good or is it just me with shutter envy?

[ScaryChicken]

It's not just you - I have shutter envy too! They seem to be gradually spreading up our street..

[Millionprammiles]

We're about to have these installed on two front windows. Yes they are extortionate (we had a few quotes and all were in the thousands - and that's for mdf). Venetian blinds are way cheaper.
Can you tell it wasn't my idea :)

On the plus side we're getting shutters with a built in black out blind for dd's room as she wakes up as soon as she sees light. The shape of her window makes it difficult to use velcro and blackout material etc which worked fine in our last house. I'd pay thousands for a guaranteed lie in :)

[newstart15]

I'm having this debate as well but not sure I can justify the costs.From the outside do they really look different to wooden blinds? California shutters do a diy version which seems better value but no idea of quality.

[rustyrailings]

I think that these have been around for quite a while now, if I wait I'm hoping that I'll be first in line for the next trend, which might be cheaper.

[voscar]

I've had them. They were a nightmare to keep clean. Also feel quite sterile from inside as you've no curtains etc.

[Mumar23]

Just ordered my shutters with Just Shutters, so excited.

[forago]

I have them on all my windows instead of curtains (apart from the french doors which have perfect fit blinds) - mine is a new house and i like the more minimalist look. Apart from the aethetics, which look great I think and get lots of compliments, they are extremely practical. You can adjust them from no light to full light and everything in between. So as the sun changes position you can adjust them to get the light but not the glare iyswim. I was surprised at how good they were at insulating the house as well, they really keep the heat in. I don't find them hard to keep clean at all - quite the opposite, and you get way less dust in the house without curtains. I have the wide ones with hidden tilt rods though, the ones with tilt rods might be slightly fiddlier to clean.

Mine are MDF and weren't cheap. Love them though and wouldn't have anything else. I have even converted the kids curtains which I loved into duvet covers so they can have them in their room too. They are so practical, I would never go back to curtains now, no matter what the fashion is or isn't.

[Mumar23]

I have gone with the wide louvre and no tilt rod. Will post photo when they are done.

[FlatCapAndAWhippet]

They're beautiful and yep, extortionate!

[joancecil]

A lot of my friends have them. I think they are fantastic - so stylish and so easy to keep clean.
Have just had a very reasonable quote from a company called plantation shutters direct in Cheshire. Very friendly and helpful people.

[noddyholder]

I think they are great like stylish secondary glazing the provide noise reduction and block draughts too

[sparechange]

We had them installed last year after many years of lusting after them! They are getting a bit ubiquitous in London, but for good reason and they look really great.
They were about £1200 including installation for a bay window in a Victorian terrace.
I love them. They make a real difference keeping the heat in during the winter (the radiator is right under the window), and I like the privacy we get while still getting natural light, especially at the weekends when everyone is slobbed out on the sofa during the day

[Lelivre]

Following. Like a previous poster I have a dc's room who needs privacy and to cut the light. And the window is 3m wide and I can't get Venetian blinds that size. So little choice, because I can't bring myself to do nets with curtains.

[Lelivre]

Hoping someone will post a bargainous option/company

[dontcallmelen]

Had half shutters fitted two years ago 3 windows (very large) single shutters total of 10 if that makes sense, supplied & fitted by a company based in south london called shutter studio cost just over two thousand pounds.

[sparechange]

I spent about 2 years trying to find the budget option..!
There are companies which advertise on eBay that get them made in China, but obviously measuring and fitting are your responsibility (and with bay windows, that includes measuring the angles for the frame)
You don't get a huge choice of colours either, although I think 90% of people go for the same shade of off white…

Of the other companies, Shutterfly Fabulous are good value but we ended up going with The Shutter Shop, because they had a reasonable lead time (most companies manufacture in China, so you have to factor in shipping times) and were nice to deal with. I've heard nothing but bad things about Hilarys, starting with their pushy sales people and patchy service...