Shutters - why?

[Member786488]

The house down the road from me has shutters in every room. And they’re always, and I mean always, 99% closed.

this is SE England, not France, and obviously they’re inside not out.

I can’t help think that it must be so dark in every room in their house.

I know the couple, they’re fine, I’m not interested in their lives in any way.

if you have shutters, does this mean that you live your life in the dark?

I just can’t understand why anyone in this part of the world would want them, light is everything…

enlighten me…

Keeps the house nice and cool. Stops nosy neighbours from peering in.

I had shutters in my old house. I loved them. They were very convenient and looked great. They don’t suit the aesthetic in my new house so haven’t invested again.

Maybe they're gamers, sunlight on the tv screen can be a right bummer when you are trying to make those tricky shots.

I have them because the strong sunlight on the front of my house destroyed our previous sofa - the fabric shredded

They’re so naff. Everyone was getting them about 3 years ago and they already look really dated.

Mine may look shut from the outside but they are slanted upwards and let the light in without anyone being able to see in.

I have shutters as otherwise people can see in from the street.

They let a lot of light through.

They might stay closed during the week as I am out from dawn-dusk.

Only seen internal shutters in RL in one house, and they are horrific looking - like horizonal prison bars!

I can understand external shutters in places prone to hurricanes, where the houses are designed with them in mind, but as an afterthought style choice I'll pass.

We have them, as do lots of people on our street, probably all for the same reasons: front doors lead straight out onto the pavement and the shutters offer privacy while still letting in plenty of sunlight. Ours look closed from the outside but are still a little bit open. Don’t think they look naff at all, work quite well in Victorian terraces imo.

I despise bright light. I get angry if anyone turns on the overhead lights. I have motorized blackout curtains on main windows. I have lighter curtains over those for when I open the blackouts.

I joke that I am part vampire, but it’s just a sensory issue from ASD. I share it with all but one member of my household. He is an adult and just has to deal with the rest of us constantly telling him to turn off the lights.

Bright lights are awful and sunlight is the worst light of all.

So all of you who have them, are the rooms light inside?

god knows in surburbia I understand the need for privacy, but a lack of light would drive me insane.

This! Depends which way the sun is, we keep the bedroom blinds shut as it gets belting hot otherwise.

Doesn’t really block that much light out….we have shutters in our front lounge and 2 front bedroom….our neighbours either side have them 2 ( 1870s semis) ….love them

I only really open the curtains because I think people would judge me for them being closed all day otherwise.

I'm not bothered if I get natural light coming in or not and I don't like it too bright (although I also hate lamps because they're prissy and annoying and am quite comfortable with the big light). Shutters probably let in plenty if they are slatted and can be turned different ways.

They may look closed but they normally tilt to let light in. I love them but they need to be in the right style house so I do t have any. I would if they suited. Very stylish.

I have shutters and the rooms are so much brighter and airier. Mine have smallish slats so look not too dissimilar to venetian blinds except so much easier to clean.

They're split 70/30 so the top can slant differently from the bottom so that in the morning I can have privacy getting dressed but have lots of light in with the top open. They also fully open.

They aren't black out, but shut out enough light when fully closed for sleeping. I personally don't like full black out.

I love them, but I'm a fan of the minimalist look. I'm not a fan of fussy curtains and lots of bling. Each to their own.

I have shutters, they are so practical. I have large sash windows & if I wanted to watch tv during the morning I would have to close the curtains as the sun was too bright. I like being able to control light & privacy eg in my bedroom I never open the bottom but always the top.

Some illnesses we enjoy the dark. Could be sunlight and other things also

Useful on a hot day as well to keep the heat out.

Also as pp said you can tilt them to allow light in but they may look closed to you.

The rooms are darker but we have big windows so they were overly well lit to start with. I wouldn't put them at the back of the house where the rooms are already a bit dark.

Yes, room is light inside.

You can have them angled at a slight slant which looks closed from outside but actually lets in plenty of light, certainly enough natural light to not need the lights on during the day.

We have them at the back of our house, south westerly facing, gets very hot, you tilt them so the sun doesn’t come in but you can see out, have them in DD’s room, she has a dust mite allergy so they can be cleaned on a regular basis, much better than dusty curtains. I like them but they are serving a purpose like any other blind, ours are also coming up to 16 years old, and still look good as new. If our next house suits them I’d invest again.

I adore the style of them. Every home I have been in that has them - always look stylish and amazing.

Privacy mainly. We live in an Edwardian terrace house in London. I don’t find the shutters dark, but they’re on the road face of the house. We have loads of plants and they’re so healthy they are definitely getting enough light.

We both work during the week, then we’re usually out most of the weekend, or in the garden, or in the extended kitchen/dining room so we only really spend our time in the sitting room and our bedroom (both on the front of the house) when it’s dark out anyway. The house stays lovely and cool in the summer.

Edit: they’re actually pretty crap at keeping the light out. I have to wear an eye mask to bed otherwise I get woken up too early!!