Shutters - inside mounted our outside? With pics!

[DaysofHoney]

Hello,

Looking for advice and hopefully some pics of anyone is willing to share?

My lovely aunt is installing plantation shutters in her living room. It’s a small cottage, but has a fairly deep window ledge. The three companies that have been to quote have all suggested inside mounting for the shutters, but she is considering outside mounted (as in outside the window frame), so that when open, the shutters don’t stick out.

It’s not a huge window, and she will get the bifold version - so I don’t think them sticking out is a huge issue. But do you effectively lose the window ledge - as in you can’t put things on omitting you want to regularly fully open and close the shutters?

Aware this is confusing - have attached an AI mock up of the two options.

Grateful if anyone has advice that has had to make this decision before - what did you choose?

I chose the first option for a large bay. In the photos, both options look good, but it wouldn't if the shutters were so large they took up most of the window space when opened. But in fact we hardly ever open ours. We chose the widest slats available and leave the shutters in place, just opening the slats.

I've had shutters in 4 houses - 3 inside and 1 outside. I prefer the inside although you get a lovely look with the outside ( costs you more too for the frames ) . I tend to find though that I don't fully open them due to privacy , then the tilting you can do and cats. I like to have the ledge available.

Wouldn't your Aunt find it annoying not to be able to use the window ledge?

Plants, ornaments, even a cup of tea. Surely it would be missed.

Just had mine done . Had them outside this time. Inside last time. Love being able to pull them open to the wall on dark days but it limits what you can have around the window as in pictures or furniture. You do still have the window ledge to put things on but you are viewing them through the slats, so something large.

outside is better for heat management ?

If outside, they need secure fixings otherwise they bang about in the wind.

That's not what she means. She means outside the window frame.