Wooden shutters

If you like old houses If you're walking along side streets admiring them, you will have noticed that many of them have shutters. Unfortunately, this detail, which beautifies and personalizes houses, is less and less common, with other ways of protecting and covering the windows.

Small wooden doors for windows

Basically, shutters are a kind of door that double and protect windows. Their purpose is to protect the house from excessive light or adverse weather conditions (rain, storms, snow). Shutters also ensure the security of the house while improving the aesthetics of the building.

Shutters can be fitted both inside and outside buildings.

Types of shutters

Not all shutters are the same. Some totally cover the window when closed, providing total darkness in the room, others are constructed so that light can penetrate partially or totally. They can also be just simple plank tops joined together and fastened to another cross plank or window-like constructions. In place of glass are vertical or horizontal wooden slats that let light into rooms. The slats can be fixed or movable.

Interior shutters are attached to the window frame inside the room. They open inwards allowing access to the window and light into the room. They can be one piece on each side or two pieces that open and close independently. They are finished in harmony with the rest of the room, being part of the decor. As they are subject to direct sunlight, light-resistant colors are used.

On the outside, shutters were originally built for light control, privacy and weather protection. They later took on a decorative role. They can be simple, austere, made of wood only, hinged to the window frame or special wall-mounted devices, or more elaborate, with fretwork decorations and rustic hardware (large hinges, bolts, ivories for closing).

The wood they are made of is harder wood, containing tannins that make it resistant to insect attack (oak, cedar, mahonteak, acacia), but also pine wood or other resinous. Finishing materials need to be special to resist the exterior.

The colors of the shutters are specific to the type of house or where the house is located. Old houses have rustic shutters in colors that match or contrast nicely with doors and windows. The shutters of seaside houses brighten up the house, especially when the house walls are painted white. They can be painted in the colors of the sea, the sky, or in bright, cheerful colors. In the mountains, shutters are more sober and are colored green or dark walnut, blending in with the decor.

Houses with wooden shutters have a kind of understated elegance, nobility. Wood succeeds again this time to give beauty, personality and warmth to the houses, to catch our attention and delight our eyes.