Plantation Shutters are a Practical and Popular Choice

plantation shutters

Plantation shutters are made up of relatively wide lengths of wood, which are then affixed within the frame of a door or window. Control rods allow you to adjust the orientation of the wood slats, permitting as much or as little light or air into the room as you wish. Their elegant look and classic appeal are well-suited to homes of all styles; they add a touch of nostalgia to older homes, and their straight lines work well with modern designs.

History of Plantation Shutters
While shutters of this style have been in use for centuries, plantation shutters get their name from their prominent use in the colonial era. They were widely used on plantations in hot, sunny and tropical locations by colonists, as they provided excellent interior temperature control in these climates and were adept at keeping flying insects out of the indoors. You may also hear these shutters referred to as “jalousies” or “louvers.”

Types of Plantation Shutters
There are two major variations of this shutter style:

  • Traditional: These shutters fill the full height of a window or door, and are typically hinge-mounted and controlled by rods. Many designs allow you to pull them all the way open if you want to let a lot of sunshine and fresh air in.
  • Cafe: The cafe shutters variation covers only the bottom part of the window; allowing an unimpeded view through the top half.

While these shutters were traditionally used in bedrooms and over windows and doors that had a great deal of sun exposure, you can use plantation shutters in virtually any room of your home. They add a touch of elegance and design flair to your home, and we at the Back Bay Shutter Company specialize in the creation of customized wooden shutters that are stained or painted to match your existing decor, and we offer custom shutters made from any wood specie. We hand-sand and carefully finish every wooden shutter we make, and our specially trained installers provide precise installation.

Photo of Plantation Shutters: Single cafe style plantation shutters with 1 1/4” thick, 2 1/2” louvers, no divider rail. Design: Mollie Johnson Interiors, Builder: Integrity Building & Design, Inc. Location: Sudbury, MA, Photo: Richard Mandelkorn