Shutters - why?

[Sue]

East Dulwich seems to have become full of shutters.

Can anybody explain to me why? Is it because:

They are supposedly on trend?

They keep in heat (in the Winter obviously :) )?

They stop people seeing in?

They stop the sun fading stuff?

Some other reason?

It's a serious question. I was going to have full length thermally lined curtains in my living room and wonder whether I am living in the past and should be looking at shutters instead.

Can't afford new windows/double glazing .....

[red devil]

Are you referring to the 'plantation style' shutters that are totally out of keeping with the Victorian properties they adorn?...

[womanofdulwich]

Interesting questions . My thermal lined curtains are 15 years old and need cleaning. I was wondering the same question- I wonder if they get very dusty too?

[StraferJack]

I'm guessing Sue is thinking of the internal blinds. Probably brown

They do same job as curtains, just question of preference really

But yeah - dust magnets for sure

[LondonMix]

Yes, to most of your questions (if you mean shutters rather than blinds). They are a good thermal insulator. Not only do the keep in the heat during winter, they also block the heat from coming in during the summer. During the heatwave, keeping the shutters closed when we weren't in the house meant it was much cooler when we came back. We had single glazing in our old place and shutters and draft proofing made a world of difference.

English Heritage specifically recommends shutters for thermal insulation in conservation areas where historical windows can't be replaced with new double glazing and state that modern shutters have a similar thermal performance to double glazing when the shutters are closed.

http://www.english-heritage.org.uk/publications/faq-conservation-areas/faq.pdf

Curtains also do a great job though so its really a question of if you like them or not. I like both and so we have different window treatments depending on the room including unlined linen voile curtains during the summer which are a modern take on net curtains and let in lots of light.

Good luck making your decision.

[Otta]

Sue Wrote:

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> They keep in heat (in the Winter obviously :) )?

The opposite of this. They stop the place getting so hot in hot weather. That's why they are much more common in hotter places, and why lots of Europeans laugh at us rushing to fling the windows open and let the sun in the secnd it gets above 20?C.

[Mick Mac]

StraferJack Wrote:

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> I'm guessing Sue is thinking of the internal

> blinds. Probably brown

>

Sue is perhaps thinking of the upmarket fixed white wooden versions (not blinds). I like them but don't have them.

[LondonMix]

Actually both!

Otta Wrote:

-------------------------------------------------------

> Sue Wrote:

> --------------------------------------------------

> -----

> > They keep in heat (in the Winter obviously :)

> )?

>

>

> The opposite of this. They stop the place getting

> so hot in hot weather. That's why they are much

> more common in hotter places, and why lots of

> Europeans laugh at us rushing to fling the windows

> open and let the sun in the secnd it gets above

> 20?C.

[Sue]

StraferJack Wrote:

-------------------------------------------------------

> I'm guessing Sue is thinking of the internal

> blinds. Probably brown

>

> They do same job as curtains, just question of

> preference really

>

> But yeah - dust magnets for sure

xxxxxxx

No - not blinds.

Wooden shutters, hinged, which fold back.

Usually seem to be painted white.

Everywhere I go I seem to see new ones at the moment. My neighbours on both sides have them :)

This sort of thing:

http://compare.ebay.co.uk/like/350832785166?var=lv&var=sbar&_lwgsi=y&cbt=y&device=c&adtype=pla&crdt=0&ff3=1&ff11=ICEP3.0.0&ff12=67&ff13=80&ff14=66&ff19=0

ETA: I've also had leaflets put through my door from companies which make/fit them.

The main reason I'm not all that keen is that I don't think they would fit in with my decor.

I'm not bothered about keeping cool in the Summer, but if they were definitely better than curtains at retaining heat in the Winter then I'd definitely consider them.

And/or if they worked out considerably cheaper than curtains overall when fitted in a front bay. But I suppose I'd have to have them on the back window as well as I have a through living room.

[red devil]

That's the 'plantation style' I was referring to Sue.

The origin of plantation shutters that are currently used are from the early colonization of the US. Spanish settlers that founded plantations had brought the knowledge of the convenient and adaptable window treatment with them. They made the plantation stand out by painting them white and creating wide louvers. Usually reserved for sugar or cotton plantations, the shutters eventually became a stylish but practical way to control air flow and sunlight. Today, while still recognized as a symbolic tradition of the South, many people appreciate the creative ingenuity that has remained almost unchanged since the colonies sprung through the Americas.

I can see you sitting in your rocking chair on your front verandah, watching the world go by...

[Burbage]

Sue Wrote:

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> Everywhere I go I seem to see new ones at the

> moment. My neighbours on both sides have them :)

Although some people clearly flatter themselves that they're worth looking in on, a fear of rubber-necked, prod-nosed and possibly light-fingered, neighbours is not always unreasonable. Shutters help reduce this anxiety without the implication that the inhabitants are reclusive documentary-fodder or dead. Moreover, shutters never need taking to the dry-cleaners, which means they're always ready for action.

Whether your neighbours have spent good money to allay an imagined fear, to hide their squalor from the judgemental, or to mitigate a real threat, is a question only you can answer. But, whatever the motive, it doesn't seem an entirely healthy development.

[Sue]

red devil Wrote:

-------------------------------------------------------

> That's the 'plantation style' I was referring to

> Sue.

>

> The origin of plantation shutters that are

> currently used are from the early colonization of

> the US. Spanish settlers that founded plantations

> had brought the knowledge of the convenient and

> adaptable window treatment with them. They made

> the plantation stand out by painting them white

> and creating wide louvers. Usually reserved for

> sugar or cotton plantations, the shutters

> eventually became a stylish but practical way to

> control air flow and sunlight. Today, while still

> recognized as a symbolic tradition of the South,

> many people appreciate the creative ingenuity that

> has remained almost unchanged since the colonies

> sprung through the Americas.

>

> I can see you sitting in your rocking chair on

> your front verandah, watching the world go by...

xxxxxxxx

In my case it's sitting on my front wall with a can of Stella watching the world go by ... :))

[Sue]

Burbage Wrote:

-------------------------------------------------------

> Sue Wrote:

> --------------------------------------------------

> -----

> > Everywhere I go I seem to see new ones at the

> > moment. My neighbours on both sides have them

> :)

>

> Although some people clearly flatter themselves

> that they're worth looking in on, a fear of

> rubber-necked, prod-nosed and possibly

> light-fingered, neighbours is not always

> unreasonable. Shutters help reduce this anxiety

> without the implication that the inhabitants are

> reclusive documentary-fodder or dead. Moreover,

> shutters never need taking to the dry-cleaners,

> which means they're always ready for action.

>

> Whether your neighbours have spent good money to

> allay an imagined fear, to hide their squalor from

> the judgemental, or to mitigate a real threat, is

> a question only you can answer. But, whatever the

> motive, it doesn't seem an entirely healthy

> development.

xxxxxx

Erm, I hardly think my neighbours see me as a threat of any kind :))

ETA: Despite the Stella :))

[benners]

Interesting you should post this as I would like a recommendation if anyone has had them fitted as to who they used/who is best & approx cost for a standard Victorian bay window?

Thanks

[Jeremy]

Seems like a reasonable way of giving you a bit of privacy in your front room. Certainly more attractive than net curtains or frosted glass.

[womanofdulwich]

I bet they are bxggers to paint.

[El Pibe]

what sort are we talking

or

 

[womanofdulwich]

the middle one?

[Sue]

The ones I posted a link to above .....

[LondonMix]

We used Hillary?s. As far as I can remember, everything went smoothly and we haven?t had any issues with them. Don?t know if they are the cheapest as this was 7 years ago now.

Also, womanofdulwich, we?ve never had to repaint them and they still look brand new. They do need dusting but only every couple of weeks (unless you are particularly fussy) and they are easy to clean- quick wipe down with a damp cloth usually sorts in a couple of minutes. Truthfully, ours don?t get dusted as often as that as you can?t really see the dust unless you are up very close to them.

I think shutters are more expensive than curtains (at least when I was last in the market for them). I can?t say if thermal curtains do as good a job as shutters at keeping out the cold but I suspect not given shutters get a better seal around the window. However, if you don?t think the style will fit with your house Sue, it might not be worth the investment as they aren?t cheap.

[Sue]

Thanks LondonMix, that's useful.

[JohnL]

womanofdulwich Wrote:

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> the middle one?

That's blinds to me

Shutters are on the outside - and as somebody said stop the sun heating the windows - and from that - the room.

[Sue]

shutters 3rd person singular present, plural of shut?ter

Noun

Each of a pair of hinged panels fixed inside or outside a window that can be closed for security or privacy or to keep out light.

Wikipedia:

window blind is a type of window covering.[1] There are many different kinds of window blinds, using different systems and materials. A typical window blind is made with slats of fabric, wood, plastic or metal that adjust by rotating from an open position to a closed position by allowing slats to overlap. There are also window blinds that use a single piece of material instead of slats.

A window blind is also known as a window shade.[2]

The term window blinds is also sometimes used to describe window coverings generically?in this context window blinds include almost every type of window covering, i.e. shutters, roller blinds, honeycomb shades, wood blinds, roman blinds and of course, standard vertical and horizontal blinds.[3]

[LondonMix]

Nowadays these are called internal shutters (by the people who sell them). Internal shutters still reduce the heat in summer and retain the heat in winter as do curtains.

ETA: X-posted with Sue

[red devil]

JohnL...solid internal shutters are a very traditional feature of Victorian and Georgian period properties. They would traditionally fold back into the wall when not in use, disguised to look like wall panelling...