When it comes to choosing plantation shutters, the style and design combinations are endless, so you are sure to be able to customize the best option to fit your windows. Most style options come down to your personal preference, so there is no right or wrong choice, but there are certain ways to ensure your order correctly reflects the style you are envisioning.
Resources to Review Before Ordering
Our ordering page is easy to navigate and walks you through designing your shutters in 4 easy steps. To best understand the options that are being provided and what will look & fit best in your window, it is essential to review our measuring guides prior to measuring and ordering shutters.
Our measuring guides not only break down the measuring instructions step by step for either inside mount or outside mount, but they also provide templates with detailed specs and measurements for all of our frames so you can choose plantation shutters that will easily install and properly operate with your window structure.
Take advantage of our other free online resources like our video library and free samples to help you visualize your desired custom plantation shutters. We also have blog posts to cover many common questions on topics like how to measure and how to choose plantation shutters to match your home décor.
Design Your Shutters in 4 Easy Steps
Your choices when designing your shutters are broken down into 4 sections. Again, there is no right or wrong style if your window will accommodate the sizes and options you select. Here are some helpful tips to help you narrow down your choices and avoid choosing an option you possibly did not mean to select.
Step 1: Enter Your Dimensions
The key here is to read over our measuring guides to avoid the shutters being too small or too large to fit as intended.
For inside mount shutters, you will measure 3 spots for the width and height to check for any variance, and be sure to provide us the exact, smallest dimensions.
For outside mount shutters, you will measure 3 spots for the width and height and choose the largest dimension, either measuring to the outside edge of any existing trim you want to cover or measuring the window opening + adding the width of the shutter frame you chose from our measuring guide.
Outside mount café style shutters in a family room
Step 2: Choose Panels and Slats
Since our website is programmed to give you a selection for the number of panels per shutter based on the dimensions you entered in Step 1, you won’t have to worry about choosing something that is too small or too large to manufacture.
However, you will want to think about if you want more panels per window (smaller narrow panels that will fold into each other when you open them) or less panels (wider panels that will let in more light when the slats are open but may be bulky to swing open and closed).
Should I go with less panels or more?
Tier-on-tier style shutter with 4 panels, hidden tilt rod, and inside mount L-Frame in a custom color.
For tier-on-tier style, keep in mind you are selecting the total number of panels for the full window, so this includes both the top and bottom tiers. If you want 4 panels across each tier, you will need to select double that, 8, for your number of panels.
A mid-rail is a horizontal rail that can separate the upper and lower slats so you can move them independently. This is a great option for tall windows, but for shorter windows it may block too much of the light and minimize the number of slats that can be fit in the shutter panel. If you are adding a mid-rail, measure from the bottom up to where you’d like the center of the rail to be.
Choose a slat size that will fit with the depth you have available (also detailed in our measuring guides). If you would like more privacy or a more traditional décor style, you can choose smaller slats like 2 ½" or 3”. For more light entry and a more modern look, you can choose 3 ½" or 4 ½" if enough depth is available for the slats to fully rotate open and closed.
How do I choose a shutter slat size?
For a central or hidden tilt rod, this all comes down to personal preference. The hidden tilt rod offers cleaner lines and a more modern look, but the central tilt rod gives you a more traditional style and a bar to use to raise and lower the slats rather than turning them by hand.
Step 3: Choose a Color or Finish
Choosing a paint or stain color (or unfinished wooden shutters if desired) is 100% personal preference. Whether you choose a contrasting color or matching color to your existing room décor, or even a custom color in our Classic Poplar Hardwood range, your shutters are sure to be a stunning addition to the room.
Contrasting black shutters on a white wall in a kitchen to match the black & white color scheme.
The only way to make a mistake here would be to rely on the color on your screen to choose a color if you are looking for a very specific shade or an exact match to an existing paint color in your home. We offer 4 free samples so you can see the color in person, as each device may vary in the color displayed due to display quality, brightness, monitor settings etc.
Step 4: Choose a Frame
Be sure to select inside mount or outside mount first so you are given the proper frame choices for your particular mount.
If you select our “sill cut” option, this will eliminate the L-Frames as they are already flat at the bottom and do not need any special cut to accommodate your sill. The sill cut is only for our decorative frames to flatten the bottom piece so the decorative trim is only on the sides and top, if you have a projecting sill at the bottom of the window.
Sill cut example on a Z-Frame
When in doubt, you can select “discuss frame on our call” and be sure to attach a photo of your window to the order so our shutter experts can make the best recommendation. Be sure to click “upload photos” in Step 1 once your picture is attached to save it to the order.
The Shutter Store Order Review Call
When any order is placed, we assign a shutter expert to call and verbally review and confirm all specs with you prior to production. Take advantage of this time to ask any questions and clarify any concerns. Our experts will always point out any suggestions that may make for an easier install or more stable long-lasting shutter based on the structure of your window.
Many other companies will place your order straight into production, but we want to take the extra steps to ensure the best outcome for our customers. The biggest mistake would be to not utilize the tools and expertise we can offer to make your shutter vision come to life!
This post was brought to you by Yasmeen, one of The Shutter Store USA's experienced shutter consultants.
Get in touch today for more advice on avoiding any plantation shutter mistakes, and the best shutters for your home. Our friendly team of shutter experts are a call, chat or email away! Upload a picture of your window with your order or send it in to our support team for help designing your perfect shutters. We are here to help!