October 10, 2005

By: Anthony Lee
Website: http://www.replacement-windows-n-shutters.com

Exterior House Shutters - A Choice Of Style

Many differing styles are available to choose from when it comes to selecting exterior house shutters for the windows of a home or other building.

The traditional choice of exterior house shutter in most areas is the colonial style. These are like each window having two doors placed either side of it which can swing shut on their hinges to close over the window and make things more secure.

Quite common in continental Europe, the raised panel style of colonial shutter completely seals in the window. Subsequently, some of these exterior shutters come with small cut outs in ornamental shapes to allow for ventilation.

The old southern plantations are a romantic image conjured up in many a mind's eye as colonial shutters are thought of. And sometimes they had raised panels for security downstairs with louvered shutters on upstairs windows for better ventilation in the balmy southern nights.

More Shutters To Choose From

Decorative shutters look like colonials, but these are fixed in place on the outside of a house and will not close over the window. But if all you want is the attractive looks of a shutter rather than the function, they're just the ticket.

Bahama shutters or Bahama awnings as they are also known; are a different style of outside shutter entirely. These tropical design shutters are hinged at the top rather than the sides as colonial shutters are, so they are not compatible with arched windows. They cover the window and the area beneath it like a patio or veranda perhaps, but are slatted to allow shaded light through.

They're easy to use if they need to be closed up, just loosen the nuts that secure the adjustable support struts and swing the Bahama shutter down flat against the window and wall to close.

Other styles of outside shutter exist too, and you can read more about the accordion design shutter and roller shutters in their section of this guide.

Author Notes:

Anthony Lee contributes and publishes news editorial to http://www.replacement-windows-n-shutters.com.  Find everything you need to know about replacement windows, shutters, tinting, basement, fiberglass windows and more.