Are Exterior Shutters Out Of Style? (Find Out Now!)

Ryan Womeldorf
by Ryan Womeldorf
via Shutterstock

Curb appeal is an important aspect of a home. While the interior is more important because that is where you spend the majority of your time, there is something to be said of a house that looks good from the street.

There are a variety of different material styles and accessories that can go on the outside of your house. For years, shutters have been the most popular option. Exterior shutters, though they have lost a bit of momentum over time, are still somewhat in style. The longer answer is that it all depends on your region and your own personal tastes. Shutters are still around, if only used for decorative purposes and not practical ones. Shutters with the right complementary color can really add to the curb appeal of a home.

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What are Exterior Shutters?

Before we get further into it, there are likely to be a few who aren’t aware of what exterior shutters are. There are two kinds of shutter that you will find available. Some serve a practical purpose, opening and closing. There are also those that are nailed down and serve more of a decorative purpose.

The ones that actually do open and closed are used to protect the windows. In areas that experience heavy winds or frequent storms, shutters can come in handy. No one wants to deal with broken or shattered glass and the right shutters can keep them from happening.

Your standard exterior shutter has either vertical or horizontal louvers which come set in the frame itself. For non-functioning shutters, they may be nailed into the siding to keep them from flapping and banging into the house repeatedly.

Are Exterior Shutters Out of Style?

The short answer is “hardly.” You can still find exterior shutters all over the place on many different styles of home. There are a few reasons why it is quite common to find exterior shutters on so many homes.

Exterior shutters still make for a great way to add a little bit of curb appeal to any home. With complimentary colors, they can tie into the current aesthetic and really make a home pop even from the street.

Though there are conflicting opinions on this, shutters are not universally reviled like some other style choices. You are like to see them in your own neighborhood and throughout others. It comes down to the style of shutter as well as the color and if it ties into the rest of the aesthetic

Why to Choose Exterior Shutters

If you have been on the fence about whether or not to add exterior shutters to your home, there are more than a few good reasons to do so. Depending on your intentions, they can work in both a practical and stylish sense.

There are five reasons in particular why you may want to introduce exterior shutters to your home. Just keep in mind that if they are non-functional (or nailed down), you may not be able to get some of the benefits listed below.

Stylistic Expression

Perhaps the most common reason that people get exterior shutters for their home is to express their style. They feel that there was something missing in the curb appeal and decided that shutters could add a pop of color and style.

The right shutters can not only playoff of your home, but any other aspect of your yard. The right colors can play into flower beds, for instance. All of which gives an additional layer of depth to the curb appeal of the home.

Window Protection

For shutters that are not nailed down, there is a practical use to them. Because they are heavier in construction, they act as a great protective barrier for windows. In areas where storms or high winds are frequent, debris can get blown around.

If you are unlucky (or don’t have shutters), your window could be the victim when debris starts kicking up. Having shutters means being able to protect your window in even the nastiest of storms. Because the last thing anyone wants to do is have to replace their window when a little bit of preventative action could have gone a long way.

Privacy

When allowed to open and close, shutters can serve another purpose: they provide privacy. If you live in an area where neighbors are close on either side, it is likely only a matter of time before a random glance finds its way into your home.

With shutters, you can control who sees in and when. For times where you want a little more privacy, keep them shut. You can even get a little bit of air flow going to stay cool with a nice breeze while enjoying that privacy.

More Efficient

Another thing to consider is that more and more homes are looking to become more energy efficient. Our carbon footprint is far too large and the amount of energy that we use for everyday tasks is higher than it needs to be.

You can make use of your shutters to help control the temperature in your home. On hot days, keep your shutters closed to keep the warm air and sunlight out. On cold days, keeping the shutters open can allow sunlight in, warming the room.

Shutters and the greater control over the light that enters your home can have a huge impact on heating and cooling. Part of greater energy efficiency means less of a dependency on your HVAC system. All of which means a longer lifetime and longer between having to replace the unit.

Exterior Shutter Maintenance

If you are wondering whether exterior shutters are more difficult to maintain, the answer is good news. They are about the same as maintaining your average set of blinds. It is important to know the process of maintaining your shutters, however.

The problem with maintaining your exterior shutters is accessing them. Depending on where they are on the exterior of the home, you may need a ladder to access and clean them. You may also be able to take a pressure washer to the side of your house to clean off grime and dirt from both the shutters and the siding.

Do You Need Exterior Shutter Installation or Replacement?

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The Final Word on Exterior Shutters

If you have been considering whether or not exterior shutters would be a good idea for your home, they can be for a lot of different reasons. Even if you are looking to add a bit of curb appeal and nothing more, shutters can be a great way to add color or tie together an exterior design motif.

It is recommended that you make your shutters for practical use, too. Given how they can boost the curb appeal of a home as it is, getting additional use out of them only makes sense. If you can help save on your energy bills, provide extra protection to your windows, and help control the amount of natural light entering your home, all the better.

So, are exterior shutters out of style? Not even close. They can still be found far and wide in homes all across the United States. Given all that they can do and provide, their relatively easy maintenance, and their reasonable costs, it can be a slam dunk to decide on exterior shutters.

Ryan Womeldorf
Ryan Womeldorf

Ryan Womeldorf has more than a decade of experience writing. He loves to blog about construction, plumbing, and other home topics. Ryan also loves hockey and a lifelong Buffalo sports fan.

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