Plantation shutters

[michael]

At the risk of upsetting you all, I’m considering the idea of installing plantation shutters on one window of my 19th century home. The window in question is not on the main building but effectively on a rear extension, albeit an early 19th century extension. I’m hoping that due to its slightly isolated position away from the main bulk of the building, and out of sight of the other windows, it shouldn’t look too out of place. I do realize however that this is probably not a very ‘period’ feature and if anything, it would be a very contemporary addition to an old property, but it’s essential that I’m able to provide the flexibility of allowing light into the room whilst providing privacy in what will primarily be a ground floor guest bedroom. Can anybody suggest any other alternatives? ‘Nets’ are an absolute no-no as far as I’m concerned. Venetian blinds are just another contemporary but inferior solution to the shutters which in my opinion don’t look as good. One unfortunate fact is that all of these plantation shutters which are being installed in this country by the millions it would seem, are all made in China. I think there is a company that manufactures them in the UK but you can add an extra £200 per sqm if you go for that option.
Go on tell me. This is sacrilege and I must give in to the net curtains.

 

[Penners]

Can anybody suggest any other alternatives?

Curtains.

 

[JoceAndChris]

Plantation shutters have no place in a period property in my book, smack smack. They are clattery, cold, expensive, ugly. "Nets" is a word that should not be used when discussing voile drapes or lace panelling. It's time that voiles were re-celebrated and lace, which used to be made in this country, re-introduced. :twisted:

At the time that bit of your house was built the Georgians loved to see light muslin drapes fluttering on the ladies and the windows.

Here we go:

http://www.fabricsandpapers.com/item/view/carreg-light-linen-fabric/category/voile-fabric

http://www.fabricsandpapers.com/item/view/285-stripe-leaf-volie/category/voile-fabric

http://www.kingdominteriors.co.uk/catalogue/AnnaFrench/fabric/DaisymadrasLace/59978

This one's exquisite to my eye and should never be given that word nets!

http://www.kingdominteriors.co.uk/catalogue/AnnaFrench/fabric/IvoryBirdsPanel/59989

I suggest an afternoon in John Lewis looking at the lovely voiles and a bespoke job that involves quality brass fixings. I'd sew the top of the panels into rod pockets and insert slender antique brass poles, rather than those awful bits of washing line that used to be used.

 

[Penners]

the Georgians loved to see light muslin drapes fluttering on the ladies

Plus ça change...!

 

[LadyArowana]

When you say "plantation shutters" I am imagining something you would put these on the outside? In which case they would be rather inconvenient as a thing for privacy. In a hot climate they work because the window behind is left open and they allow air circulation. Even on the inside they will be the most dreadful dust gatherers, irrespective of how they look or any historical aspects. A nice plain Roman blind in a lightweight fabric would be my suggestion if you don't want a "net curtain" look.

 

[Penners]

You can make a Roman blind...


(Go on - you know the punchline!)

 

[LadyArowana]

You can make a Roman blind...


(Go on - you know the punchline!)

He isn't blind, just stubborn, eventually he is going to realise that the only sensible course of action is to get "the special one" back to Stamford Bridge.

 

[88v8]

What Joce said.

Ivor

 

[michael]

In response to Lady Arowana, plantation shutters are something like this.

http://www.thecaliforniacompany.co.uk/Shutter-shop/Discount-Shutters-1000mm-x-1800mm~412.html?gclid=CNKf6rTxv7YCFQ7KtAodRW4Ajg

Generally all timber construction. Installed internally either flat to wall or within the window recess. Slats open/close by moving vertical bar up or down.
Each shutter (panel) opens into the room ‘door like’ to allow access to windows. Multiple panels can open in a bi- folding or tri-folding concertina fashion so that they don’t protrude too far into the room.

 

[LadyArowana]

In response to Lady Arowana, plantation shutters are something like this.

http://www.thecaliforniacompany.co.uk/Shutter-shop/Discount-Shutters-1000mm-x-1800mm~412.html?gclid=CNKf6rTxv7YCFQ7KtAodRW4Ajg

Generally all timber construction. Installed internally either flat to wall or within the window recess. Slats open/close by moving vertical bar up or down.
Each shutter (panel) opens into the room ‘door like’ to allow access to windows. Multiple panels can open in a bi- folding or tri-folding concertina fashion so that they don’t protrude too far into the room.

Ah ha, I understand. They don't do that where I live, must be a different sort of plantation :lol:

 

[victorianjob]

Hi Michael,

Okay so I'm ducking whilst I type.....

The approach we are 'currently' taking is to be respectful to the fabric of the building and pleasing ourselves with the decoration. After all, it's your blood, sweat and tears that go into it. In our case we've spent more than we should on honouring the building and making sure we are putting the right things back. So surely we deserve to have decoration that is pleasing to us and makes us happy.

I don't think plantation shutters are that dissimilar to the original box shutters we have on a few of our windows. In some rooms that didn't have original shutters, I am considering adding plantation shutters as I like the flexibility they offer, the only downside is that they don't offer as mush insulation as good old curtains. For me, the clincher will be how well our refurbished windows (once they've been done!) perform.

On a side note, does anyone have an idea why only a few windows would have box shutters. We definitely know most of our rooms didn't because the original window architrave is intact and quite different to the windows with shutters.


So my viewpoit

 

[Penners]

I don't think plantation shutters are that dissimilar to... original box shutters

Really? I do.

 

[LadyArowana]

I don't think plantation shutters are that dissimilar to... original box shutters

Really? I do.

Ordinary shutters are easy to give a quick wipe over to get clean. Plantation shutters will be huge dust gatherers, not that there is anything wrong with a bit of dust, I keep plenty about.

 

[worms]

By coincidence, my wife and daughter were watching the 1999 series of "Wives & Daughters" yesterday and in one scene, Bill Paterson was sitting in his study and behind him the window had both traditional shutters and plantation shutters!

Presumably there was some reason that the filming had to block out the view beyond the window and i don't know where it was filmed (nice house and garden, though!) but the effect wasn't too bad.

 

[88v8]

A friend of ours who has wrecked/modernised (delete to taste) a 1920s house, has been prevailed upon by his wife to install these hugely expensive things. They are well engineered, and look OK in a modern antiseptic interior, although they would be greatly improved in my view, by the addition of curtains, so at least during the evening one would not see them.
Another improvement would be to paint them, they would look well in two-tone green for instance. Or green and cream, or deep red and cream. I dare say they could be dismantled to facilitate painting.

As supplied however, in some shade of Estate Agent Bland, they put me in mind of my dentist who had them in his surgery. They were his wife's fad du jour, after the 3D sharks.

Ivor

 

[michael]

I do like some of your voile drapes and lace paneling examples Joce And Chris but again probably not very practical for me. The room will be a guest bedroom but we’re also looking into the possibility of using it for B&B purposes. A high turnover of guests would mean having to subject any fabrics and materials in that room to a higher than average wash or dry clean and the voile and lace looks far too expensive and delicate to be subjected to that kind of pounding. Also curtains would be needed in addition to the voile which to my eye, look ok on large windows and French doors etc. in the form of floor to ceiling drapes, but not so good on standard smaller windows which in my case is a recessed 4’ 6” square multi paneled, white painted timber window with a window ledge 4’6” above the floor.
Shutters would fit well into this recess and the stiles and rails can be designed to match the frame of the window. They’re easy to maintain and keep clean with a wipe over(unlke venetian blinds which twist and turn all over the place) and they provide various stages of light ingress from fully open to almost blackout with various stages of slat combinations in-between.
Whilst not quite as flexible for light control, I am a fan of the original Victorian box shutters but alas, there are none here.
In other parts of the house we have roman blinds and the old hooks in the window reveals suggests that there must have been some kind of blind arrangement originally (old schoolhouse and Baptist chapel) but in this one particular room we want to provide more flexibility and privacy to our guests therefore we don’t want blackout blinds as they would provide no privacy during the day unless they closed the blind and turned the lights on or option 2:- Translucent blinds and curtains but you know how I feel about curtains on this type of window. Incidentally whilst the B&B accommodation would be like a small apartment, the bedroom in question is a bit on the small side so floor to ceiling drapes would hinder the access to the four poster bed I intend to put in there. (Bed is not a repro).

 

[billybuntus]

Not sure why everyone had such a problem with them. I think its a relatively tasteful addition and is far from permanently altering the building?

Get some fitted if you like them. And post some pics

 

[vicky whitworth]

Ah taste. It's such a personal thing. In my view if you live in a colonial mansion in the deep South... Perfect. If you live in Balham, good on you. If you live in a period property elsewhere in the UK good on you too. You have what you like. It wont kill the building . Personally I hate the things. But that's my taste and I can see your problem.