Plantation shutters—window blinds with wide wooden louvers or slats that can be opened and closed—were brought to America by the Spanish, when they colonized the South. That’s why shutters are a key architectural feature on so many historic homes, from New Orleans to South Carolina and so on, up the coast. Glass didn’t become available for windows until the 17th century, but wood was plentiful, and shutters were designed to block the sun but let in fresh air.
Plantation shutters may hail from the South, but they’re everywhere these days. As a design element, they make an elegant window decor statement and they look good from the inside and the outside. Like other wood features, such as crown molding, plantation shutters add character and curb appeal to the look of a home. They can lend a decidedly upscale look to your windows. This all might have you wondering: How much do plantation shutters cost?
Granted, as far aswindow treatments go, they don’t come cheap on the spectrum of blinds, shades, and curtains.
“Plantation shutters can be a bit pricier than other shutter styles, like board and batten or flat panel,” acknowledgesCharlie Capps, director of home and garden for Hooks & Lattice.
According to Home Advisor, homeowners typically spend a total of around $2,903 on plantation shutters for the windows of their home. That said, the price will hinge greatly on the material and size you’re getting. Woodis the most common material, but also more expensive. Composite or faux wood and evenvinyl shutterscan be more affordable (they’re also more resistant to humidity and, in some cases, lighter).
Bottom line: At the cheapest end of the budget, you can pick up prefabricated shutters at most major hardware stores for as little as $150 a set, and give your windows a big upgrade.
For long-lasting, custom wood shutters, you’re better off working with a specialty store. Expect to spend $20 to $45 per square foot for a custom job. Wood shutters will run you $200 to $350 per window, while composite shutters cost $80 to $200.
So why would anyone cough up so much cash for plantation shuttersanyway? Is a window treatment really worth that much?
We’re glad you asked!
Photo by Acadia Shutters & Blinds, Inc.
Benefitsof plantation shutters
Plantation shutters—also calledCalifornia shutters because of their recent surge in popularity on home windows in the West—are perennial favorites around the U.S.for a variety of reasons:
- Energy conservation: Possibly the greatest advantage of plantation shutters is how those wide, heavy louvers block out anything from the outdoors you don’t want coming in. That’s most often sunlight (so you can sleep), heat (so your home can stay cool), or the cold (in colder climates).
- Privacy:Adjusted to the right angle with the tilt bar, plantation shutters can allow you a good view of the outdoors while preventing people outside from seeing into your home. Shutting them all the way gives you total privacy.
- Durability: Plantation shutters—whether wood or composite—are the far sturdiest option of all window coverings, last for years, and are much easier to dust and clean. By contrast, blinds work on the same principle as plantation shutters, but are flimsy, can bend and break, and generally don’t look as elegant. Although the louvers of plantation shutters are typically 2½ to 3½ inches wide, they can be found as wide as 5 inches. The wider the louvers, the greater the durability and energy-conserving powers—and the higher the price.
Photo by Frederick + Frederick Architects
Professional installation of plantation shutters vs. DIY
Plantation shutters are usually installed indoors rather than outdoors. If you pay to have them professionally installed, it willrun you about $100 an hour, but it may be worth it, becausethey can be harder to hang than traditional ones.
“Plantation shutters require an anchor, and knowledge of the capacity of the window treatment and the shutter,” saysTaylor Spellman, New York–based interior designer and co-host of Bravo’s “Yours, Mine or Ours.” “So professional may be the way to go here.”
Upshot: The cost of plantation shutters is an investment, so don’t make this your latest Pinterest crafting project unless you are handy with a drill and know which are the proper anchor bolts for your type of walls. Whether you go DIY or hire out, here’s Spellman’s biggest tip: Pay close attention to all dimensions of the windows you are purchasing them for, accounting also for shrinking and expanding due to moisture and temperature. “As my grandfather says, ‘measure twice, cut once,’ ” she adds.
Most places where you buy shutters also offer installation. Take them up on the service, and you’ll be enjoying the cool, chic effects of your shutters for years.
