5 Tips For Choosing The Best Shutters For Your Property
You might think that choosing blinds and shutters for windows around the home is quite a straightforward task, but it is amazing what versatility you can find in the size, shape and style of windows in a typical property. And of course, properties in Manchester and the surrounding area can be anything from new-builds and 1970s or 1980s-built, to traditional homes from the Georgian, Edwardian or Victorian eras. These all present different types of windows and this variety is reflected in the range of blinds and shutters available.
But choosing the right shutters for your property is every bit as much about practical issues as it is design style. Blinds and shutters are required for privacy and security, as well as to create ambient lighting and to shade the room from the sun, so naturally there are lots of ways you can achieve these things, and here we look at some of the key considerations you need to make.
- What is the main use of the room?
When choosing the functional style of your shutters, it is important to think about the main use of the room and how long you spend in it. For example, shutters for the bedroom are more likely to be for blackout purposes, as you only really use the room at night, and may need blackout shutters for those sunny early mornings, and yes we do get those occasionally in Manchester! Equally, in the living room you may want shutters that you can position differently as the light changes throughout the day, so that you can maximise the daylight.
- Child and pet friendly
If you have small children or pets running around the home, you need to consider whether the mechanism of the shutters could hurt them. With manual shutters this isn’t an issue, but children and pets can get caught up in long, dangling pull chords. Full length shutters could also become damaged by an active child or a dog chasing after toys, so think about the general activity of a room and which shutter style is most practical.
- Style
Choosing the style of a shutter is obviously important because it has to match the design and periodic characteristics of a home. For example an elegant café style shutter which covers half a window, wouldn’t work in a contemporary home. Track systems on wider windows only work in certain spaces, whilst of course shaped shutters only work on shaped windows. So style is thinking about aesthetics and creating a consistency in design periods, but it is also about operating mechanisms. Could manually opening shutters every day be too much for you physically? If so a motorised blind might be the solution.
- The position of the room
When selecting the style of shutter that is best, you need to consider the position of the room, how much daylight it gets and how the sun travels during the day. Don’t forget this changes throughout the year also, so a room that gets lots of sun between June and September, won’t get as much at other times of the year. This will dictate whether full length, tier-on-tier or solid shutters are appropriate. You also need to consider privacy and security. If people can pass by a room window that is quite close to the street, this needs to influence the style of shutter.
- Make an in-house appointment
You can spend as long as you like browsing our website for the best blinds and shutters in Manchester, but an in-house appointment is the best way to ensure you get exactly what you need. Our Manchester-based experts can visit your home and use their professional knowledge to take accurate measurements and make suggestions on the best shutters to suit your property. We have an extensive range of colours, materials and styles, but our sales experts are well-placed to make recommendations on how our shutters really flatter your home and also bring you the best, most cost-effective and practical benefits.
Contact us today to arrange an appointment.
