A Guide to Choosing Kitchen Shutters

This article will guide you through the buying process of choosing shutters for kitchen windows, as well as examples of popular kitchen shutter styles and FAQs. 

Kitchens are the central hub of any home. They are used daily for cooking, socialising with friends and dining with family. With so much time spent in a kitchen, you should be looking for a window treatment that complements the design, is durable, practical, easy to maintain and provides privacy. 

Shutters are a natural choice for a kitchen. Kitchens are often busy so a classic simple interior design should aim to reduce any feelings of clutter.  Shutters are very versatile, providing plenty of daylight during the day and producing a protected warm environment at night.

Here are some advantages of kitchen shutters:

• Easy to Clean

Often windows are located just behind a sink or chopping surface.  These areas are likely to be subject to splashes, spills, grease splatters and odours. A curtain may retain cooking smells and odours, compromising the cleanliness of the room.

Shutters provide a low maintenance window solution in the kitchen, leaving less time for cleaning, and more for cooking and socialising. Whether you decide on PVC, hardwood, or Paulownia, all the materials at Find a Blind can be wiped down just with a damp cloth.

• Durability

Kitchens are constantly in use, so a window furnishing that has a long lifetime is invaluable. A shutter will maintain its quality over many years, refusing to display signs of ageing from frequent usage.

Often kitchen windows are located directly behind a kitchen surface or preparation area, so kitchens require a sturdy, high-quality material, which can cope with everyday family life.

• Light Adjustment

Effective light control is invaluable in a kitchen because of its different functions:

• Cooking

When preparing a meal, it’s important to keep the space well lit, however, when the oven and hobs are turned on, a significant amount of heat can be produced. Direct sunlight on top of this would compound the problem further. A shutter provides a perfect solution to these issues: tilt a shutter’s louvres to block glare and allow a breeze from the ajar window, whilst still letting in plenty of natural light. All these options can be utilised without having to sacrifice privacy when living on a busy street. Tier on tier are particularly useful for this function.

• Evening Dining

A kitchen is often the main socialisation area for a dinner party. In this case, you would require a window solution that fits the aesthetics of the room, whilst creating a cosy environment and providing cover from onlookers on the street. Closed shutters provide a neat and intimate setting for any evening function.

• Stylish Design

There’s a large range to suit any kitchen aesthetic. It’s possible to pick a neutral coloured material to suit a modern kitchen or to blend into the walls. Alternatively, window shutters can be a focus of a room and become a statement piece with bold colours. Find a Blind offers 36 paint colours, but if your kitchen needs a customer paint colour to suit the window, then that can be arranged.

• Fit in Compact Spaces

If your kitchen windowsill is used as a storage surface, a shutter is often more suitable than curtains. A shutter will fit closer to the window, allowing room for objects of the windowsill, whilst not contributing to a cluttered look or being damaged by being close to the sink.

• Material Choice

Together with bathrooms, the kitchen is the room in the house most likely to be exposed to moisture and splashed water. Water-resistant shutter options will cope with the high temperatures and moisture a bustling kitchen generates. A popular choice for kitchen shutters is PVC, a hardwearing plastic perfectly designed to withstand direct contact from water.

For those kitchens with great ventilation, however, wooden shutters can blend beautifully into the windowsill, creating a sophisticated look that would go with a period property or new build alike.

FAQs

1. What is the best material for kitchen shutters?PVC is the best option as it’s resistant to moisture and heat.
2. Can you still open windows with shutters?Yes. Every shutter is attached to an individual window frame, allowing the window to open completely.
3. Can I fit the shutters myself?It is possible to fit shutters, however we recommend using our experienced team at Find a Blind as it can be a significant investment and must be fitted securely to experience the benefits of insulation, security and a long life.
4. Do shutters really add extra security?Yes. Those intending to break in through a window would be slowed down and make noise by having to break through the wood.
5. I have unusually shaped windows, does that mean I can’t have shutters?We have bespoke fittings that will measure any shaped window and design a shutter to match. A bespoke shutter often adds even more charm to a feature window by emphasising it’s unconventional shape.
6. What is a midrail?A midrail is a wooden rail that divides the shutter panel, enabling independent tilting of the top and bottom section louvres on a full height shutter, whilst also increasing shutter strength.

Installing Kitchen Shutters

Now you’re convinced a shutter is a perfect option for your kitchen, the next stage is to visit our Manchester shutter showroom to view the options in person.

Whilst some people decide they will go down the DIY route, shutters are a substantial investment, so we advise using an expert. A professional may help you to consider the room’s architecture and window shape to ensure you’ve chosen the best style possible. At Find a Blind, our experts will do in-home appointments to take accurate measurements, and fit bespoke, high-quality shutters for your kitchen.

Book your free in-home appointment now.