Plantation shutters
Made-to-measure plantation shutters - design styles
Having decided to buy made-to-measure plantation shutters, one of the first things to choose is your preferred design style - or even styles, as you can easily mix and match different designs of shutters even within the same room.
The question relates as much to the structural design of your shutters as it does to the colour of their paint finish or woodstain. Our featured suppliers offer four main types of plantation shutters, which collectively offer all the features and benefits that you could wish for in terms of the appearance and functionality of wooden plantation shutters.
Full height plantation shutters
Probably the first design that comes to mind when you consider buying shutters for your home, full height plantation shutters offer what the name suggests - full length coverage of your window or door opening.
With the shutters and louvres closed, full height plantation shutters offer full privacy. Light can otherwise be allowed to enter either through variable angle slats or by folding the shutters open (like drawing back curtains), which also allows access to the window or door.
This popular style of shutters combines a classic look with simple functionality..
Full height plantation shutters are available from our featured suppliers in a range of woods and finishes (oiled, woodstained and painted).
Café style plantation shutters
Add a touch of continental design to your home with café style plantation shutters, which offer a compromise between light and privacy.
Available in various woods and colours, café style plantation shutters cover as much of the lower portion of the window or door as you wish with sections of adjustable louvres.
By adjusting the bottom section, these plantation shutters can provide privacy from prying eyes. The top area always remains open, enabling light to enter the room unobstructed.
This fashionable look enables you to enjoy the best of both worlds, whilst also adding elegant style to a room.
Tier on tier plantation shutters
A very versatile and flexible option, tier on tier plantation shutters is really just a fancy way of referring to two sets of shutters - one to cover the bottom section of an opening and a second set to cover the upper part.
It's a similar principle to a stable door, except both sections are made up of two "doors", each of which can be opened or closed separately. This configuration gives you the maximum possible amount of flexibility and light control.
As shown in the picture (left), one option is to open the top, but leave the bottom closed, giving a mix of light and privacy.
Tier on tier plantation shutters are available from our featured suppliers in a choice of materials to suit most budgets (wooden and fibreboard) and in a range of paint and woodstain finishes.
Tracked and motorised plantation shutters
Hillarys shutters designs also include tracked shutters (which can also serve as room dividers) and motorised shutters, which can be opened and closed using a discreet motor instead of by hand.
Full or half solid plantation shutters
B&Q / The California Co plantation shutters designs also include solid panels. These panels can cover either half or the full height of the shutters with a solid section (ie without louvres). Solid shutters are available in shaker style (recessed panel within the frame) or raised panel designs.
Where to buy plantation shutters
See our where to buy shutters article for more information about our featured plantation shutters suppliers and their services. If you'd like some informed advice about which kinds of shutters (and finishes) would best suit your home, you may wish to book a free appointment with your local Hillarys shutters advisor, who can gladly offer suggestions and also show you samples of their plantation shutters.
Hillarys 
- get a free, no obligation quote for Hillarys plantation shutters with free expert fitting (more info).
B&Q California Shutters - design and buy made-to-measure plantation shutters online for DIY installation.
More about where to buy made-to-measure shutters.