Various Styles of Shutters - Southern Living

Photography Van Chaplin, Laurey W. Glenn, John O'Hagan

Bring on the Color

Brightly colored shutters give this neutral town house a needed style boost. Remember: Every shutter doesn't have to be the same size; all that matters is that each shutter properly fits its adjacent window.

Photography Van Chaplin, Laurey W. Glenn, John O'Hagan

Decorate Dormers

Awning, or Bermuda, shutters shown here on attic windows in Gorham's Bluff, Alabama, are hinged at the top and held open with support rods. Originating in the tropics, Bermuda shutters were designed to capture ocean breezes and to provide shade from the relentless sun.

Photography Van Chaplin, Laurey W. Glenn, John O'Hagan

Just Fake It

Guess what's behind these closed shutters? ( Hint: It's not a window.) Shutters can be fixed inside a false opening to help achieve symmetry on a home's exterior.

Photography Van Chaplin, Laurey W. Glenn, John O'Hagan

Perfect for Your Porch

Whether for decoration, privacy, or protection from the elements, shutters add interest and texture to a house. The ones on the second story of this Florida home can close off the porch or be opened to let in Gulf breezes.

Photography Van Chaplin, Laurey W. Glenn, John O'Hagan

Jazz Up Your Patio Doors

The louvered look isn't for everyone. These solid-panel shutters offer extra protection for two pairs of patio doors. The shutters fold back flush against the wall when opened.

Photography Van Chaplin, Laurey W. Glenn, John O'Hagan

Get a Fab Front Entrance

The beauty of stained-wood shutters is hard to beat. The natural-colored louvered panels flanking this entrance feature a curve at the top so they can be closed seamlessly into the door frame.

Photography Van Chaplin, Laurey W. Glenn, John O'Hagan

Choose Classic Styles

This Kentucky home displays the timeless look of operable, louvered shutters held open with hinges and holdbacks called shutter dogs. Shutters, however, can be just for show. New and more maintenance-free materials such as vinyl, plastic, and lightweight metal are now on the market, making it easier and less expensive to add decorative shutters to any facade.

Photography Van Chaplin, Laurey W. Glenn, John O'Hagan

Pick Out a Pattern

Introduce pattern and color to a flat exterior. These board-and-batten shutters (flat boards butted together and held in place with a batten to make a solid surface) are painted in a bold red-and-black design.

This article is from the August 2005 issue of Southern Living.

Shutter Style

Bring on the Color

Decorate Dormers

Just Fake It

Perfect for Your Porch

Jazz Up Your Patio Doors

Get a Fab Front Entrance

Choose Classic Styles

Pick Out a Pattern