Plantation Shutters for Uniquely Shaped Windows
Plantation Shutters for Uniquely Shaped Windows | Wasatch ShutterShopping for window treatments can get difficult when your home has uniquely shaped windows, such as circle windows or arched windows. The good news, though, is that there is a window treatment to solve this problem, and that window treatment is the custom plantation shutter. Here is a look at some of the most common shaped windows in homes and how custom plantation shutters can be made to fit them perfectly.
Does your home have a circle or oval window? If you've considered blinds or shades for your windows in the past, you probably ruled out finding a suitable window treatment for this window. With plantation shutters, however, you can have a shutter custom made with precisely cut slats that cover only the circular shape of the window. Shutters can be made to have all horizontal slats, or they can be made to have slats that are oriented around the center of the circle (sunburst).
Many of today's windows feature an arch shaped window on top of a standard rectangular window. Arched windows actually come in many different types and have different names to classify them, including half-circle, eyebrow, quarter round, ellipse, and circle top. Whether your arched windows are perfect semi-circles (half circle), or they feature straight edges along the sides (eyebrow with extended legs), plantation shutters can be custom made to suit these windows. As with circular window shutters, arch window shutters can be made to have all horizontal slats, or slats that are oriented around the center of the arch (sunburst), depending on the shape of the window.
Some French style doors feature a square or oval cut-out where the door handle is located. This might seem to complicate things when you choose to install plantation shutters on the glass of your French style door. The good news, however, is that custom plantation shutters solve this problem completely. Even if the glass on your door isn't a perfect rectangle, a plantation shutter can be fitted and mounted with ease. And that's something that blinds simply can't do.
Consider the many window shapes that today's homes have, including gothic arch, triangle, trapezoid, octagon, hexagon, pentagon, and quarter radius. Windows come in virtually countless shapes and sizes. Unlike any other type of window treatment, plantation shutters can be made to suit any and all of these shapes.
A Brief History of Exterior Shutters
A Brief History of Exterior ShuttersLike plantation shutters, exterior window shutters seem to have their beginnings in Ancient Greece. Believe it or not, these shutters were actually designed first for the inside of a home before they were designed for the outside of a home-not the other way around. These original interior Greek shutters were made from marble, and then eventually wood once the demand for these shutters rose significantly. The original purpose of these shutters was to provide protection against the Mediterranean climate. (You can read more about these early plantation shutters in our blog post about the history of plantation shutters.) These original shutters would soon feature a louver that would allow the shutter slats to be moved upward and downward to control light and ventilation. Shutters pointed downward could shelter against rain, and closed shutters could provide privacy as needed.
Fast forward to Tudor England, the turn of the sixteenth century. Glass at this time was still an expensive luxury, and many windows featured only a glass pane on the top half, with shutters installed on the bottom half. These shutters were often made simply of wooden boards, and the shutter would be opened and closed to let in air and light as needed. Closed shutters would offer security, privacy, and insulation against extreme temperatures. Soon in the 1700s, once windows commonly began to feature glass on both the top and bottom panels, interior shutters would be used increasingly as a decorative element that covered the top and bottom panes, in addition to being functional.
Exterior shutters did not really become commonplace on homes until the eighteenth century. They became especially common in the Victorian era in England, when homes began to feature thinner walls (made of timber rather than stone or brick). With thinner walls, reaching out through the window to open and close shutters became a practical option. These early exterior shutters could be either raised solid panels or louvered shutters (often termed “blinds” at this time). They were mounted off to the side of the window casing. Often the shutters on the bottom floor would be solid panels to provide privacy, while the shutters on the top floor would be “blinds” to let sunlight and air stream through during warmer months.
Of course, most exterior shutters you see on homes today are installed purely for aesthetic purposes, especially with the many advancements that have been made in windows and window treatments. We at Wasatch Shutter, of course, specialize in custom interior plantation shutters for homes. Contact us today to find out how we can custom-fit beautiful interior shutters to your home's windows.
Spring Cleaning Your Windows
Spring Cleaning Your Windows - Wasatch ShutterOver time, your window sills and tracks become home to a host of things: pollen, dirt, leaves, bugs, and more. If left unchecked, this buildup can make it difficult to open your windows and potentially damage the tracks. It is important to take the time to give your windows a thorough cleaning at least once a year. Here is what to do.
Tracks
Start by taking a vacuum hose along your window tracks and vacuum out any large items such as bugs and other debris. At that point in time, try to loosen any dirt with a rag before you add water, and then vacuum again (if you skip this step, you will just end up with a muddy mess). Then spray down the tracks with your cleaning agent of choice (be it Clorox or water mixed with vinegar) and wipe down the tracks with a thin object such as a toothbrush (an electric toothbrush works quite well) or a Q-tip.
Blinds or Shades
If you have wooden or vinyl blinds, gently wipe them down with a damp cloth to clean them. If you have fabric shades, take a vacuum hose and vacuum them, paying special attention to the folds in the fabric. Some shades can be placed in the washer on a gentle cycle, just check the tag. If you have curtains, throw those in the washer to clean them and get rid of any dust (if you can - if not, gently hand wash them).
Sills
Wipe down the window sills with a damp cloth, paying close attention to the corners. Again, a thin object such as a toothbrush works well to remove built up dust and debris. If your window sills are wood, wipe them dry so that they do not become ruined.
Wash the Glass Inside and Out
The best way to wash your window panes is to use the squeegee method. Fill a bucket with warm soapy water and dip a rag in the mixture. Wipe down the window with said rag. Take the squeegee and squeegee the water off, drying it with another rag after each downward swipe. At the end, wipe up your window sills to remove any accumulated water. Don't forget to wash the outside of your windows too. If you can reach them, do the same squeegee method as you did on the inside of your windows. If you cannot reach your windows on the outside, powerwash them to remove any dirt or debris.