Westlake Royal Building Products™ has added new on-trend colors to its Mid-America™ vinyl shutters line. The four dark colors—French Roast, Storm Cloud, Treated Cedar, and Platinum—complement current trends in siding colors. They’re ideally suited for styles across the Mid-America vinyl shutters line, including open louver, raised panel, Board-N-Batten, and louver/panel combo shutters.
“Shutters give homes a distinctive appearance, elevating their curb appeal and charm through accurate architectural designs and vibrant colors. Beyond simply complementing windows, they contribute an additional layer of beauty and vibrancy to a home’s overall aesthetic,” said Steve Booz, vice president of marketing for Westlake Royal Building Products. “We’re proud to expand Mid-America’s comprehensive selection of shutters through the addition of four new colors that cater to the rising demand for darker accessories.”
Mid-America shutters in new French Roast
Vinyl Shutters Provide Aesthetics, Low Maintenance
Mid-America vinyl shutters come in a diverse range of colors, sizes, and styles, making it effortless for pros and homeowners alike to find the perfect accents to complement any home. The shutters are visually appealing and low maintenance, and they’re easy to install, equipped with hardware suitable for any siding system or home exterior, including vinyl, poly-ash, fiber cement, wood, brick, stucco, and stone.
All Mid-America exterior vinyl shutters feature SolidThru™ Colors. This ensures enduring vibrancy and guarantees that even in the event of scratches or impacts, the chosen color remains unchanged.
Mid-America shutters in new Platinum
With the addition of the four new hues, Mid-America offers 14 total colors, including Black, White, Clay, Midnight Blue, Forest Green, and Wineberry. A paintable version also is available.
For more information about Mid-America siding accessories, including shutters, trim, gable vents, and mount blocks, visit https://midamericacomponents.com.
Shutters are an ideal finishing touch for most home exteriors. And with countless options across price points, styles, and colors, it’s easy for pros and consumers alike to find the perfect fit for each home. But that extensive selection also can become overwhelming, especially for homeowners. Dealers selling shutters can play a key role in helping customers narrow down their options and secure the best match.
Consider these sales strategies to support pros and DIYers:
• Don’t start with price: The best way to begin the selection conversation is determining the customer’s functional and aesthetic needs. What are the most important attributes they’re looking for? Low maintenance? Do they favor a wood look? What design style are they seeking? Do they want operable or fixed units? These initial discussions will help point you and the customer toward a category and profile first.
Not only will this help customers find a product they like, it also can help you avoid providing price quotes for each and every feature. Determine what they want, then discuss pricing options.
• Ramp up your knowledge: Between the number of options and the requirements for proper sizing, it’s critical that retailers selling shutters understand the nuances of materials, styles, and specifications. (See some of the mistakes your customers might make here.) Leverage your Westlake Royal Building Products’ sales reps—they’re your resource for training and questions. They also may be able to accompany you on the jobsite, present to the customer, and provide measuring and installation support.
• Create displays: For homeowners, seeing and touching product options can help them realize the impact of adding shutters as well as decide between materials. If space allows, create a working façade showing a few of the most popular profiles. Work with your manufacturer to get hand samples of the options you offer, not only of the shutters themselves, but also the hardware.
• Leverage color guides and design tools: Consult color guides available from Atlantic Premium Shutters and Mid-America components. In addition, dealers and their customers can use online design tools such as the Virtual Remodeler to see which shutter styles and colors will look best on their home and in combination with their siding, windows, roofing, and trim.
• Ask customers to bring photos and examples: Choosing the right shutter style for the home can be confusing to buyers. Encourage them to bring a photo of their home so you can help determine which profiles will be best suited to the façade. In addition, they can bring Pinterest examples and other inspiration to guide the aesthetic conversation.
• Relay the process: Homeowners may not understand the extended lead times required for custom colors and that shutters are often the last thing to be installed on the home’s exterior. Make sure to manage expectations by discussing the true delivery timeline.
Exterior shutters are one of the easiest ways to give the home the perfect finishing touch or to freshen up a dated, ho-hum façade. But good-looking shutters don’t just depend on choosing high-quality products. Style selection and installation techniques can play a key role in how the shutters appear—and whether they look authentic.
Even if the shutters will remain fixed, they need to appear as if they properly open and close; the eye can tell the difference even when the shutters are open. This is why shutter size is so important. When specifying a shutter size, don’t replicate the window exactly. We recommend allowing 1/4” on all sides so the shutters will “fit” into the window opening if they were closed.
To properly size the shutters, measure the width of the window opening to where the shutters would close, then deduct 3/4”, then repeat the measurement for the height and deduct 1/2”. This will give you 1/4” on all sides, enough to ensure the shutters close easily with a little left over to accommodate any mistakes.
Improper Shapes
Similarly, square exterior shutters won’t fit into arch-top window openings, so be sure to specify shutters in the same shape as the window. In addition, for round-top shutters, make sure the tops arch away from the window when open so that they would match the shape when closed.
Mismatched Rails
Some may prefer to center the shutters’ horizontal rail within the window. This technique is fine and a matter of preference, but to be historically accurate, you’ll want to measure the shutters so that the mid-rail drops slightly below the window’s meeting rail. In the past, homeowners would raise the window for ventilation but close the shutters, so positioning the mid-rail in this way ensured they could reach the latch or slide bolt to lock the shutters closed.
Misaligned Exterior Shutters
Prior to fully securing the shutters, close them to ensure they sit at an even height. If the window is slightly askew, the shutters may appear uneven. You may need to shim the shutters into the opening before mounting the pintles on the trimboard.
Upside-Down Louvers
A surprisingly common mistake is to hang shutters upside down, particularly louvered shutters. When the shutters are open, the louvers should slope down toward the wall, so that when closed, they would slope away from the window to shed rainwater.
Choosing Improper Hardware for Exterior Shutters
When selecting hardware, take both the shutter style and the home’s cladding into consideration. For example, brick exteriors will require you to attach shutter hardware to the brickmold to ensure the shutter can close fully. How the window sits also comes into play—most windows are recessed, but in some modern styles vinyl windows will protrude past the siding.
Hardware orientation matters, as well. For example, acorn-style holdbacks are designed to sit unseen behind the shutter to lock it in place, making these holdbacks an ideal option for tall shutters to help avoid rattling. S-style or rattail holdbacks go in front and should not be fastened too tightly to avoid marring the shutter finish.
If you have any doubts about hardware calculations and sizing, talk to an experienced dealer or your manufacturer’s representative for assistance.
Improper Pintle Placement
The pintle, where the shutter attaches to the house, is typically installed with the pintle pin facing upward to make it easy to set the shutters in place. However, this makes the shutters more prone to blowoff in a storm. Install one pintle pin upside down (either the bottom or the top if there are two, or the middle if there are three) to lock it in place and avoid blowoff.
Shutters are an easy way to add a bit of flair to a new or existing home, and in many cases are the key finishing touch to the perfect exterior. But it’s important to make thoughtful shutter selection choices and install them properly to ensure they look and function as designed.
Here are a few strategies to help ensure you select the right profiles and install them in a way that preserves exterior aesthetics.
Select the right shutter style
For shutter selection, it’s important to choose a style that marries well with your overall home design, otherwise the shutters will stand out for all the wrong reasons and can throw off the entire vibe of the façade. For example, a Southern Colonial home calls for louvered shutters, while Cape Cod-style homes often feature raised panel, louvered, and board-and-batten shutters. No matter how much your customer likes Bahama shutters, they’re not going to look right on a ranch home. (See more style combinations here.)
Select the right shutter shape and size
Shutters should be the same shape as the window they are covering so as to properly cover the window when closed (even if the shutters are fixed). Therefore, arched shutters should be used on round-top windows only. The arch should match the curvature of the window for the most accurate look.
The same goes for size: Shutters used in pairs should be measured properly so they fit inside the casing when closed. Even if the shutters are fixed, the eye will notice the difference.
Place shutters correctly
Another common installation mistake is extending the shutter to land directly on the window frame. Shutters are actually designed to hang on the inside edge of the window casing or frame next to the sash. This helps ensure a tight fit when shutters are closed to protect the window.
Account for thickness
For operable shutters, the thickness of the shutter must be considered when choosing hardware to ensure the shutter closes properly. Consult with your dealer or manufacturer rep to help calculate the thickness of the shutter in relation to the pintel and the hinge. Bring pictures of the exterior so they can account for brickmold and window trim.
Choose the right hardware
Because shutters sit differently on different types of cladding, take siding material and style into consideration when selecting hardware. Brick homes, for example, will require hardware attachment to the brickmold in many cases to ensure the shutter can close into the window recess and lay outside the brick when open. Hardware also is available to accommodate lap siding and trim board, among other styles and materials. (Learn more about choosing shutter hardware here.)
Don’t install shutters flat against the exterior
Historically, shutters are not installed flat against the exterior; they lay back at a slight angle so they can easily swing open and close tightly together to cover the window. However, many people using shutters purely for decorative function make the mistake of installing shutters flat against the exterior. To uphold the original functional design, space shutters off of the home’s exterior using operable hardware.
With an extensive range of styles and unparalleled craftsmanship, it’s easy to elevate the home exterior with Atlantic Premium Shutters. Consider these shutter selection strategies to make the most out of your choices and provide an instant boost in curb appeal.
The appearance of shutters and their impact on the home’s aesthetics not only depends on the style and color, but also how they’re installed and what type of hardware is chosen. Hardware is a small detail—but one that can have a dramatic influence on the home’s authenticity.
Here are a few strategies to keep in mind when choosing hardware for shutters.
• Seek guidance: Choosing the right hardware for custom shutters requires some basic expertise—and even a bit of math. When in doubt, talk to an experienced dealer or the manufacturer’s representative. They can provide advice on the proper hinge and pintel offsets for your shutters and the home to ensure you get the look you’re striving for.
• Consider the home’s age: If the home is older or the style is vintage, select hardware that contributes to an authentic look. For example, a slide bolt can help keep shutters closed while adding an old-timey appearance. Visible S holdbacks and rat-tail holdbacks also add a historic vibe. In addition, older homes typically have shutters that sit back at an angle in the open position, whereas shutters for today’s homes tend to lie flat, so consider how different offsets of the hinge and the pintel will impact the way the shutter sits.
• Take cladding into account: Shutters will sit differently on different types of cladding, both in material and style, because it impacts how the window is installed. Brick homes, for example, will require hardware attachment to the brickmold and allow the shutter to close into the recess of the window and when open to lay outside on the brick. Hardware also is available to accommodate lap siding and trim board, among other styles and materials.
• Account for shutter thickness: The thickness of the shutter will impact which offsets are needed for proper operation. The thickness must be considered when choosing hardware to ensure the shutter closes properly. Your dealer can assist with calculating the thickness of the shutter in relation to the pintel and the hinge. Bring pictures of the exterior so they can account for brickmold and window trim.
• Consider visibility: Determine if you want visible hardware from the front or back. For front-exposed hardware, for example, a strap hinge will look more appealing than an L hinge, especially if the shutter has three hinges; if exposed to the rear, hinge style is less important.
• Consider adding acorn holdbacks: For tall shutters (such as those 5 feet and above), decorative holdbacks, such as an S holdback, sit low on the shutter and do not hold the top of the shutter. This one holdback may not be strong enough to prevent vibration in wind. Adding acorn holdbacks behind the shutter can help anchor the shutter to prevent movement and potential scratching while retaining the look of the S holdback on the front.
• Conduct occasional maintenance: Made of 304 stainless steel, Atlantic shutter hardware doesn’t need much maintenance, but can be cleaned of pollen and dust when necessary. Clean with mild soapy water and a soft cloth, not with a heavy bristle brush.
Get inspired to achieve the perfect look by browsing Atlantic Premium Shutters’ hardware options here.
Replacement shutters are one of the easiest ways to give the home exterior an instant facelift. Simple changes in shutter color or style can transform the façade with minimal work—it’s a small investment that can net a big payoff.
“For the cost and labor, shutters should come to mind more often for home improvement projects,” says Matt Bjorkstrom, Associate Merchant for Lowe’s, which exclusively distributes Vantage shutters. “When you change out the shutters, it really makes a difference to the façade.”
Here are a few things to keep in mind as you choose new replacement shutters for the home:
• Consider size: When choosing new shutters, sizing is just as important as color and style. Even though most shutters today are solely decorative, they’re meant to mimic real, operable units. So when choosing a size, ensure the new shutters “appear” that they would close properly over the window. Otherwise, they’ll look inauthentic.
In addition, make sure the replacement shutters are the same size as or larger than your current shutters.
• Choose replacement shutter styles that complement your home exterior: Certain shutter styles go better with some materials versus others. For example, panel-style shutters are ideal for brick or fiber cement facades, while louvered shutters go well with vinyl siding, traditional homes, or coastal homes. Board-and-batten is well-suited to Craftsman exteriors or more contemporary looks.
Also keep your neighborhood in mind: Are there HOA requirements or restrictions? What styles will be complementary to (though not necessarily match) neighboring homes?
And be sure to use the same style shutter throughout the exterior; mixing styles on the same home will look off. The same goes for shutter colors.
Vantage open louver shutters are the perfect complement to this traditional-style home.
• Seize the color opportunity: Because shutters are an easy, relatively affordable way to refresh your exterior, it gives you more freedom to experiment and be bold. Black shutters will always look great, but why not try out new, eye-catching color combinations, Bjorkstrom suggests, such as teal shutters on gray siding?
The front door is another place to experiment with bolder colors, so consider matching the entry door and the shutters to create pops of color and really set the home apart from others.
Blue Vantage shutters with matching entry door differentiate this brick Colonial-style home while still feeling authentic.
• Seek out inspiration: Shutters are a component that make a façade feel complete yet don’t stick out. Look to sites like Pinterest and Houzz for shutter inspiration—what adds to a home versus distracts? What color combinations pop without looking garish? Also, be check out Vantage’s idea gallery for more ideas.
One of the most fun reveals at the end of each year are the various Colors of the Year announcements from manufacturers and color experts. They’re a unique reflection of the current moods of the populace and perhaps also a nudge toward where we expect to be headed in the coming 12 months.
This year was no exception, as three of the major Color of the Year announcements seemed to deliver on a similar theme of calm, hope, and grounding.
Here’s a look at the colors, what they symbolize, and how you can leverage them on your homes.
2021 Colors of the Year
For only the second time in 22 years, Pantone selected two Colors of the Year: Ultimate Gray (17-5104) and Illuminating (13-0647). The two hues “highlight how different elements come together to support one another,” the company says. “Practical and rock solid but at the same time warming and optimistic, the union of Pantone 17-5104 Ultimate Gray and Pantone 13-0647 Illuminating is one of strength and positivity. It is a story of color that encapsulates deeper feelings of thoughtfulness with the promise of something sunny and friendly.”
Pantone’s Illuminating and Ultimate Gray (Image courtesy Pantone)
Sherwin-Williams named Urbane Bronze (SW 7047 (245-C7)), a rich, enveloping gray-brown, its Color of the Year. “Nature at its simplest and most elemental—embodying the richness of the Earth’s stone, metal, and wood—forges a feeling that’s grounded, meditative, and serene,” the paint manufacturer describes. “Let a color rooted in nature create a feeling of calm and bring all you cherish together.”
Paint manufacturer Benjamin Moore went for a richer neutral as well with its selection of Aegean Teal 2136-40, “a blend of blue-green and gray … an intriguing midtone that creates natural harmony,” as its Color of the Year. The hue, along with the other colors in the company’s Color Trends 2021 Palette, celebrates the simple pleasures of home, eliciting a feeling of calming positivity that embraces the viewer in its warmth. The aesthetic feels traditional but much more modern in tone.
Benjamin Moore’s Aegean Teal (Image courtesy Benjamin Moore)
“Every year, the Colors of the Year reflect what’s happened over the past 12 months, and that is very apparent in this year’s selections,” says Trisha Wagner, National Accounts Manager for Boral Building Products. “People have changed a lot in how they view their surroundings; it’s taken a turn from looking at home from outside in. And these colorscapes demonstrate that.”
How to Apply Trending Colors to the Home Exterior
Wagner points out that home aesthetics are no longer just about curb appeal. With the pandemic, home is also a workspace, vacation space, and much more—so how colors live is important. They need to be much more fluid, with a flow from inside to out, rather than a bold exterior color with a more neutral interior or vice versa.
Trending colors have a feel of the “new neutral,” with a natural tone but with a richness that keeps them feeling modern. In siding, Foundry’s Deep Granite color is one example.
“When I look at new construction projects, it’s not just siding and stone; it’s shake in the gable, multiple textures, but they’re all tonal. Texture and color fold and weave into this calm, serene space,” says Wagner. “It’s the same on the interior. We’re seeing less of the stark contrast, such as a single accent wall in a bold red. It’s more of a blend. It’s not just about one room, it’s about the palette throughout the home.”
Foundry siding on the second floor blends with the first-floor hues to create a soothing-yet-elegant look.
There’s still a place for bold, but there’s an elegance to it. The bright red is still around, but in a deeper, earthier version that feels calm instead of overpowering. On the exterior, a neutral palette may pair with black-framed windows or a half wall of Versetta Stone’s Northern Ash hue. “That’s the foundation for some of these modern neutrals. We’re not going back to the boring hues. These are elevated, richer, calmer,” Wagner explains.
Versetta Stone in Northern Ash offers an opportunity to add a bold look without feeling overpowering.
The Colors of the Year themselves can be easily weaved into a front door, shutters, and other accents, areas that showcase a trend without having to make a dramatic change.
Shutters and doors offer homeowners an opportunity to experiment with trendy colors, whether the Colors of the Year or a bright green as seen here, without making too much of a commitment.
“Colors are an absolute reflection of where we are this year,” Wagner says. “Color inspires. We shouldn’t be afraid of it, but it has to work with you.”
Ready to take advantage of the latest color trends? Atlantic Shutters can be matched to nearly any color, offering a perfect opportunity to incorporate similar hues to the Colors of the Year. And TruExterior Siding & Trim can be painted any color, making it easy to respond to the latest preferences.
Shutters seem pretty straightforward. But do you know the lingo well enough to sell them confidently to your customers? Here are a few common terms you should know.
Open Louver The angled slats of open louver offer a timeless design.
Atlantic open louver shutters
Raised Panel Raised panel units feature a traditional design with one or more raised center panels with chamfered edges.
Atlantic raised panel shutters
Board and Batten Board and batten shutters are vertically oriented boards typically featuring a minimum of two wide strips, called battens, horizontally fixed with narrow trim in between.
Atlantic board and batten shutters
Bahama Rather than swinging in from two sides, Bahama shutters install singly and swing upward. As their name implies, this style is used frequently in the Caribbean because it blocks UV rays while allowing in ambient light and breezes. A sophisticated privacy solution for coastal locations or homes with a coastal-style exterior.
Atlantic Bahama shutters
Storm Shutters These specialty units are made specifically to withstand the impact of wind-driven debris. Open, they look no different. During a storm, they close and lock into place with storm bars to protect the shutter leaf, the window, and the home’s interior. Before buying, verify that your storm shutters meet the Large Missile Impact Test requirement as specified in the IRC and IBC 2006.
Operable vs. Decorative Historically, shutters were more than just a decoration. They were used to block out sun, control temperature, and provide privacy. But, as Fine Homebuilding explains, those uses were less needed when drapes and blinds became the norm. Today, most shutters are purely decorative, or inoperable. Operable shutters, like those from Atlantic, still offer those same benefits as well as an extra dose of authenticity.
Holdbacks Holdback hardware does just what it says: holds operable units in place but is easily turned to release the panel for closure. Common styles include the elegant S holdback, a simple dog post holdback, or a scrolling rat-tail holdback. They’re not just for operable units: Use holdbacks for decorative shutters to ensure an authentic look.
When a customer reached out to Boral Building Products and Mid-America Components about finding a matching replacement for her storm-damaged shutters, Brand Manager Trisha Wagner jumped into action. “Those are the moments you live for,” she says. “You’re making a difference in someone’s home.”
When
lifestyle blogger Maggie Kern bought her 1960s ranch home in Charlotte, N.C.,
its old red-orange brick and rotting teal shutters simply didn’t suit her
style. “I like everything clean and simple with a Boho flair to it,” she says.
With an active toddler underfoot, Kern needed a fast, easy fix that better fit
her aesthetic. To freshen up the façade, she paired new shutters and paint in a
pretty mix.
A Clean Slate To create a light, modern underlay, Kern, the blogger behind Polished Closets, first had the home’s entire exterior painted white. “With a white background, you can change up the accessories to keep a simple feel with added interest,” she says. Classic black dresses up the ironwork and gutters while also creating contrast. The deep emerald green of the front door was inspired by the color of her grandmother’s door when she was growing up.
A
tried-and-true Southerner, Kern wanted shutters both to keep to the local
architectural aesthetic and to infuse a pop of personality. “I think shutters
add a cool design detail to any house—they can really change the look and
feel,” she says.
Though
most of their neighbors had open-louver or raised-panel styles, she and her
husband, Neil, chose pre-colored Vantage board-and-batten shutters with spacing. “It’s
fun to peek through the boards and see the [home’s] paint underneath,” Kern says.
Made of easy-care PVC with a wood-grain effect, the shutters shouldn’t crack, peel, or fade. “I already have too many things to maintain in my life—this is one less thing to worry about,” she says.
Painless Process From start to finish, the work took a week. Professional painters from Beyond the Paint in Waxhaw spent three days prepping and painting the exterior. The next Saturday, Kern had the shutter company help with the shutters, though she was able to do most of the installation herself.
Since the
shutters were surprisingly lightweight, Kern lifted them into place to align
with the brickwork. She then drilled holes through the shutters and into the
mortar between the bricks, hammered in matching fasteners, and hung the shutters. “It was so easy,”
she says. Putting up nine sets of shutters took just a few hours.
Seamless Style Throughout Inside the home, black accents, flashes of emerald, and a clean, airy white palette happily harmonize with the exterior. “It looks nice and clean and modern outside, then you walk in and it feels the same,” Kern says. Warm wooden furniture beckons people to sit a spell, cats Gracie and Olive lounge lazily in sunny spots, and tall plants wave their fronds pleasantly at guests.
Kern house before the remodel.
The End Result These days the house presents a crisp and cheerful face to the street. “It now makes a good first impression,” Kern says. The paint gleams and, thanks to their durable material, the shutters still look bright. “It’s always the details that make a whole look come together. And the shutters were the perfect finishing touch.”
Shutters were originally used to protect homes from harsh elements or provide shade. Today, they are more commonly installed as an accent, to add color to exteriors and increase curb appeal. This shift from functional to decorative use has diminished the authenticity of many home designs, leaving many to wonder: Which shutters capture the authentic look of popular home styles?
Here are a few guidelines to consider:
Craftsman The appeal of Craftsman-style homes is that they can be customized to create truly one-of-a-kind designs. These homes take pride in their high quality and craftsmanship, but also have a humble simplicity with clean lines and timeless architectural details. Craftsman-style homes have experienced a resurgence because of their versatility and emphasis on quality.
Although Shaker shutters are one of the most frequently used styles for Craftsman homes, this type of home works with virtually any shutter style. Board-and-batten shutter designs are popular for exteriors that have more rustic details, while flat and raised panel options offer a clean look similar to the Shaker style.
Urban Farmhouse With its down-to-earth comfort, the Farmhouse style is regaining popularity among homeowners who seek the charm of country style with modern touches. These homes often feature wraparound porches, vertical siding similar to barn house siding, and minimalist design features. Shutters add an interesting architectural detail on an otherwise simple exterior.
Board-and-batten shutters capture an authentic Farmhouse style and create an inviting country exterior. They have a range of style options, including spaced or joined boards, and two or three cross battens. For a less rustic take on the Farmhouse style, louvered shutters are another popular option due to their versatile, traditional design.
Colonial A true American classic, Colonial homes reflect the earliest home styles of the first European settlers. These homes feature square, symmetrical designs with refined, formal details like dentil moulding.
Traditional Colonial shutter styles vary across regions due to differences
in climate. Colonial homes in the north are often equipped with paneled
shutters, which were originally used as a defense against harsh elements like
wind and snow in the New England region.
Southern Colonial homes, on the other hand, typically feature louvered shutters. The angled slats of louvered shutters helped keep the interior of the home cool by blocking sunlight while allowing airflow. Many Southern regions, such as Charleston, S.C., honor the traditional design and feature classic louvered shutters, both in paneled louvered and full-length styles.
Cape Cod Inspired by New England Colonial style designs, Cape Cod homes feature clean, symmetrical designs and dormers. However, these home styles are less formal and have cozier, more cottage-like floor plans and exteriors.
Homeowners can achieve an authentic Cape Cod design with any
shutter style. These homes often feature raised panel, louvered, and board-and-batten
shutters. Still, many homeowners are shifting toward paneled shutters because
they do not collect dirt as easily as other styles and are less susceptible to
nuisances like insect nests.
Atlantic and Mid-America shutters are designed with authenticity in mind, with architecturally accurate designs and more depth and dimension. View the full line of Mid-America shutters and Atlantic shutters to capture the right look.
Shutters seem pretty straightforward. But do you know the lingo well enough to sell them confidently to your customers? Here are a few common terms you should know.
Open Louver The angled slats of open louver offer a timeless design.
Atlantic open louver shutters
Raised Panel Raised panel units feature a traditional design with one or more raised center panels with chamfered edges.
Atlantic raised panel shutters
Board and Batten Board and batten shutters are vertically oriented boards typically featuring a minimum of two wide strips, called battens, horizontally fixed with narrow trim in between.
Atlantic board and batten shutters.
Bahama Rather than swinging in from two sides, Bahama shutters install singly and swing upward. As their name implies, this style is used frequently in the Caribbean because it blocks UV rays while allowing in ambient light and breezes. A sophisticated privacy solution for coastal locations or homes with a coastal-style exterior.
Atlantic Bahama shutters
Storm Shutters These specialty units are made specifically to withstand the impact of wind-driven debris. Open, they look no different. During a storm, they close and lock into place with storm bars to protect the shutter leaf, the window, and the home’s interior. Before buying, verify that your storm shutters meet the Large Missile Impact Test requirement as specified in the IRC and IBC 2006.
Operable vs. Decorative Historically, shutters were more than just a decoration. They were used to block out sun, control temperature, and provide privacy. But, as Fine Homebuilding explains, those uses were less needed when drapes and blinds became the norm. Today, most shutters are purely decorative, or inoperable. Operable shutters, like those from Atlantic, still offer those same benefits as well as an extra dose of authenticity.
Holdbacks Holdback hardware does just what it says: holds operable units in place but is easily turned to release the panel for closure. Common styles include the elegant S holdback, a simple dog post holdback, or a scrolling rat-tail holdback. They’re not just for operable units: Use holdbacks for decorative shutters to ensure an authentic look.
