Five Exterior Shutter Styles You Should Know

Published: January 21, 2021

Exterior Board and Batten Wooden Shutters

When it comes to choosing new exterior shutters for your home it is important to know the main styles to choose from and how each of their aesthetic and practical qualities can benefit your home. Each shutter type has unique designs and features that can benefit you and your style in different ways.

Louvered Shutters

Exterior wooden louvered shutters were first created to allow ventilation within your home all while providing home owners privacy from the outside world. With the invention of window screens louvered shutters lost some of their luster but not all as screens do allow you to have your windows open and block any unwanted pests from entering they do not provide really any privacy nor protection from direct sunlight. Louvered shutters when closed will allow the air to flow through the louvers all while providing relief from direct sunlight and those passing by.

Raised Panel Shutters

The raised panel shutter is more of a classic colonial shutter, however these shutters do fit go well with modern homes and home designs as well. You may see black raised panel shutters on the exterior of mid-century light colored homes where they act as a contrasting focal point to the lighter exterior.

Flat Panel Shutters

Exterior flat panel shutters bear clean timeless lines with a flat panel or panels inset between the rails and stiles. These shaker panel shutters while simple looking are becoming stylish in modern designs and do not look to be falling out of favor anytime soon.

Board & Batten Shutters

Are you looking for more of a farmhouse look for your home's exterior? Board and Batten shutters are a perfect addition here; with their simplistic look and design these shutters are something that a farmer would've added to the farmhouse during construction using materials leftover from the building of the house.

Bahama / Bermuda Shutters

Sporting louvers similar to a traditional louvered shutter, Bahama shutters are a wider version that hinges at the top of the window rather than on the sides. You typically only see Bahama shutters in coastal areas where humidity and tropical storm threats are more imminent. Bahama / Bermuda shutters are a great option in these areas as they provide quick window protection against incoming hurricanes, while their everyday use is more geared to keeping your home cool and allowing ventilation.