So you’ve seen the pictures on Pinterest or you’ve seen our Shutter Inspiration Board. Now you want your own, but you don’t know where to even begin.
Don’t be put off by the jargon – you’re in good hands with Shutterlux.
Have a look at a breakdown of some of the terms you’ll hear when you begin your journey towards spectacular shutters.
Louvres
Pronounced ‘loover’, a louvre is a slat – one of many which are put together to form your shutter and can be adjusted and tilted to let in varying degrees of light and ventilation.
We offer shutters with louvres in 3 different widths, namely 63mm, 89mm and 114mm.
Frames
The frame is the bracket which attaches to your window or door opening. The shutters then attach to the frame.
[Pro Tip: Much of the shutter design and installation process is heavily dependent on the features of the openings which they are covering. You will need to base most of the design process on this.]
A frame with an inside mount installation fits inside the window recess, in line with the wall.
A frame with an outside mount installation fits on the outside of the window frame, projecting slightly into the room.
We offer shutters with either an L-frame or a Z-frame. Deciding which one is best for you depends on the type of window or door which the shutters are being attached to.
L-Frames
- Can be used for an inside mount or outside mount installation
- Perfect for windows that already have an existing trim
- Subtle square frame
Z-Frames
- Can only be used for inside mount installations
- Great for covering gaps between the frame and the window and for special-shape windows (e.g. arches or circles)
- Offers a more decorative finish if you do not have an existing trim
Configuration Systems
For day-to-day use, you will open and close the louvres. But what the configuration system refers to is how the shutter frames open when you want to fully access the window or door opening.
We offer 3 systems:
- Hinged
- Bi-Fold
- Bypass
The simplest option is a hinged system. This generally opens and closes like a hinged door.
Next is the bi-fold system. This folds and stacks together on the side of the window or door – almost like an accordion.
The bypass system is a sliding system. Each frame simply slides to the side to neatly stack away.
Tilt Rods
Finally, you need to be able to easily open and close your louvres. There are 2 options, depending on how you want it to look and how you want it to function.
- A centred tilt rod functions like a handle which you can manoeuvre to open and close all of the louvres on a specific frame. It also gives your shutters that traditional plantation shutter look, showing as a neat line going down the centre of the shutter.
- A secret tilt rod hides the above mechanism so that you get a cleaner, more minimalistic look. To open or close the louvres, you just move any individual louvre, and the rest will tilt with it.
Now that you know the terminology, the fun can begin! We can walk you through the complicated processes so that all you have to worry about is what colours you like best.
So come to Shutterlux and redesign your space with all the wonder and whimsy that only shutters can provide.