When setting out on your custom shutters journey, the very first thing to think about is your shutter style. Here at The Shutter Store, full height shutters are our most popular design. But is this the right style for you? It really boils down to whether the full height size is a practical match to your vision. Let's dive into the pros and cons! Pros of Full Height Shutters As their name suggests, Full height shutters cover the entire height of your window space and there are many positives that come with fitting this type of shutter to your window: Full height shutters offer complete privacy and light blockage, completely masking your window area. When the slats and panels are closed, full height shutters deliver insulation to banish hot or chilly temperatures. Adding a mid-rail allows you to control the upper and lower slats individually. This is particularly helpful when you'd like a bit of privacy - you can close the lower slats whilst keeping the upper slats open to maintain light within the room. Full height shutters are the easiest style to install to your windows, and considerably less fiddly than tier-on-tier shutters. But in all cases our expert phone support and downloadable guides help keep the process simple. The full height of these shutters means there's less mid rail and more slats, which give you the opportunity to have more light infiltrating the room. Full height shutters are the perfect choice if you want to fit shutters to doors. If you'd like to install shutters but are uncertain of which style is for you, it's always worth being aware of what the cons are with certain styles, to help you think of different possibilities. Full height shutters let light infiltrate a room effectively, but for some windows such as in dark bathrooms, you may prefer to leave a section of the window exposed to amplify the available light. Should this be the case, cafe style shutters will suit your needs more than full height shutters. You might wish to have more flexibility with regards to light control. Full height shutter panels open and close in unison, whereas tier on tier shutters allow you to open and close the top panels for added light and privacy control. It's always a good thing to give our environments an upgrade - in fact it's a natural impulse to want to improve our homes. But sometimes the purse strings get pulled just a little bit too tightly to work through our interior wish lists. It's just as well that home improvement doesn't have to cost the earth. So here we provide some helpful ways to make effective interior design changes on a budget, including our made-to-measure shutters! So, you're investing in shutters! How do you choose between Café Style or Tier on Tier? Would you prefer solid panel or slats? We run you through each style and their benefits. Full Height Shutters If you're looking for curtain alternatives then Full Height window shutters cover the entire window, offering elegance and privacy. Perfect for most rooms, they can be used to dress doors as well as windows. They're a popular style but what room suits them best? Because of their simple panel arrangement, they're ideal for blocking out unwanted light and outside noise, so windows that are located by busy streets would benefit from full height shutters. They offer perfect privacy from passers-by and overlooking buildings. Patio doors in lounges and kitchens are also great candidates for this design as they have a large space to cover and using curtains as a dressing can get in the way. Full length curtains can be expensive too. But if you decide to leave the doors bare, they can look cold and unappealing, especially at night. If you have young children or pets, installing shutters to French doors is a great idea. In warmer months, if you want to keep the door open for ventilation but don't want your cat or child running outside, shutters provide a good exit barrier. Installing your own latch system high up the shutter stiles is recommended to prevent small hands opening them. Café Style Shutters Café Style shutters provide privacy and openness in equal measure, covering the lower portion of the window and leaving the top clear for maximum light. For this reason, they're very popular in kitchens, as they're perfect for making the most of the light available throughout the day, which is essential for food preparation. Once the meal is ready and the family and guests have sat down to eat, both privacy and light are maintained by closing the shutters. Café style shutters are also excellent for bathrooms that aren't overlooked by other properties. Who wouldn't want to lie in the bath unseen while still gazing up at the sky? These shutters, like all our styles except solid wood, are also available in waterproof finishes for installations in humid rooms or windows near sinks. Another consideration is for your workspace at home. If you need a stylish deterrent to stop you staring out of the window when you should be working on your masterpiece, then these smart shutters are the ones for you! Solid shutters Solid shutters don't have any slats - instead they're made from a single panel, making them great for reducing noise and shutting light out from a bedroom. In fact, they're the very best shutters to achieve near blackout conditions. Associated with historic houses or homes from a warmer climate, they can add an authentic flavour to your Georgian townhouse with an extra touch of rural bliss. But their simple elegance has also made them popular in understated architecture too. You can also choose the option of having part solid/part louvred shutters installed with a solid shutter on the bottom half of the door and slats on the top half. On French Doors for example, the solid section is easier to wipe down when traffic enters and exits the doorway, bringing dust in from outdoors. Tier on Tier If you're seeking adaptable shutters with optimum flexibility, then our Tier on Tier shutters - also known as Venetian shutters - deliver just that. With these designs, you control the upper and lower tiers separately, which means you can allow light in from the top while screening your room with the lower tier. Inherited or installed French doors in your home? They can pose a real problem to dress. Options can feel limited, and the tendency is usually to opt for patio door curtains but they aren't ideal. You want something that will bring privacy but not block the light. You've considered leaving them bare but during the night that big expanse of dark glass can look cold and uninviting. You don't want to spend a huge amount but with it being a big space to cover, often with measurements that exceed the standard 228cm drop of ready made curtains, you're worried you might have to pay over the odds. Well the good news is that installing shutters to patio doors is the answer to all these issues and more Shutters are made to measure It's often a struggle to find affordable window dressing for French doors, especially when measurements exceed the industry standard measurements on ready made blinds and curtains. With shutters, you needn't worry about large or irregular measurements of your patio doors. All our shutters are made to measure, securely fitting the opening of your doors and/or side windows.