Decorating Your Home with Outdoor Custom Window Coverings

One of the most recognizable outdoor custom window coverings is the window shutter. These versatile coverings protect against light, weather, intruders, and can be made to fit almost any size of window. Additionally, they can be installed either on the inside of the outside of your home.
The most traditional of custom window coverings is the wooden shutter. Many homes since the early colonial days have boasted these window coverings. Compared to other types of window coverings, these wooden shutters are very high maintenance. Common issues with wooden shutters include warping, the need of sanding, painting, oiling, replacing rusty hinges, or simply the fact that they have swollen due to heat or cold and no longer function in the manner they were intended. As a result, many manufacturers are offering lower maintenance replacements that actually offer considerably better protection than the original wooden shutters.
Among the replacement shutters available are the following:
Vinyl Shutters
These are perhaps the most durable of the available options often lasting around 40 years. Additionally the imitation wood shutters look very much like real wood, especially from a distance. They are easy to maintain and clean up quite nicely with soap and water (no scraping, painting, and oiling here) and you have many options for the look and design of your shutters. You can also buy them already primed for painting.
Composite Window Shutters
These shutters are both weather and rot resistant and are made of very thick compressed particleboard. These panels are basically made from molds and they offer an inexpensive alternative to wooden shutters. This type of shutters is traditionally hinged at the top in order to open and close them vertically.
Fiberglass Shutters
This particular type of window covering is more expensive than many of its competitors, however, they last for about twenty years and come in many popular styles including the Bahama style. If you live in a hurricane zone, these are the best choices in window coverings as they are much stronger, fasten more securely, and are lighter weight than other popular options. They also come in many styles from which to choose.
Aluminum Shutters
These shutters offer excellent protection for your windows both in terms of from intruders and impending hurricanes. The primary styles in which you can find these are the traditional Bahama and Louvered styles. Many people find that the powdered finish on these shutters looks tacky and it's important to note that the warranty on these particular shutters is only about three years.
Of course many people will always prefer the traditional wooden shutters for their window. The truth of the matter is that there are better and more affordable, though less attractive alternatives available and the need (both physically and financially as insurance rates rise in storm prone areas) for the protection of better shutters sometimes far outweighs the aesthetic reason for going with the traditional favorite.
BeautifulWindowBlinds strives to provides consumers information and tips on Window Coverings and Window Blinds. To compliment your outdoor window covering, discover on how to decorate your window coverings from the inside.
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Rob_Buenaventura

Add Beauty To Your Home With Interior Shutters

What is the difference between the curtain and the drapery? Many people use these terms interchangeably, but they are actually two very different terms. Curtains are made of lightweight fabrics and are usually unlined. They extend only the length of the window. Draperies, however, are employed on large windows - picture windows, for example. They extend to the floor, are lined with a backing, and are made from heavier fabric. There is so much of the material that they hang in folds.

Curtains or draperies are more important than they might seem. They are used for privacy purposes, of course, and also to block out the sunshine. Sunshine is all very well outside, but inside it is actually quite destructive. Direct sunlight causes the fabric of your furniture to fade, as well as your paintings or other wall decorations.

Interior Shutters
Curtains and draperies don't really keep out all the sunlight that they should. The solution is to install interior shutters as well.

Interior shutters come in a wide variety of styles and materials, from traditional wooden louvered shutters to those made of PVC or vinyl. Whatever the decor of the interior of your room, you can find a shutter to complement it - and one which will perform those other, vital services of providing privacy, sun protection, and even extra insulation should you live in a cold climate.

Surf the Web For a Vast Selection
You can see the vast selection of interior shuttles available by searching the web. However, if you decide to install these shutters yourself, it is imperative that you perform your measurements carefully - measure twice to cut once, as the saying goes.

Horizon Shutters is a company that excels in the traditional wooden shutters, featuring either the traditional or Colonial style louvers, or the wider louvers of the Plantation style. The rich color of wooden shutters would set off a Tuscan or rustic style decor to perfection. These types of shutters are bifold and can be drawn back entirely to provide a complete view of the window. The shutters can fit the entire window, or be 'half-shutters" to provide privacy at eye level if seated.

Shutter Classics is another online company that provides plantation shutters, as well as wood blinds and vertical blinds. (Blinds are louvered but hang from the top of the window and are raised and lowered, rather than being pulled open from side to side.)

Vinyl shutters give the wooden versions a run for their money. Unlike wood, vinl shutters do not crack, peel or deteriorate as wood does. They are therefore necessary in areas like solariums, bathrooms, and the kitchen. Unlike wood, vinyl shutters are a fire retardant. They are also easy to clean.

Of course, just as wood varies in quality depending on what type of tree its taken from (hard woods vs soft woods) so vinyl varies in quality. You'll want the color of the vinyl to be solid throughout, not a mere coating. The more moisture resistant, the better. You'll also want to make sure the hardware to affix the shutter to the window jamb or the wall is of the highest quality.

Eclipse Shutters is a firm that specializes in vinyl shutters of all kinds. All Vinyl is another provider you can investigate in your search for the perfect interior shutter.

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