Café shutters are quaint and cute window treatments that work well in any room of your home. They are versatile and can be a standalone window treatment, or they can be paired with other window coverings, such as shades or curtains, to add style to your room ambiance. They cover the bottom portion of a window and leave the top open for natural sunlight to enter your indoor spaces.
Custom café shutters can be designed in many different manners to achieve the exact appearance that you desire, and they can fit specialty-shaped windows to highlight the architecture.
The Benefits of Using Café Style Shutters for Interior Design
Cafe style shutters uniquely adds a touch of sophistication and elegance to any space. Their louvered design creates a visually interesting texture that adds depth and character to the windows. The horizontal slats can be adjusted to control the amount of light and privacy, allowing you to create the desired ambiance in any room. Whether you want to enjoy a bright and airy space or create a cozy and intimate atmosphere, cafe-style shutters offer the flexibility to achieve your desired effect.
In terms of aesthetics, cafe style shutters can complement various interior design styles. For a traditional or rustic look, wooden shutters, with their natural grains and warm tones, can add a timeless charm. In contrast, sleek vinyl or faux wood shutters can lend a contemporary and minimalist touch to modern spaces. The ability to customize the material, color, and finish of cafe-style shutters allows you to match them seamlessly with your existing decor, enhancing the overall cohesive look of the room.
Benefits of using cafe style shutters compared to other window treatments
- Timeless Appeal:
Unlike curtains or blinds that may go in and out of style, cafe style shutters have a classic and timeless appeal that can endure changing design trends. They offer a more permanent and substantial window treatment option that can withstand the test of time. - Flexibility in Light Control:
Cafe style shutters allow for precise light control. By adjusting the angle of the louvers, you can regulate the amount of natural light entering the room, reducing glare and protecting your furniture and artwork from sun damage. Unlike curtains or blinds that may only offer limited light control options, shutters provide more versatility in managing the intensity of light. - Privacy without Sacrificing Light:
Cafe style shutters are designed to cover only the lower portion of the window, maintaining privacy at eye level while allowing ample natural light to enter from above. This unique feature distinguishes cafe style shutters from other window treatments, such as full-length shutters or curtains, which may completely block out light when closed. - Durability and Easy Maintenance:
Compared to curtains that may require regular washing or blinds that can be prone to damage, cafe style shutters are built to last. They are generally made from durable materials like wood, vinyl, or composite, which are resistant to wear and tear. Additionally, shutters are relatively easy to clean and maintain, requiring simple dusting or occasional wiping to keep them looking pristine. - Energy Efficiency:
Cafe style shutters can contribute to energy efficiency in a space. When closed, they create an additional layer of insulation that helps to regulate temperature and reduce heat transfer. This can lead to energy savings by reducing the need for excessive heating or cooling, making cafe style shutters not only aesthetically pleasing but also environmentally friendly.
Creating a Minimalist Look with Café Style Shutters
Café shutters give you a clean and sleek appearance in your home. They fit inside the window frame for a minimalist appearance in your decor. This style allows them to fit in with any type of decor you have in your home while blending in very well.
Some of the most popular areas in a home for café shutters are the kitchen and the dining room or breakfast area. Many kitchens are designed to have a window above the sink. You spend a lot of time in the kitchen preparing meals and washing dishes, and café shutters let natural sunlight inside, so you can see to perform your tasks at hand. Café shutters brighten up the areas where people congregate in your home, such as dining rooms and breakfast areas. Café shutters are a great addition to the bay or bow windows to highlight their designs.
Some interior designers add a valance at the top of a window with café shutters, or they may add a Roman shade if you wish for room darkening abilities when you close the shade and the shutters.
Materials and Finishes for Café Style Shutters
Choosing custom shutters in Oregon, OR, allows you to have many different options to suit your preference, taste and needs. You can choose beautiful natural wood shutters or vinyl faux wood shutters in the café style, which can withstand heat and humidity as well as an occasional splash of water.
Wood shutters are timeless and classic window treatments for your home. They are extremely high-quality window treatments that will last you a lifetime. Faux wood shutters work very well for kitchen windows near “splash zones” and bathrooms with high humidity levels. Vinyl resists warping, bending, breaking and cracking under all types of conditions.
Custom interior shutters can be painted or stained in any color you wish to match your interior design scheme. You can choose a traditional white color or a rich stain that matches other elements in your home such as flooring, trim work or cabinets. Instead, you can make your window a focal point in any room by choosing a bright and bold color to add your own style and aesthetics to a room.
Measuring and Installing Café Style Shutters
Since café style shutters only cover the bottom portion of a window, you are probably wondering how high the top of the shutters should be on your windows. They can be designed to be at the height of a horizontal window division, or you can have them at any height you wish to give you the privacy you need and the lighting control you desire. Measure from the area you want the top of your shutters to be when installed to the bottom of the window for the height. Measure the width of the window inside the window frame. Most commonly, café shutters have two panels side by side on the window. Divide your width by two for two panels.
To install your café window shutters, you will first attach the hinges to the mortises on the shutter panels with the screws provided. Attach the magnetic catch plates with screws to the bottom of the shutters. Place the hanging strips into the window frame and attach them with screws. Then hold the left panel up to the window and mark inside the hinge holes on the hanging strip, then do the same with the right panel. Drill pilot holes on the marks, hold the shutters up, align the hinges with the pilot holes, and attach them to the provided screws.
It is easier to make sure your café shutters are level if you have a helper to hold them in place as you mark the areas for the screws on the hanging strip. An extra set of hands and eyes always help.
Maintenance and Care for Café Style Shutters
Indoor shutters require very little maintenance to keep them in pristine condition. Wipe them down with a feather duster or a micro fiber cloth to remove dust and debris from them whenever you are cleaning your house, or about every two weeks. You can instead use the brush attachment on your vacuum cleaner to dust them.
If something splashes on them, you can use a solution of equal amounts of water and white vinegar with a few drops of dish soap. Dip a clean cloth in it and wring it out well, so it is barely damp. Rub the spot with the cloth to remove it from your shutters.
Wrap Up
Café shutters give you an unobstructed view to the outside when you swing the panels open. They also allow you to get some sunshine in your home but give privacy to the bottom portion of your windows at the same time. You can choose from different colors of stain and paint to match your decor seamlessly, and choose a minimalist color or a bright pop of color for a focal point.
Choosing customizable wider slats will give you more light when the louvers are opened and great energy efficiency when closed. Café shutters are cost-effective and also child and pet safe with no dangling cords. Choosing the right window treatments sets the tone of every room in your home. Café shutters are a modern approach to a clean, simple window covering that performs well for you.
Wondering whether Café shutters are good for your home? Schedule a free in-home consultation with The Custom Shade Company today! We provide excellent cafe-style shutters with professional installation services. Transform your home with style and functionality!
