Shutters Add Value, Curb Appeal When Done Right

Smart shutter choices can add visual interest, curb appeal and historical accuracy to a house. But all too often, those projects go awry, leaving homes marred with a number of common shutter blunders that end up having a negative effect.

Picking the wrong color, the wrong period, the wrong size, and non-functional shutters were some of the biggest pet peeves mentioned by builder Jeremy Wheaton and historical consultant Sally Spanburgh during recent interviews.

One of the most obvious shutter missteps is picking a bright color for a period house, said Mr. Wheaton, a builder with Hamptons Habitat in Westhampton Beach.

The best choices for most East End homes are muted shutter tones, such as black, dark grey and blue, he said. Those colors are prevalent in the classical Dutch colonial architecture common here, he reported.

Mr. Wheaton said that he also sometimes sees red shutters on period houses, a big no-no, according to the builder. Red is a color that turns what were historical, functional implements—used to protect glass panes in storms—into garish architectural elements, he said.

“Where, what’s meant to be a statement of elegance, ends up more obnoxious,” he said.

Incorrect shutter installation irks Ms. Spanburgh, the program director at Bridgehampton Historical Society, who also writes the Southampton Village Review blog and works as a historical consultant. To avoid the problem, homeowners can install a number of decorative hinges and holdbacks that keep the shutters open, Ms. Spanburgh said.

She said that there’s a sure tip-off when shutters are placed purely for looks and not function. Shutters that are mounted flush against the house without decorative hardware are immediately apparent that they’re fake, she said, adding that the end result detracts from the goal of embellishing a house.

“They’re supposed to seem like they’re operational, even though 99 percent of people don’t use them that way,” Ms. Spanburgh said.

Approximately half the shutters Hamptons Habitat installs actually do work properly, but very few were used during Hurricane Irene, Mr. Wheaton said. Crews from Hamptons Habitat, which also provides property maintenance services, removed shutters to prevent them from blowing away and nailed in plywood protection instead, he reported.

As much as architects and builders prize historical accuracy, it’s not always attainable. Over time, windows have grown in size, with some coastal homes featuring glass expanses as wide as 5 feet or larger, according to Mr. Wheaton. He said that functional shutters on those windows would have to be 30 inches wide on each side to meet in the middle and cover the glass pane.

Although it’s not completely proper, Ms. Spanburgh said that she gives homeowners who place shutters on only the front of their residence a pass. Most homeowners spend the most money on the street-facing side of their home, making shutters there a priority, she said.

A shutter project recently transformed a Lloyd Harbor estate Mr. Wheaton renovated earlier in the year. Over a two-day period, his crews installed black shutters on 30 windows on the whitewashed estate, which had previously been a teal color. The white paint job gave the home a more historically accurate look, while the black shutters tied it together, he said.

“It’s a relatively easy add-on, and a good option in terms of a quick facelift or makeover,” Mr. Wheaton said. He added that homeowners can go the do-it-yourself route with a stop at a big box home improvement warehouse, or work with a design professional or contractor. The cost for shutters ranges from below $100 per shutter to thousands of dollars each.

There are practically as many types of shutter options as there are types of homes, Ms. Spanburgh said. Louvered shutters, which feature slats that historically allowed for smoke to blow out and air to come in, are one popular style, she said. Shutters can also have a recessed panel style or vertical board and battens, she added.

Cutouts are another popular option, though Ms. Spanburgh warned that one common cutout—the crescent moon—is a poor choice for shutters, as it often used to appear on outhouses.

“People think it’s this cute little cutout, but, if it’s supposed to be on the bathroom door, it’s really not that cute,” she said.

Other common cutouts are the pineapple, a sign of welcome, animal images and basic shapes, Ms. Spanburgh said. She reported that she has seen shutters at a veterinarian’s office in Southampton Village with horse heads on its shutters, while a family named “Griffin,” chose a griffin-shaped cutout.

Dan Garo, the owner of New Life Woodworking in East Quogue, makes a lot of custom shutters, frequently using historically accurate hardware for additional adornment, he said. Mr. Garo often creates shutters with a heart-shaped cutout, he said.

According to Mr. Garo, when it comes to shutters, wood choice is of the utmost importance. Woods that weather well for shutters include mahogany and Spanish cedar, he said. Wood shutters need to be re-painted twice every 10 years, he added.

For homeowners looking for a more maintenance-free option, Mr. Wheaton recommends PVC composite shutters by Azek or Versatex. However, he cautioned against vinyl shutters, the cheapest option. The finish on vinyl becomes chalky over time, he said.

Chosen well, shutters add value and pleasing aesthetics to a home. But chosen badly, the window adornment can have the opposite effect, Mr. Wheaton cautioned.

“There’s the opportunity for them to add quite a bit of interest and intrigue and elegance,” he said. “But, they can also take away from it.”