Happy New Year!

[vc_row type=”container” padding_top=”” padding_bottom=””][vc_column][vc_column_text]As today is the last day of 2018, we would like to take the time to thank you all for another successful and enjoyable year. We are thankful and proud to have contributed to many interiors designs in London, surrounding areas and the rest of the UK, helping them look more beautiful and stylish from both the inside and the out. We cannot wait to do it all over again next year.

Here are a few of our favourite installations from 2018:

To transform your home in 2019 with plantation shutters, call Totally Shutters today 0203 960 6963 to arrange your FREE, in-house survey. We wish you all a happy New Year![/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row]

All You Need to Know About Shutters for Patio Doors

Patio doors can be a real problem to dress, and you may feel as if your options are limited. Your first choice may have been curtains, but more often than not, they’re not ideal as you want something that will bring you privacy without blocking out the light, yet leaving them bare is attracting to thieves. So have you considered installing plantation shutters?

Here’s why plantation shutters are the best window solution for patio doors:

They offer privacy and light control

Many people are reluctant to cover their patio doors as they like to let the light in during the day but for reasons like privacy, so having no window dressing is sometimes not an option. Plantation shutters offer privacy and light control in a way that patio door curtains don’t. With adjustable slats, plantation shutters can be positioned fully or partially open, giving you both privacy and light control.

They are made to measure

Many often struggle to find a window dressing for their patio doors that fit perfectly, especially when measurements exceed the industry standard measurements on ready made blinds and curtains. As plantation shutters are made to measure, you don’t need to worry about large or irregular measurements as they will fit securely on your patio door.

They offer an extra layer of insulation

If your patio doors are prone to draughts, shutters can provide an extra layer of insulation. This extra layer can reduce the amount of heat loss through your doors, helping you save money on your energy bills.

They prevent wandering pets and children

Installing shutters on your patio doors can be a great solution to pet owners and parents with young children. In the warmer months, if you want to leave the door open for ventilation, shutters provide a barrier to stop your pets or children from running outside.

 

For more information on plantation shutters for patio doors, or to book your FREE no obligation in-house survey, contact Totally Shutters today on 0203 960 6963. All shutters come with a 5-year guarantee.

Get the Best of Both Worlds With Cafe Style Shutters

When it comes to your interior, it’s not always easy to make decisions as you want to be able to make the best investment, that lasts for years to come, at a reasonable price. And choosing the right window solution for your home can be a difficult decisions as you need to consider the kerb appeal of your home as well as the interior.

Here’s why the cafe style shutters are the perfect window solution investment:

1. Maximum light

Cafe style shutters filter the natural light in your home while never completely blocking it out. By keeping the top section of the window open, the light is allowed to flood in at all times, offering the best of both worlds.

2. Offers great privacy

Cafe style shutters can give you privacy without shutting out all of the light, making them ideal for properties on a busy road or pathway. The shutters screen the bottom section of the window while the top section of the window is left open to let the light in.

3. Incredible views

Cafe style shutters can be an excellent choice if you’re wanting the privacy but looking to keep the view. You may want a window covering behind a kitchen or bathroom sink for privacy but also want to be able to look out of the window.

4. Long lasting

Made to measure from strong and sturdy hardwood, cafe style shutters are built to last. Cafe style shutters will provide you with a longterm window covering that will look stylish for years to come.

 

Cafe style shutters are an excellent window covering solution and can enhance the look of your home as well as add kerb appeal. For more information on cafe style shutters, or to book your free no obligation in-house survey, contact Totally Shutters today on 0203 960 6963. All shutters come with a 5-year guarantee.

Totally Shutters Bring the Shutter Experts to You

For over 15 years, Totally Shutters has been bringing their unrivalled design, measure and fit service to the people of London, Kent, Essex, Surrey and the rest of the UK. We have specialist consultants all over the UK ready to transform your home.

As well as being shutter specialists, our consultants are experts in regions and can help you choose shutters that complement your home’s architecture and heritage of the local area while making your interior look great.

Proud Londoner?

London is a place full of incredible architecture, but your London home should be a haven from the hustle and bustle of London streets. If you’re looking to install shutters in London, full-height louvred shutters are great at controlling noise, privacy and light.

Living in Kent?

Kent is home to a wide array of building styles including Georgian and Victorian architecture. Instead of detracting from your property’s incredible style with bulky or boring window treatments, full-height louvred or cafe-style shutters will look just as attractive from the outside as the inside while maximising the light coming in.

Resident of Essex?

Full of upscale architecture, properties in Essex deserve a window treatment of equal beauty. Dressing each room of your home will maintain symmetry. Tall windows will benefit from tier on tier louvred wooden shutters so the top and lower panels can be operated independently for flexible light and privacy control.

Home in Surrey?

Our solid shutters will complement the picturesque towns and villages of the Surrey regions, adding style to your home without compromising the existing character of your room or building. Solid shutters are great at controlling light and privacy.

 

If you’re looking for shutter expertise, call Totally Shutters on 0203 960 6963. Our consultants are armed with knowledge and expertise and are on hand to answer your questions. You can trust them to design the best window solutions for your home.

Plantation Shutters Are Ideal For City Homes

If you live in the city, you will be familiar with unwanted noise, bright streetlights and more often than not passers-by peering in. If you’re at the end of your tether with the pitfalls of city living, plantation shutters may be for you.

Here’s why shutter blinds are the best window solution for city homeowners:

Blocks out noise

Living in the city can be extremely noisy with cars, trains, planes and not to mention, loud pedestrians. But fitting plantation shutters can keep the noise transmitted through your windows to a minimum. As shutters from Totally Shutters are made-to-measure, fitting perfectly inside each frame, they filter even more noise.

Keeps privacy high

Sometimes, living on a busy street can mean pedestrians checking out your decor and noseying what you’re watching on the TV. Shutters allow the daylight to enter your room while obscuring the gaze outside. Simply by moving the slats of your shutters, you can control the light and privacy of your home.

Stops street light glare

Street lights outside your window can be a right pain, ruining the ambience of your home and disturbing the sleep of both adults and children. If this is a problem in your city home, shutters can block light effectively. And our shutter and shade range blacks out 99% of all external light.

Improves home security

As shutters provide an extra barrier at the window, something which blinds and curtains don’t, shutter blinds improve home security. What’s more, shutter slats can be angled to prevent potential intruders from checking out the contents of your home.

Retains value

Enhancing the value of your city home is important in today’s property market, and shutters add to your home’s kerb appeal while helping to increase the value of your home when it’s time to put your city pad on the market.

 

For more information on plantation shutters for your city home, or to arrange your free in-house survey, contact the Totally Shutters team today on 0203 960 6963. All shutters from Totally Shutters come with a 5-year guarantee.

Dressing Bay Windows With Plantation Shutters

A bay window provides a stunning attribute to a home. Victorians and Edwardians made full use of bay windows in their homes, and they continue to be featured on new build homes today. However, many homeowners hide their bay windows behind heavy curtains and drapes.

Instead of hiding your bay windows, you should embrace them. Plantation shutters do just that, enhancing your window from the inside and outside while adding value to your home.

What plantation shutters will suit my bay windows?

Bay windows come in many shapes and sizes. The versatility of plantation shutters allow for a combination of open and closed louvres (split louvre array) and panels (tier on tier) or even panels covering just the bottom part of the window (cafe style).

However, tier on tier style plantation shutters remain the most popular option for bay windows as they’re incredibly functional. With the tier on tier style, you can have both tiers closed, while still being able to adjust the slats to allow light to enter the room. When the top tier is opened, the shutters work in a cafe style, allowing maximum light to enter the room while keeping maximum privacy on the lower half.

As well as providing great light, privacy and noise control, plantation shutters for bay windows have been proven to be the most energy efficient window covering and will reduce energy bills. Plantation shutters will offer the best option to insulate from the heat and cold that can enter from all sides of a bay window.

 

Whether you have a curved, angled or box bay window, Totally Shutters will be able to design, manufacture and install a plantation shutter solution for you. Call us on 0203 960 6963 for more information on plantation shutters for bay windows or to book your in-house survey. All shutters from Totally Shutters come with a 5-year guarantee.

The Totally Shutters Process

Totally Shutters have been crafting, manufacturing and installing shutter blinds across London and the rest of the UK for over 15 years, and it’s fair to say, we’ve mastered the art to a tee. But what does the Totally Shutters process look like?

Step one: your in-house survey

We understand that every room and everyone’s tastes are different, that’s why choosing the right shutter blinds is best in the comfort of your home. We will come to you at a time that suits you, armed with knowledge and lots of samples for inspiration.

During your in-house survey, we will answer any questions you may have, take measurements and provide a quotation for your shutter choices. Our priority is helping you create your desired interior look that you will admire for years to come.

Step two: placing your order

When you’ve decided on the right shutter binds for your home, it couldn’t be easier to place your order – simply give us a call. During this phone call, we will talk you through the details of your order to ensure everything is exactly how you like it. We will then ask you for a 50% deposit, where the remainder of the balance will be required upon installation.

At this stage, if you have changed your mind about the colour or would like a quotation for a different style of shutter, it’s not a problem. We can make any amendments before your shutters are sent off to be manufactured.

Step three: transformation day

When you have paid your deposit, we will arrange a time and date to fit your shutters. On the day, you can sit back, relax and leave everything in our hands. With years of experience, you know they’ll be right the first time.

–

Ready to transform your home? Call Totally Shutters on 0203 960 6963 to book your in-house survey and start your Totally Shutters process to creating your dream home. And don’t forget, all shutters from Totally Shutters come with a 5-year guarantee.

A Brief History of Window Shutters

The first shutters (as we know them) came long before glass windows, 500 years ago during the Tudor England period. These shutters were made of thick wooden boards and were made purposefully to block out light and the brisk English weather while a large iron bar locking the shutters together prevented thieves from entering.

A few decades later and glass windows came along. As glass was deemed a luxury expense, instead of fitting windows, most people had half glass, half shutter arrangement. This style was the basis for the more contemporary cafe style shutters we see today.

After the 16th century, the shutter moved beyond functional purposes, with lavish decorative woodwork becoming statement pieces of the home. It was during the Victorian period when walls and window recesses became thinner, allowing shutters to be moved from the inside of the home to the outside.

As the Americans became colonise, shutters grew in popularity among homeowners of large homes and mansions and were viewed as a status symbol among the higher classes. These shutters had much wider louvres than their predecessors and were commonly painted white to reflect the hot sun.

Today, there is a wide range of shutter styles available. From modern forms to bespoke space, shutters have the ability to fit any space, regardless of the window shape and size. Shutters have never gone out of style as they boast endless properties and look fantastic.

Call Totally Shutters today on 0845 299 7757 to arrange your FREE no obligation in-house survey. All shutters come with a 5-year guarantee.

5 Signs It’s Time to Replace Your Window Treatments

Blinds, curtains and drapes are a great way to spruce up your interior and keep light out. But if your window covering is outdated or worn, it can detract from the overall appeal of your interior.

When was the last time you looked at your window treatments? Chances are, they will need some tender loving care. Here are five signs to tell it’s time to replace your window coverings:

1. Discolouration

Your window covering’s prime responsibility is to retract sunlight. However, the sun ray’s will eventually fade the colour of your coverings, turning them a lighter shade or an unsightly hue of yellow. And, discoloured blinds can be due to material deterioration, meaning they’re losing their integrated structure. If your window treatments are discoloured, it’s time to replace them.

2. Broken or bent slats

Overexposure to heat and humidity can cause serious damage to your blinds. If your slats are warped or bent in appearance, it’s time to replace them.

3. Hard to control

If you’re struggling to open or close your blinds, your blind’s lifting mechanism may be damaged and could be close to breaking or collapsing at any moment, causing injury or damage to your windows. If your blinds are hard to control, to ensure the safety of everyone, it’s time to replace them.

4. Frayed cords

A frayed or broken cord can result in your blinds falling out of mounting. It’s important to inspect your blinds regularly for signs of excessive wear and fraying. If your blinds have frayed cords, it’s time to replace them.

5. They don’t fit

Window treatments offer full coverage both day and night, but if they’re not measured to fit the window space they’re not serving their function. If your window treatment doesn’t fit, it’s time to to replace them.

 

If these warning signs seem all too familiar, it’s time to replace and upgrade your window treatments. Unlike the other treatments, plantation shutters withstand the test of time while keeping energy bills down, adding value to your home and looking incredibly stylish. For more information on plantation shutters, call Totally Shutters today on 0845 299 7757. All shutters from Totally Shutters come with a 5-year guarantee.

Add Value to Your Home With Plantation Shutters

If you’re looking to add the finishing touch to your home, or something that can add value to your home to increase its price, then plantation shutters are the solution for you.

When selling your home, it’s important to maximise its potential, especially in a market that has more sellers than buyers. Your home needs to stand out and have the wow factor, and plantation shutters can help you achieve just that.

Why do shutters add value?

Plantation shutters don’t just look good from the inside, but the outside too, making your home stand out from the others. Potential buyers will immediately focus on how stylish your home is.

Shutters are considered part of the fixtures and fittings of a home, so when valuing your home, estate agents will add an amount onto the sale price. Your estate agent will be able to tell potential buyers the benefits of shutters and how they reduce utility bills by providing extra insulation, control lighting and improve privacy and security.

How much value do shutters add to a property?

A ‘no size fits all’ question as the value depends on the style chosen and the quality of the shutters. However, any plantation shutter type is considered beneficial for increasing value. But remember when choosing shutters for your home, your taste may not be right for someone else, so avoid bright colours and very dark stains and paints. And always opt for waterproof options for humid rooms such as bathrooms and kitchens.

Often property developers will opt for the cheapest shutters available. However, today’s buyers are knowledgeable and are looking for strong, quality shutters that stand the test of time. If your shutters are poor quality or badly fitted, the prospective buyer will immediately see this and ask for discount.

 

For more information on how plantation shutters can add value to your home or to request your free, no-obligation quotation, contact Totally Shutters on 0845 299 7757 today. All shutters from Totally Shutters come with a 5-year guarantee.