Window shutters are often associated with romantic holiday destinations dotted around the Mediterranean. Not only do they ooze sophistication and look absolutely stunning, but they also serve a very important purpose, which is to keep the scorching heat of the midday sun at bay.

You may think that shutters are historically unique to our European neighbours and that shutters have only become increasingly popular across the UK in recent times, but shutters have in fact been used in the United Kingdom for over 500 years.

Here’s a brief history:

Originating in ancient Greece, window shutters were designed to provide shade and to allow air flow into buildings during hot summer days. During the stormy seasons, shutters provided protection from heavy wind and rain, and became a standard installation for anyone who could afford them. Originally made from marble, louvres were eventually replaced with wood, allowing them to become more affordable and accessible.

When America was colonised by Spain, window shutters started appearing on the grand plantation estates, which is why they are called plantation shutters. They were perfect for the heat of the south and came with all the benefits of privacy, ventilation, and shade.

In England, window shutters started to appear during the Tudor period when glass was a luxury item, very expensive and hard to get hold of. Shutters were originally designed to only cover the lower half of the window opening. Made from solid wood boards, just the upper part of the opening would have a fixed glass pane, and the shutter would be opened to let light and air in as needed.

As most buildings were made of stone with very thick walls, it was only possible to have shutters on the inside of the window opening, as the outside was too deep to reach. As building techniques progressed, and houses started to be built with thinner walls, it became popular for shutters to be attached to the outside of window openings.

Over the years there have been many improvements in materials, styles, colour variations etc but shutters are still practical for their historically popular reasons such as light control, privacy, practicality, and style.

Nowadays, the wide range and styles of window shutters available on the market has expanded significantly. From solid wood to waterproof shutters in all shapes and sizes including Tier on Tier shutters, Café Style shutters, Full Height shutters etc. These beautiful window dressings have been embraced by people all over the world and are set to remain a popular choice in the UK.