Your Guide to California Shutters

Did you know that California shutters refers to a style of window shutter? That’s right, it’s the inspiration behind our namesake! While we at the Original California Shutters work with all kinds of shutter types, we want to take some time today for a post dedicated to the shutters we are named after.  

 

Despite the very American-sounding names of most shutter types, it is believed that window shutters first originated in Europe several hundred years ago, and were brought to North America by Spanish colonists. This is why window shutters have a distinctly traditional, old-world, and colonial feel.

 

As the popularity of window shutters spread from the South to the West, California shutters were born as a derivative of plantation shutters and remain a staple of home architecture today.

 

Indeed, different shutter types needed to be developed in order to cater to different aesthetics and functions.

 

Generally, shutter styles are categorized according to their louvre width, which is the main factor driving the function and aesthetic of a window shutter.

 

As one of the more popular shutter styles, California shutters have become a staple in many Canadian homes. Along with plantation style shutters, these shutter types were initially created for very specific types of structures, namely plantation manors and farmhouses. Today, they can be seen in a wide variety of homes, from grand bungalow to modernist townhouses.

 

The typical louvre width for California shutters is around 2.5 inches, making them narrower than those of plantation shutters. Smaller louvres mean California shutters are more likely to be able to aesthetically complement any size of window, and also easier to install.

 

If your home’s layout and design is more compact, you may want to opt for California shutters over Plantation shutters. This makes for more proportionate-looking windows that do not take up too much space.

 

At the Original California Shutters, we custom-make window shutters for your home to order. This means every inch of shutters has been lovingly crafted by a skilled artisan. Call us today to find out more about our products and services.