subject: Plantation Shutters Date Back Further Than You Think [print this page] When you think of plantation shutters, you probably think of the first ones used in the mid 1800s and they did use them on their plantations. However there is evidence that the shutters were around in 3000 B.C. in Greece and they were made of marble.
Its hard to imagine marble plantation shutters because they would be so heavy and the frames to hold them up would outlast the house. Why they called them shutters is also hard to believe because they didnt open or close like those we use today. Possibly they had to remove them entirely to open the window. Glass too was in its infancy so they may have one or the other, but rarely both. Considering the cost of marble and the effort to carve the shutters, only the rich could ever afford them.
Even in the plantation days only the rich could afford them, and their slaves installed them. They would have installed them on the exterior window that provided privacy and security when they closed them across the window. Those shutters are still available today, but you may never see them in a state like California, except in the mountain areas unless they mounted them directly onto the house.
Interior shutters are highly valued and open and close easily. In the closed position the louvers can slant to allow light in or closed to keep the light out or any position in between. Privacy, security and the ability to control light, and the weather offer selections as well as beauty. They never refer to Interior shutters as plantation shutters.
Plantation shutters normally swing open or closed and once in the desired position, they lock them in place to keep them stationary. Marble is never part of the equation, but the availability of various types of materials and colors are, and the homeowner makes those selections.
Youll also find exterior shutters that attach directly to the home. They are there to give the home a uniqueness that no other home in the neighborhood shares. They dont swing open or closed, and the louvers dont move either.
When you decide to have plantation shutters installed on your home, you may want to contact a professional who is versed on all types and colors to match or contrast your home. There are ready-made shutters available at hardware stores, or if your windows are custom, the professional, with his knowledge, will fill the bill.
