Look at old photos. If you don’t have any, look around your neighborhood for similar houses and see the kind they have. You can usually tell if the shutters are original. Keep in mind that your house may have been built in 1800 and the shutters replaced in 1900 with a style popular at that time. Shutter styles and hardware are also regional to your part of the country. You can contact your local historical society, though I doubt if any of them could provide any help. Try them anyway; if not, call a Preservation Architect and ask for a recommendation. Your State Historic Preservation Office will have a listing.
Board and Batten shutters and Raised Panel shutters were used during the 18th century and into the 19th century. Strap Hinges were used and Rat-tail style tie-backs were most popular.
The Old Mill Inn in Basking Ridge, NJ was built in 1768.
At the end of the 18th century louvered shutters began to gain in popularity. Up to the Civil War, homes had raised paneled shutters on the first floor for privacy and security, but did not have any shutters on the 2nd floor. Louvered shutters were often added to the 2nd floor as a later addition.
Around 1800-1830, Butt hinges came into use but were not popular since they broke easily. Strap Hinges were the most popular. Tie-backs were mounted on the sill. Most styles were dependent on what the local blacksmith produced.
Operable Louvered shutters began being manufactured 1830-1840.
At the time of the American Civil War, the Industrial Revolution was in full swing and steel suddenly became less expensive. Acme Lull & Porter, Butt and “H” Style hinges were being produced and became popular, although Strap hinges were still available. “L” shaped surface mounted hinges came about in the late 19th century.
From what I have seen in the New Jersey area, many Victorian and Colonial Revival house have Edge Mounted Acme Lull & Porter hinges with operable louvered shutters. This is the same for pre-Civil War architecture, but in this case, probably, because their original strap hinges were replaced with the more contemporary and popular hinges of Victorian times. Unfortunately, today, shutter manufacturers are selling Surface mounted hinges for every type of architecture. Please be aware of this.
“S” style Shutter Dogs were mass produced in 1920’s. They should be used only on houses built during or after this period only.
Early 20th century architecture such as Arts and Crafts and Bungalow were without shutters.
During 1918 – 1940’s, Colonial and Cottage style homes had mostly solid panel shutters with cut-out designs. Louvered and the rustic Board & Batten shutters were also used occasionally. If Bungalow and Four-Square homes had shutters, they were usually solid panel with cut-out designs or louvered.
1920’s panel shutter with cut out on first floor.
Black half panel with cut out and fixed louvers on the 2nd floor.
The images above show shutters from the first and second floor. I was surprised to see a 1920’s Colonial Revival house following the format of an early 18th century house. This house has paneled shutters on the first floor and louvered on the second floor.
Fixed louvered shutters.
Operable louvered shutters with tilt bar.
1920’s Board and Batten shutter with cutout.
Never have spaces between boards.
Board and Batten shutters from the 18th century would not have the decorative cutouts. Cutouts are only for shutters from 1918 through the 1940’s and ONLY on Colonial Revival homes. All Board and Batten shutters would have either cross bracing as in the photos above or “Z” bracing.
On a Colonial Revival house shutters can be solid panel on the first floor and louvered on the top floor.
Do NOT combine shutters on other style homes. As you read earlier this was common before apx the 1860-70’s. Never for a Victorian.
Can I Have Shutters on Casement Windows?
This is a question I get quite often. Most of the photos I am sent by homeowners asking this question are of poorly designed newer homes. The design is lacking so homeowners look to installing shutters as a fix.
For shutters to look right on a house, decorative or not, they need to look like they can work. You already read that size and mounting is most important. To open or close a shutter you need to be able to easily and quickly open the window and reach out to grab the shutter to open or close it.
No problem with double-hung windows. However with American casement windows that open outwards this cannot be done. Casement windows so popular in Europe open inwards and that is why you see shutters on so many windows.
So basically the answer is that if your casement windows open outward you should not have shutters. On the other hand who is to know? What you really need to understand that shutters are the icing on a cake. They will not provide curb appeal to a house that does not currently have curb appeal.
Some of the pictures of casement windows I am sent are just awful. First all windows must have a 4 inch minimum window casing. If a brick house there needs to be a substantial brick mold surrounding the window. The actual window should be nice looking and not a giant window or people will laugh.
If you have a smashed up car, putting a fancy hood ornament will not make your smashed up car look good. You must first fix the problem before doing something new.
Casement window with shutters in Paris.
Casement windows open inwards in Europe.
I have a 1927 foursquare house… that was originally a 1870 schoolhouse . It has wood siding and have managed to forestall the replacement with vinyl siding.. The contractor wants to put a fiberglass craftsman style door… Am I right to insist on a WOOD door even though they say it’s not that maintenance free
Maintenance free means cannot be maintained. Stick with real wood and be sure you maintain a good coat of spar varnish to protect it from the UV rays.
I have a 1930’s Lannon stone cape. It currently has wood batten shutters with a diamond cutout. They are rotted and I’d like to replace them with something authentic, but durable. Ideas, please?
Get new shutters in the same design and keep them painted.They will last a long time. There are shutters out there that are made of a composite material but I’m not sure if they look as good as wood.
We just purchased a 1954 colonial revival style ranch, it currently has plastic colonial shutters which look to be from the 80’s. Should I replace them with board and batten shutters, or should I have no shutters at all? I would love to put in board and batten shutters with cutouts.
We would like to install board and batten style shutters on our stone cottage built in 1849, which do you think would be more authentic for the time, painted (probably white) or a weathered look with dark stain and varnish?
Board and batten were mostly used very early. As for 1849 louvered shutters were probably used on your house unless it was in a very rural area. Do not stain. Paint them.
My house was built in 1809 by French Hugenots in Virginia.It was made for a man and wife who came from Liverpool England. The house is a gothic revival. Before I purchased home it was vacant for three years and almost all the corbels and all the shutters were stolen. I have found two of the original corbels still on house
One for first floor and one for second floor porches. I have no clue what shutters she would have had. I appreciate any help you can give. Thank you, Richard Clarke
P.s. could not figure out how to post a picture of home.
I would suggest fixed louvered shutters. Operable louvered shutters weren’t around then and solid panel were more for Federal homes.
House Hillsborough NC -1921 bungalow with front porch. No dormer. Hope to add small one one day. Looks more farm to me. Has wooden shutters w many many layers lead paint flaking nailed to house which is cover d in aluminum siding. Would like to replace with working shutters after removing siding. What do you recommend?
Use the shutter style I have listed for 1920’s houses with the cut outs.
We have a two story colonial revival completed in 1928. On the first story there are two sets of french doors topped with arched windows. Looking to add shutters to the 2nd story windows and possibly the 1st story french doors, though I’m afraid the french door shutters may make the overall look too busy. What type of shutter style would you recommend for either?
No shutters for the french doors. Read the post and you will see the shutter options for 1920’s houses.
I recently bought an 1824 house that is an odd duck architecturally. Maybe a combo of Federal and farmhouse – brick w/many interior Federal elements, esp. fireplaces and moldings (though it’s become a mish mash over time). And all the windows are typical evenly-spaced/lined-up across both stories. But it lacks any distinctive shape or symmetry and reminds me of a longer rambling farmhouse.
So I have 2 shutter questions – they are original, louvered, with a handful in need of heavier repair. I prefer the look of a raised panel so I considered replacing instead of repairing. 1 – Would I be committing historic house sin by replacing the original shutters since most are in good shape? And 2 – would raised panel shutters be appropriate for this house based on the age and (lack of) architecture?
Hmm – It is possible that the shutters you think are original are not original but just very old. Also they could be replacements for raised panel shutters. There is a lot that is possible. If you really prefer paneled shutters, store the old louvered shutters in the garage or basement for the next owner. I still would probably go with the louvered if it were my house though.
I have a ranch spanish style home built in 1970. It needs some curb appeal, and I would like to add shutters. It really needs something to keep the front from looking so plain. Our new front door is spanish style with raised panels and wrought iron. I am leaning towards raised panel, with hammered nailheads for accents. I this appropriate for this home?
Hi Kim – I really don’t know without seeing it. Please email me a good photo. info@oldhouseguy.com
Ken,
I live in rural New Hampshire in an 1820 Center chimney cape. From your post I learned we have ‘operable’ louvered shutters, some with tilt bars. They are old, layered in paint and in general, a mash up of what we found in storage when we purchased. My question is: in 1820 would only the first floor have shutters? Only the “street side” of the house? And, what does one do if you can’t hang a pair of shutters on some windows? I can’t seem to settle on a good replacement though by the sounds of it, you’d suggest louvered again.
Thank you,
Deb
Hi Deb
To be original for the 1820’s get fixed louvered shutters – no tilt bar. First floor gets solid panel shutters for privacy, Second floor louvered. Some windows do not get shutters depending on the window. All four sides should have shutters. People only put them on the front because it’s cheaper.
Hi Ken,
I’m replacing the vinyl shutters on my 1920’s American foursquare home with wood shutters. From my research, it seems like shutters were not typically put on this style of home, but I feel like the house would look best with shutters. I’m torn between louver and panel shutters. Your post has that both styles were around in the 1920’s. Do you have a recommendation for shutter style on an American foursquare house? Thanks!
You are correct. Foursquare homes normally will not have shutters. Once you have them it’s hard to get used to the house without them. Maybe give it a try. Otherwise for a Foursquare I would probably use operable louvered. Just a guess for I have not seen a Foursquare with shutters.
Hi Kyle,
Did you end up putting shutters on your foursquare? I also have a 1920 American foursquare and have considered adding shutters, but acknowledge this would be abnormal for the style of home. Would you be able to share any photos you have of your home with the shutters added, if you decided to add them?
Hello. I have a small colonial stucco home with front porch built in 1927. Currently there are no shutters on the home and it appears there never have been. I would like to add some. I’m thinking perhaps panel shutters with or without cutouts. I’m wondering what style you would recommend and am also wondering what to do about a small center 2nd floor window. The two first floor windows and two of the 2nd floor windows are the same size but then there is the small center 2nd floor window that I am unsure what to do with. Does that window get shutters also or would it go without?
Can’t really advise you without a photo but what you say makes sense. I would go with the cutouts in any of those styles.
Hi, we’re looking into getting functional shutters for our house to protect the windows during wind storms. It’s a typical house built in 2002, the windows are 48″x48″ horizontal slides. I’m intending on composite shutters but a comment of yours about really wide shutters looking dumb caught my eye.
Would it be better to get a set of folding shutters vs having two 24″ panels?
Thanks!
Dave
You may be right – I’m just trying to picture it. You can always take a picture and make a photocopy of it and draw in shutters to see if they will look weird.
Hi, love your site. I am trying to decide if I want shutters at all. Some of your photos of bad looking shutters make me wonder..The shutters on the house now are old plastic painted (decorative) probably from the 70’s and need to come down. Replace or remove all together is my dilemma. My home is a red brick cape with an arched front porch. Window sills and arch are trimmed out in a tan brick. So it’s already accented. The house was built in the 1950’s I believe. It’s the only one like it in my neighborhood. Mostly lots with random built homes. So nothing to compare to. I am in eastern pa.. any suggestions? Thank you.
I have to see the house. Please email me a photo. In the meantime I will check if this section can be modified so people can attach an image.
What shutters are appropriate for a Colonial Revival house with double windows, that is, two windows side by side? If closed, should they cover both windows?
Hi – If your house is from the 1920’s refer to the web page. For the average Colonial either paneled or louvered are good.
We have a 1979 brick ranch house with aluminum brown shutters. What kind of shutters would you put on this house?
I would use white shutters that will show nicely on the brick.
I have a small L-shaped ranch on Cape Cod on the water. It is painted white. Need shutters? What Color?
I would choose Benjamin Moore Essex Green or Hunter Green. That color would look great.
What type of shutter would look best.
it depends
And the door is navy blue. Should the door and shutters match?
yes
Forgot to tell you that the ranch house has casement windows.
No shutters for casement windows.
Hi- I have a 1904 late Victorian. Unfortunately previous owners did tan vinyl siding. There are vinyl shutters painted SW Jamestown red and the wrap around porch has SW pure white columns with the Jamestown red accent. There is also another accent color on the railings that matches the tan house color. The front door is not original and is a Therma Tru door that is a dark stain. I want to find an old door eventually. I am currently painting the door sidelights the pure white. I am thinking about removing the shutters because I don’t think the house originally had them. Wondering what color to paint the front door or to re-stain it? Also do I need to add more of the red accent color to the windows or elsewhere, if I take down the shutters? Thank you!
Hi Cheryl, First of all I do NOT recommend a bright white for the trim of a 1904 house unless you prefer the look of a Split-level house. Bright white just shouts plastic. Why not remove all they vinyl siding. Your house will never look good until you do. Read what other people have done and see how their house looked after the vinyl was removed https://www.oldhouseguy.com/vinyl-siding/. Yes remove those shutters. It sounds like your red accenting is going to have a bad result on the house. Many people try to add accents to their house and the result is a cheap looking house. I recommend a consultation before you do anything else that will hurt your curb appeal.
Hi! I have a 1911 red brick four square that’s rather transitional. It has single windows up and down with arched tops in the brick work, craftsman style eve rafter tails, colonial columns on the wrap around porch, a Victorian original front door and the interior has Victorian style bullseye moldings around the doors and windows. It also has an A frame dormer on the front of the hipped roof with fish scale shingles. I live in a hurricane zone and would like to add hurricane resistant shutters to the house, plus the window to front face seems disproportionate to me and shutters would help that situation. What is your opinion about this?
sorry I would need to see a photo. Send me an email.
Bedford stone bungalow built in 1934. would it have had shutters? what type and appropriate colors for time frame?
Actually Bungalow’s and Foursquare’s did not have shutters.
Hi Ken,
I have a very small 1939 colonial revival home (https://www.zillow.com/homedetails/9900-Rogart-Rd-Silver-Spring-MD-20901/97483659_zpid/?view=public), but I’m keen to make it look at least a little more historically accurate for the time period it was built. Would it be normal for a 1930s colonial revival home to have shutters only on the ground floor windows, or did they put them on the second floor too? Our home has shutters on both floors, but I’m thinking I only want them on the ground floor.
My house currently has plastic louvered shutters (https://www.homedepot.com/p/Builders-Edge-15-in-x-55-in-Louvered-Vinyl-Exterior-Shutters-Pair-in-002-Black-010140055002/100376527) that were probably added in the 1970s/’80s/’90s. I’m looking to replace them so they at least look a bit better, but I don’t yet have $3000+ to spare for real raised panel wood shutters, so I’m thinking of getting the vinyl raised panel shutters (I’m lucky in that these happen to be exactly right for the size of my windows) and decorating them with real S-style shutter dogs (https://www.houseofantiquehardware.com/shutter-dogs-scroll-lag?sc=12&category=89) and the fake hinges with real pintles (https://www.houseofantiquehardware.com/pair-of-n-y-style-faux-hinges?sc=12&category=84). My thinking is that I might be able to upgrade to real wood shutters and hinges if I ever get the $$. This makes sense to me, but am I crazy?
Thanks in advance for any reply.
Hi – I recommend a phone consultation to go over your questions.
I have a 1900 Victorian home on the Eastern Shore of Virginia. The original cedar shutters were removed when my home was restored in the 1980’s and we’re not reinstalled. Currently the shutters are being painted and will be rehung. We’re shutter dogs used on Victorian homes? Thank you.
Use the Acorn clasps for all Victorians.
What style shutter dogs are appropriate for a French country home?
Brian – to be completely honest I really don’t know. I am guessing but I would use a shutter dog that is something similar to the “S” style. I would do a search for French style homes. Another option we have thankfully to the internet is using google maps to scan the streets of Paris to see what is used. I recently did that.
I”m so glad I found your website since you are confirming what we already leaning towards for our 1925 bungalow, we are going to do a panel with a diamond cut out since we had already put a decorative diamond paned window into the house to make up for the pretty diamond patterned one that was taken out when it was renovated (they covered the original stucco with aluminium at that point too). The current shutters are plastic and levered but it’s not my favorite style and since I know they aren’t original (I actually have pictures of the house without any shutters originally but it looks naked to me), I don’t mind changing to something that is period and house style appropriate. I have found a bunch of composite options but I’m seeing you recommend wood over anything else, could you recommend a good brand to find a simple panelled cut out shutter? Thanks in advance!
Bungalows do not have shutters. I know you are accustomed to seeing your house with them. There are some good composites but definitely not for a Bungalow. You will get used to the house without them in time.
Hi Ken! Just found your site while trying to figure out what to do with my 1936 Cape Cod 1.5 story home that had horrible teal vinyl/plastic solid panel shutters both upstairs and down. I didn’t see anything mentioned about Cape Cod style homes, and was wondering if the raised panel shutters would be in keeping with the time period? I know that the vinyl probably wasn’t, although the top half story of my house is covered in white vinyl siding (not sure if it was original or if there was something else there originally). The sand colored stone (which is very uneven) only goes up to the roofline. I know decorating trends changed a lot in the early 20th century so I wasn’t sure if the recommendations for the 1920’s houses would still be valid for my 1936 home, and Cape Cod homes weren’t mentioned either (and they look fairly different to those mentioned in the article/post. Is there any specific style I should be using, or is it “anything goes”?
Hi – a 1936 house would have wood siding not vinyl or aluminum. I should fix that but follow the 1920’s shutter info for houses from the 1930’s to 1950.
Hi Ken. We have a c.1850 stucco home in NW Philadelphia that we are about to repair and paint externally. There are shutters at all windows but only the front-facing ones protected by a porch look to be original. Over the years all the shutter hardware has been painted the same color as the shutters but I’m told (and your site would seem to confirm) that all tie-backs, hinges etc. should be painted black to be historically accurate. Is that correct?
Iron is best painted with Rustoleum or paint that would protect metal. Black hardware will look the best. As for historical – I really don’t know but would think black.
Have a 1916’s home with shutters that have cut outs on first floor and cut out and louvered on the second. The home wasn’t properly maintained and they have rotted. Can any one recommend a company that can make replacements? NJ
I list recommended manufacturers on the shutters page along with ads.
We have an 1870 home in Galveston, TX. It was originally a corner grocery store and metal shop. It currently has rotting wood shutters with semi-functional louvres. I would love to swap them out for board and batten (no cut-out thanks to knowledge gained here). Would it be appropriate? Thank you!
Absolutely not. Please read my shutters page – the info you need is there.
My wife and I moved into a French chateau style house on the SC Coast. I thought about putting real wood shutters on it as right now it has the old plastic shutters. But to your point we have double windows and I do not think real shutters would be feasible. Should I just take the shutters off? https://www.zillow.com/homedetails/4137-Colonel-Vanderhorst-Cir-Mount-Pleasant-SC-29466/10938801_zpid/
Nice house! Very difficult to see up close but it looks like you have casement windows – typical of the style house. In Europe these houses had casements that open inward so shutters could easily be closed – not with outward opening but I wouldn’t be concerned about that. The shutters should be sized correctly though. If it were my house since the current shutters are fake, I would remove them. I would then live with it a bit to see if I feel the house really needed to have shutters.
We have a 1900s original brick farm house. We just replaced the windows and I want to add shutters. We had a company do the shutters they were awful. They were vinyl and standard sized. I want the “functional” look. I want them to look original to the house. Our windows set about 3-5 inches back, so if I put hinges on the shutters would I mount them to the window casing or the brick?
Why did you replace the windows?
What shutters would you use for doubled up windows like this? https://imgur.com/a/bKHXXiB
Without seeing the entire house, I would say no shutters. The color placement is way off also. https://www.oldhouseguy.com/white-replacement-window/
We have a 1908 CT Victorian house whose previous owner was an architect and did some extensive renovations but passed before completing the outside. We are painting/repairing (light gray house, off white trim, navy accent on panels below the windows/garage doors, red burgundy front door). We found one of the owner’s sketches that had shudders on the two of the windows in the front and were wondering what style would be appropriate. Thinking raised panel to match the panel features under the windows or should they be louvered? Thanks for your help and appreciate your website!
Hi – first off, panels should never be painted an accent color. The panel gets painted the body color while the surrounding area is the trim color. The window sash is the color you use for an accent. If the window sash is navy then your front door should also be navy and your shutters not shudders. Operable louvered shutters would be correct. Please be careful with accenting and color placement. It is very important your house not be a clown house with bad placement. I recommend looking at my portfolio to see the color placement. Best of luck!
thoughts on doing different color shutter on first and second floor? My 1904 house is stone bottom clapboard on top and i am considering dark red on stone and grey/brown on second floor (same color as house trim). Thoughts?
Around the time of and before the Civil War, there were solid panels shutters on the first floor for privacy and louvered on the 2nd floor for ventilation. Sometimes these first floor shutters were a white color to lighten up the interior when candles reflected on the closed white shutters. The 2nd floor were a dark green for ease of an afternoon nap to darken the room while allowing a breeze to come through. So my answer for a 1904 is no – only one color. The shutter should also match the window sash. Almost all colors work with stone so start with the 2nd floor. I really hope you do not have white plastic windows. Be sure to have contrast to avoid a muddy look.
We’re looking forward to spring and finishing our front porch (took off retrofitted screens and windows and opened it up as originally built) and house exterior. Our house was built in 1908 and we were told it was based on the Ohio farmhouse the builder grew up in. I would like to add shutters on first and second floor in a complimentary color for visual appeal. The house is a kind of barn red (clapboard) with creme colored trim. Recommendations. Also there are a number of houses in our area that have shutters on the side windows of houses as well.
Hi – shutters should match the window sash. The colors you describe sound great but I would do the window sash in Benjamin Moore Essex green and the shutters too.
We have a 1951 Colonial Revival (brick w white trim) home in Akron, OH. The black plastic shutters were shot by the time we purchased the home, so we removed and have been living w/o for a few years. Now we’re ready to put new shutters on, looking at wood to paint and wondering about panel v. louvered. Your thoughts? I would upload a pic of the home but can’t seem to locate a tool to do that.
Good question. Either is fine. The louvered shutters can look better since the louvers provide more texture in the appearance. If the house had shutters originally they were probably louvered and no tilt bar in the 1950s.
Hi, Ken. I have the same kind of house at Michael and looking to replace shutters as well. I’d like them to look fully functional but am debating the hardware options. What type of hinges and shutter dogs should I use? Any locking mechanism or pulls to add some more age appropriate style?
Use the “S” style to hold them in place. Nothing else for mid-century.
We have a 1900 painted wood house in kentucky … wondering what shutters are most appropriate- Can you please advise?
I can’t advise without seeing it. The shutter pages should have the answer.
Hello Ken,
I would like to add shutters to my small 1941 colonial revival. I’m not too fond of the shutter styles from this time, and wonder if you think it would ever be acceptable to use an older style. I am very fond of raised panel shutters, for example.
Yes – you most definitely can use paneled shutters.
I have a 1954 brick cottage style home that we are adding a connected 2-car carport and storage room with an upstairs storage above it all. The upstairs will have 3 dormers. We are thinking about doing the dormers in shaker siding and wonder what type and color shutter to use. We currently have wood louvered shutters that cannot continue to be used because of age. Wondering if the flat panel or the board and batten would be ok? And do you have any option about the shaker dormers?
Keep the siding the same. If dormers are on the addition that will compete with the main part of the house making the carport the focal point. Send me a pic via the contact us. Dormers are very complicated to create. I can send you something.