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Shutters: More than Just Window Dressing

Aug 31, 2010; 11:16 AM ET

Functional window shutters were a mainstay of American architecture from Colonial days through the 1930s. While today's homes often feature fixed shutter panels for ornamentation, true operable shutters lend authenticity and purpose to a home.

Shutters Bring Security

Shutters were originally designed to protect the home from damaging wind and weather. The very first shutters operated from the interior, and were used instead of glass to close up the house and keep out unwanted heat, pests, wind, rain, and snow. With the advent of glass, shutters became important insurance against damaging wind and wind-driven debris. Glass was expensive and hard to replace, so shutters were closed when the storms rolled in.

Certainly in coastal regions like the lowlands of South Carolina, shutters are still the first defense against Mother Nature and hurricane season. "Even today," says Randy Withers of Withers Industries, "when hurricanes come, homeowners just close all their shutters, bolt them down, and head on West." Shutters are also used for security. Especially on the ground floor, where windows are a primary means of access, exterior shutters can close and bolt while allowing cooler evening air to pass through the louvers and into the home.

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