Increasingly across the UK we are seeing super stylish window shutters offering an alternative to traditional curtains as a way to affect the light, temperature and styling of home. Richard Baker manufacturers and fits so called ‘plantation style shutters’ from his workshop in Westerham. He was keen to tell us about his process and the benefits his product offers homeowners and developers in a recent interview we arranged. Is there a type of home that you feel best suits your product?

There are many different variations and styles we can do. So they suit all types of properties. We fit shutters in 13th Century farmhouses right up to modern apartments and flats in London. There are many applications and styles that suit most properties.

What do you feel that the shutters offer that regular curtains and fabric blinds don’t offer?

Well, I think the first thing is, as you walk up to a house that has shutters fitted in is the kerb appeal. Amongst the substitutes out there, the shutters offer a neatness that drapes and curtains can not compete with. If you are buying or selling a house, you’re probably thinking about changes in the colour scheme, and given that most people tend to opt for neutral colours, the shutters offer versatility, as it can fit in with most colour schemes, but there is also the economic attraction to them, as you don’t need to worry about changing window dressings. It is something that people take into consideration when buying a property. They are also great thermally and acoustically. They help with the heating in the winter, but also with keeping the house cool during summer, because they reflect the sun rays out. They are also very easy to maintain; you don’t need to take them down and dry clean them, all it takes is a dusting now and then. If you suffer from asthma or eczema, the dust is very easy to detect on them, whereas curtains cloak the dust and you can’t see it. These benefits also reflect the changes in consumer choices from carpet to hard flooring- the dust is much more detectable and so you’re able to clean it more, rather than it being harboured in the carpets.

Are there different choices of materials people can go for?

Absolutely, there are 3 materials we use. We have 2 lightweight hardwoods and we have UPVC poly. The UVPC poly is mainly used for bathrooms, wetrooms and kitchens- essentially rooms with high-moisture content. In terms of the lightweight hardwoods, the most economical one is Paulownia, which is a fast-growing hardwood- which has been certificated by the Forest Stewardship Council as being a sustainable source of wood. It takes just 10 years to mature. It has got a low oil content with a fine grain and is knot-free, which allows it to take paint really well. So the Paulownia is what we generally use for most windows, however if you have large wide panels such as folding patio doors we have a wood called Basswood, which is derived from the Linden tree. These trees take approximately 40 years to mature, so the growing line is tighter together, causing it to be a bit more durable.