Shutter Style: 9 Designs Everyone Should Know

Louvered window shutters are constructed with overlapping uniform slats of wood set into a frame. They remain popular for many styles of architecture. Choose an eye-popping paint color to set them off against a white saltbox-style home, or simply stain them if you prefer a natural look.

These decorative, raised panel shutters and coordinating window box combine to create a formal yet inviting country-garden style. The dark paint choice offers a dramatic contrast to the window frame and cascading flowers.

Board-and-batten shutters are available in arch-top or square, spaced or joined styles. As their name implies, they are constructed from individual boards joined together with shorter crosspieces, or battens. The black, arch-style joined shutters shown here work well for curved windows.

The flat, solid panels of these interior shutters block out bad weather and bright lights. Their plain, functional simplicity is a hallmark of the traditional Shaker style. 

Aiming for a laid-back Southern look? Try functional plantation shutters, exterior shutters with wide louvers that can be closed against storms, or opened to let in warm breezes.

Café-style shutters get their name from the French cafés where they are so popular. They are easy to identify: They’re usually louvered, and they cover just the bottom half of a window to give café patrons privacy.

Use your creativity to customize your own cut-out design shutters. Ships, stars, and geometric shapes are common choices for this style that was popularized in the 1920s.

Scandinavian shutters are distinguished by their solid, joined board-and-batten design, dressed up with cut-outs and bright colors. These shutters can be closed to keep out howling blizzards and snowstorms, and their decorations provide spots of color in snowy Alpine regions.

A combination shutter is simply a mix of two or more shutter styles—in this case, the shutters are a louvered, raised-panel, cut-out combo. This style is a great choice for homeowners who want a customized, one-of-a-kind look that reflects their style and personality.