Shutter Colors

Adding shutters to your house is a good way to change its look. Creatively selected shutter colors have the ability to make even an old house look new. So if you are thinking about home improvement at a budget, re-paint your old shutters or add a few new ones and you will be amazed at the results! Given below are some useful tips on how to choose appropriate shutters which will lend a unique dimension to your house.

Types of Shutters
Window shutters for homes come in many varieties including fiberglass, aluminum, steel, wood, plastic and vinyl. In all of these varieties, a wide range of colors is available for you to choose from. Out of the many varieties that are available in the market, wooden shutters are the best bet for people who want to lend an authentic appearance to their home. The only drawback of exterior wood shutters is that their maintenance takes a lot of effort and they need to be repainted again and again, plus, they can be quite a burden on the pocket. Vinyl shutters on the other hand, cost lesser and they do not even need much maintenance. Unlike the wooden ones, they do not need to be painted that often. You can just wash them occasionally and they will look new as ever! Some of the popular choices when it comes to vinyl shutter colors are blue, brown, green, burgundy, clay and white. If you want a color of your choice, then paintable vinyl shutters are available in the market too.

Complements Exterior Paint
When choosing the exterior shutter colors, go by the colors with which you have painted the exterior of your house. Select the colors which go well with the exterior painting of your house. It can be a contrasting color, or a color similar to the exterior wall paint. For example, for people who prefer contrast, the perfect color for red brick houses are either black or charcoal gray, and for those who prefer colors which complement the exterior paint, maroon red will be the ideal choice for a red brick house. Another example which we can take is that of a tan house. The most suitable colors for tan house would be brown and chocolate. Chocolates and browns will lend a tan colored house a rich-looking and at the same time, warm appearance.

Lighter Shades
If you read the views of interior designers regarding shutter colors in any of the lifestyle magazines, you will find that most of them recommend not to use bright colors on the exteriors of the house. According to them, toned down colors are the ideal choice for the exterior of the house, as they ensure that the house does not stand out from the rest of the houses in the neighborhood. If you believe in the same philosophy, then while selecting the colors, see to it that they are of a lighter shade.

Compare With Window Trim Colors
Another thing that has to be considered is the color of the window trim. Ideally, the window shutter and the trim color should be the same. This way, the entire window looks like a single piece. In case, you are not able to find the same color, at least make sure that the two colors are very close. Also, if the window trims are old, it is better that you re-paint them before new shutters are installed to even out the look.

Appearance
Remember to check how the colors look at different times of the day that is, in bright sunlight during the afternoons, in early morning as well as in the evening, close to sunset. Choose the color that looks equally appealing in different kinds of light.

In case you are planning to re-paint the entire house, then take this opportunity to create a kind of color combination with the exterior paint color, trim colors and the shutter colors. If your budget is limited, then just repainting the shutters is more than enough to add to the look of your house. These days, most of the home improvement stores offer color schemes selected by professionals in the field, so you can go in for any of these if you are unable to decide which color to choose for your house. Best of Luck!