Since many French houses don't have air conditioning and are only insulated against the summer heat by their thick stone walls, having the windows open and the shutters closed really helps to cool the inside when it's sweltering hot outside.
Shutters serve several purposes. First is for insulation. They help keep the heat indoors in the winter and the cool air inside in the summer. Few houses in Europe have air conditioning, so it's important to keep the hot sun out and allow the thick stone walls to cool the home.
In France we like our shutters on the outside of the windows. They are there for added security when closing up the house, for temperature control when it gets very hot or very cold. If the shutters open out then the windows have to open into the rooms.
They really aren't needed in most of the US. You will find real shutters in coastal areas that are subject to hurricane damage and on islands, like in Hawaii. But most of the rest of the areas put up plywood if torrential rain or winds are predicted.
Well, it's a full window shutter. They typically roll down and block out nearly all sunlight (heavy rains and storms too) from entering windows and greatly reduces heat buildup, inherently cooling the inside of your home.
To answer your question about why many Germans feel strongly against air conditioning, there are a few reasons why. The Wall Street Journal quotes a Berlin resident, who explains that “they think it's a waste of energy, it's bad for the environment, and people say it makes them sick.”
The Migration of Shutters Across Europe
In these medieval times solid shutter panels were used for providing protection from the weather and security. Many European countries have used them since then to retain or reduce heat in their homes.
Do all houses need shutters? Absolutely not, and many, many houses would look much better without shutters, rather than with “today's” shutters. What do we mean by that? For starters, many shutters today serve no purpose, other than to add an accent color, and to fill in space around windows.
Shutters ARE still in style in 2023.
If you're thinking of updating your home and want to add some character, shutters might be the way to go.
Window shutters have been around for centuries and remain one of the most popular window dressings. We are certain they will remain timeless.
A French-style home, also called a French provincial home, is a stone, brick, or stucco house with a steep rooftop and large windows. Often featuring courtyard gardens, iron gates, and gravel pathways, French-style homes are known for their rustic appeal.
Traditional Italian shutters have an important function. Italians could and can use shutters to keep their homes cool. Italians will close their internal or external shutters in the morning after keeping them open all evening. This stops the Mediterranean sun from heating their homes.
If your French doors are prone to draughts, installing shutters provides an extra layer of insulation, reducing the amount of heat loss through windows and doors and ultimately saving you money on your energy bills. Installing shutters to French doors is a great idea for pet owners or parents with young children.
Note that in many cases, the windows are wider than the shutters, and it would be impossible to install conventional swinging shutters to cover that window. Shutters are merely a decorative feature used to make the windows look bigger.
They provide insulation
The main reason why window shutters will add value to your house is because they are fantastic insulators. They are far more effective than curtains or blinds when it comes to keeping your house warm because they're thicker and they add an extra layer of insulation to your windows.
French windows open outward together without a mullion separating them. This maximises the view that can be gained when both sets are opened together, so that that the exterior view is part of the interior design. They are typically set in pairs in multiples across the exterior wall of a large room.
Shutters also have a timeless look that instantly upgrades the overall visual impression of a home, and for that reason they can make a home look more “expensive” overall, possibly raising the home's value in the eyes of potential buyers.
They're an Excellent Way to Add Value to Your Home
Shutters are a popular choice among homeowners who are interested in making their home more appealing to potential buyers. Investing in exterior shutters is one of the easiest and most cost-effective ways to increase the value of your home.
White wooden blinds and Perfect Fit blinds are great alternatives to shutter blinds. They're made to measure so they fit your window frame exactly, creating the same seamless look you'd get with new shutters.
Plantation Shutters Protect Your House From Burglars
Trying to break through a shutter is not quick or easy and chances are they will be heard trying to break through the wood. Plantation shutters therefore not only provide an extra barrier to your house, they're also a huge deterrent.
When closed, shutters have been shown to reduce heat loss through a window by more than 50%, according to a recent study by The English Heritage.
It's to do with our climate. It doesn't generally get hot enough for us to want to shut out the sun and heat.
The Mediterranean made wooden shutters incredibly popular, due to the ease of working with the material, and that both light and air control were possible with wooden shutters.