One of the nice things about owning an old house are the original features that come with it (if you’re lucky!). I have coveted solid wood interior shutters for many, many years – long before I had the privilege to live in a house that came with them. Don’t you think that they’re beautiful?
There’s something modest yet grand about them (if that’s possible!)
Modest because they are so simple in design, plain or panelled and totally lacking in frills…
Grand because they are often full length, and because Georgian buildings tend to have high ceilings they can appear quite imposing.
I think that they’re at their best left either unpainted…
or in pale or muted shades.
The Georgians loved pale, flat colours which can look very beautiful.
Here are some of the ones at Hill House. Mine are painted in pale colours throughout. A chalky white in the drawing room…
Pale buttermilk in the kitchen (sorry for the dark picture).
I think that interior shutters are a simply beautiful and stylish alternative to curtains in any period of house. As they are often set into recessed shutter boxes at the side of the window, they maximise the amount of light when open. They don’t fade and they combine privacy with security. If your house doesn’t already have them, they can be made-to-measure by specialist companies, or they can also be found in salvage yards and junk shops if you’re after the genuine article – DIY enthusiasts can even make them from scratch with reclaimed timber. They can be re-painted to suit your colour scheme – and they can be wiped, sanded or painted clean – what’s not to love?
