Last winter my shutters began to peel and rust at an alarming rate. By early summer, my house’s exterior was looking a lot like Grey Gardens. Although I allowed money for new folks back in the spring, I am pleased with commitmentphobia.
You see, I’ve always desired shutters with adorable little cutouts. In Maine you see pine tree cutouts, on Cape Cod you see starfish and scallop shells, and within my Atlanta area you have a tendency to see a lot of card matches, mostly diamonds together with the occasional heart or club thrown in. I’ve decided I don’t want a shape that shows off a lot of the siding supporting it, because who knows what condition that’s in or if the color will match after being covered up by a good shutter for such a long time. (There certainly is NOT money allowed for repainting the house.)
The decision was harder than I imagined. Pine trees: so adorable, but we do not really have them in my own neighborhood. We’ve got oak, maple and beech trees. Unfortunately, the neighbors throughout the road already have adorable oak cutouts on their own porch railings, and that I do not wish to become a copycat. Acorns are darling, but their fat bodies show off too much siding, as do maple leaves.
One company has adorable squirrel cutouts, but I am afraid they’d give me the”Crazy Squirrel Lady” nickname. Hearts are the dating equivalent of having a bed covered in stuffed animals and 17 cats (I am single).
Crescent moons: I like them, however they aren’t quite what I am choosing. Starfish: Love’em, however I live in Atlanta; it’s kind of silly once you’re landlocked. Fleur-de-lis: I am not from New Orleans, and I wasn’t a Kappa Kappa Gamma. Four-leaf clover: I am only 1/16th Irish.
See how hard this is? What’s a woman to do? I suppose browse and look for inspiration…
Blue Sky Building Company
I’m looking not only at shutters, but also at doorways, railings, cabinets and everywhere else a cutout grabs my eye. This very small fish family is one of the very charming details I’ve seen in a while. Have a look at the extra-clever wavy top of this timber.
M.A. Corson & Assoc., Inc..
A school of bass makes its way throughout the lavender shutters with this Key West home. The cutouts are the icing with this cake that is amazing.
Quatrefoil shapes have different meanings in various cultures, including great fortune, harmony, the four ends of the Earth, the Christian cross and much more. These board and batten shutters were hand-crafted in Tennessee by Advantage Shutters.
Tim Andersen Architect
The arrow-shaped cutouts with this balcony railing give the traditional Arts and Crafts style a spin, and harshly draw the eye up. They also go together with the structure, mimicking the form of this dormer’s roof. A exceptional detail like this stamps a home with personality.
Between Naps on the Porch
What I love about this porch’s fantastic railing is that in the distance it’s quite subjective…
Between Naps on the Porch
… while shut up one sees simple silhouettes of cats.
Troy Rhone Garden Design
I certainly didn’t mean to emphasise hearts in my debut; they’re so beautiful and inviting with this garden gate. Browse more garden gates
I think that it was a trip to Branford, Connecticut, that sparked my love of shutters like these. The houses had so many hanging plants and window boxes, funky colours and special cutouts. I am pretty sure that these are trees, however I like to think that they’re broccoli, just because that would be odd.
On the other coastal Connecticut home, sailboats add a beachfront touch. Most shutter companies have this cutout inside their choice. There are so many to pick from; Exterior Shutter even offers a flamingo, which is quite tempting. By the way, most shutter business create any custom cutout you like, which frankly makes my decision even tougher!
Stephen Fuller Designs
These are mix cutout and louvered shutters. This designer has chosen a portrait color that’s very close to the color of the shingles, giving the cutouts a subtle, sophisticated appearance.
Well, I feel so much better after producing an ideabook that I’ve ordered catalogs from a few firms and am leaning toward a tulip cutout. (It is here; inform me what you think. Yes, I understand, I do not Reside in Holland or Oak Bluffs, Massachusetts.)
Tell meIf you were looking for the perfect shutter cutout, which model would you select? Allow me to know in the Comments section below.
More:
11 Ways to Repurpose Shutters
Add To Your Home’s Curb Appeal With Whimsical Balusters