Lowes pricing for plantation shutters is based on grid measurements, as they offer preset standards for their shutters. Thus whether your window is 40 inches wide, or 46 inches wide you will be charged the same price for the shutter.  They do make allowances for the actual size of the shutter, meaning that they will customize your order to the exact size you want it, however because of the pricing structure you will basically be charged the same price for a 46 inch shutter even if you ask them to customize it so that it is only 42 inches wide. In effect, due to the pricing in place you actually end up paying more for a 42 inch window that you would were you to order to exact dimensions from another store.

This is where there is more flexibility when ordering Home depot plantation shutters. Unlike Lowes, they charge per square foot, with ever shutter perfectly custom made to your size window. In other words, you end up paying for exactly what you order with Home Depot. If you are installing many shutters or you have large windows, the saving made by having your shutters custom designed to the exact measurement and paying per square foot can be considerable, especially if you purchase the more expensive shutters. In summary, paying for your shutters by the square foot, rather than paying by the grid structure that Lowes use, is actually quite a bit less expensive even though at first glance it may appear that you are getting a better deal, or cheaper shutters, by ordering the standard sized plantation shutters.

For the best deal on plantation shutters, however, you may want to check out your local dealers.  They are often more flexible on their pricing, most will charge per square foot as Home Depot does, and they often do a much better job at tailoring the shutters exactly to your specifications. What’s more, they will also often send someone to take exact measurements and install the shutters for free afterwards.  Smaller businesses, knowing that they need to compete against bigger chain stores, offer something that the larger stores cannot really accommodate: Great customer service and genuine pride in their work.  This is especially important if you are planning on installing shutters throughout your entire house, or large sections of it. With so much more attention to detail and personalized service, you will probably find that the purchase and installation is much faster and that the shutters are custom designed to an exact fit, no matter how your windows are actually installed.

If you are planning on installing shutters on one or two windows and you are not going to be spending a lot of money on them, then by all means check out the options at Home Depot or Lowes. But remember, even though Home Depot only offers ‘customized shutters’ you can actually end up saving more money by purchasing from them, due to their pricing structure.  The plantation shutters Home Depot has to offer may not be exactly what you have in mind, if that is the case you will need to look elsewhere, with Lowes plantation shutters being a secondary option.

There are pro’s and con’s to both fabric curtains and wooden shutters.
Curtains are very decorative. They are soft and look lovely when drawn to the side. They’re easy to fold and arrange.
On the other hand, the cons of curtains are starting to weigh heavily in their disfavour. Perhaps it’s not so much the cons of the curtains as the pros of wooden shutters.

Wooden shutters are much easier to clean. Run a rag or a feather duster over them and they’re clean.  Curtains made from fabric, however, require much more attention when it comes to cleaning them.  While fabric, hung on windows, can help insulate a room from the cold, wooden shutters have been known to be much more effective in controlling levels of heat during summer, and cold during winter, in a room.

Shutters help direct the amount of light that flows into a room.  Fabric curtains, on the other hand, have to be left wide open or pulled to the side, leaving little room for controlling the amount of light that filters into a room.

Wood blends with almost any furniture in the room.   Curtains often need to be changed whenever the décor of a room is changed. So, any remodelling usually involves buying and hanging new curtains.  Plantation shutters, for example, blend naturally with any décor.  They do not need to be changed as often as curtains.  In fact, you can often keep your wooden shutters for years on end without needing to change or replace them.

That alone can mean a substantial savings for you. Fabric curtains are generally more expensive than wooden shutters, plantation shutters or blinds.  Cheap fabric curtains do not look good.  Vinyl curtains should only be used in bathrooms or in kitchen windows.  If you want to fit your living room  out with nice looking curtains or blinds you have few choices. Many choose wood venetian blinds, or blinds or shutters.  These look classy and can withstand many home re-decorations. Fabric curtains usually need to be changed each time you redecorate. That is costly!

If you are looking for a classy look for your room, you would be wise to choose wooden shutters such as the plantation shutters. You really can’t go wrong if you choose those!