I usually grit my teeth when I hear about adding shutters. That's because, at the risk of insulting half the posters here, there are definite dos and don'ts. And they don't have to do as much with materials and colours as size and shape.

Here's how the City of Newport summarizes up the basic rules.

Here are some illustrations of both types:

Our front door is mahogany, the shutters will be dark green. We have a similar situation as in Worthy's first picture where one of our windows is a double window. I was anticipating that the shutters would be hinged in the middle and folded when not being used, so that the visible width would match the single windows. It would look like the Newports second picture, so wouldn't meet their guidance, but they would be working shutters and would cover the entire window. Otherwise they would have to be twice the width of the shutters for the single windows. "They will be working shutters or there will be no shutters." DH's rule - but he hasn't priced them yet!

I agree with the concept that shutters should be working or don't put them on. It's so easy to see if shutters are working or not so it isn't that difficult to tell. Perhaps the bastardization of putting non-working shutters has reached a point where people can't or don't see the difference anymore. . . Real shutters have shutters straps, shutter dogs, and a "cant" to it. Now, I have seen inoperable shutters that look just like real shutters (mounted on real hardware, they just chose to keep it inoperable) which is fine - but why ?

For shutters, the PVC ones with aluminum ribbing are the best low-maintenace long term bet if you are planning on painting them. Most of the top shutter manufacturers have this option.

PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE.....If you're going to be a "shutter snob" (sorry...couldnt resist) dont just go half-way. Either commit to it or dont do it. If you have operable louvered shutters, the louvers should point UP when opened and secured flat against the house.

Great food for thought, and a great article. I have been researching regarding the proper sizing and hardware installation. I live in the Midwest and PROBABLY, would not have alot of need to close the shutters - but I do want to make them look authentic.