Your new house is very attractively sited against the trees behind it. You must be very excited about getting so far long!

To follow up on Sweeby's comment (and reveal my pet peeve about shutters):

Shutters should properly be mounted so that they are hinged on the inside edge of the window trim so that they could (if they had proper hardware) pivot into the window frame and cover the window. These days, when most shutters aren't really functional, most people make the mistake of hanging them outside the window trim - which to my eyes makes them look like big ears flappin' in the breeze - and instantly exposes them as fakes.

I'd rather see no shutters on a house than see them just slapped on the building where they have no design purpose.

You have it almost right in the "window" in what I imagine is the garage (on the left), where it looks like the "shutters" are in the closed position.

As for color, I wouldn't use black with the brown tones of the stone and siding. I would suggest (if you go with shutters at all) a very, very dark grey with a warm brownish undertone. And put two of them over the garage "window", not outboard of the opening. Also I'd put shutters on the whole house, not skipping the stone portions.

Hope I haven't added to your design decision angst.

L

This is absolutely a pet peeve of mine, too...the architecture here is nice and balanced and interesting, but the window choice precludes shutters, IMHO. Putting shutters on some windows and not others looks strange to me. Putting appropriate shutters on those triple-light windows would be way too heavy.

You asked...

Wow, thanks. And yes, I did ask ! There is so much expertise out there in this crowd, how could I not ask? Thank you for all thoughts so far.

Yes, if only we could have hired someone closer to an Architect rather than the GC's version of one (I am all about supporting women returning to the workplace after the kids are of age, but they should at least have some modicum of talent and not just a dated CAD program, sheesh...)

There are some aspects of the home where we were able to remain true to (whatever du jour), but not with everything. I believe and understand your perspectives with true shutters, but not sure that correctly mounting less-than-optimal shutters will matter much with the curb appeal. I may be forced to strike some balance between our allowance, and immediate effect. I also love the look of true shutters - on the coastal Atlantic areas, beaches, and older Southern homes.... very nice look. In this geographical area (mid-atlantic inland) there is no need for either, and.... (well, I'm running out of excuses here, as well as money, LOL)

But the comments about not doing shutters on the triples does ring a consideration.....
And garage being to the Right, so down on the left - that white blank would be two shutters hanging together as if the window is closed - atop the white blank (a faux window where resides the Master closet). Just an effect.

I have more to consider..... anyone else please? Thanks so far!

Also if you do get any louvered shutters, the louvers face UP when in the open position. (There is no up for panels).

On larger windows in historical houses, there were sometimes not shutters on larger (wider or triple, or large arched) windows, because these often had folding pocket shutters on the interior. Narrower windows often had both, (my house did, for example). So there is some precedence for some windows with some without.

It is also historically appropriate for open shutters to overlap those on the next window over or hang over the downspouts if they are fully functional, although this looks odd to the modern eye.

Going to disagree regarding shutters on wide windows. My entire street was built in 1924 and although all of our shutters are fully operational (as I discovered during a windstorm) we absolutely have shutters on larger windows where they would only cover the two smaller side lights if closed. I think it would look very odd to put shutters only on your single-width windows.

I don't think you really need shutters. If you do put them up I'd put them on the stone too. Also on the windows on the sides and back of the house. I hate when all the "fancy" stuff is on the front only and you walk around back and the rest of the house is blank.

Nice setting for your house!

I'm also a believer in the shutters should only go where they could be closed rule. But just copy your house into paint, find shutters you like on google images and paste them in place.

It's not a pet peeve of mine and I don't understand the reasoning behind holding up a tradition of shutters closing when you never will do so.

I'm a designer but I really have to buck tradition on this one. Looking at your house, I prefer it with all shutters.

No shutters, please.

I am another one that thinks shutters should fit the windows so that they could be closed - that is what shutters are for.

Additionally, adding the shutters only highlights all the different window sizes and more importantly, the different sizes of the sections of the house and all the roof lines. Better to have some open wall space - the house certainly feels larger without the shutters.

I would put a more generous moulding around the windows to match the substance of the headers, including a more substantial sill, and then leave the windows alone. Let the architectural details and the stonework be the stars.

Once you get your landscaping in, with some taller plants on either side of the windows, etc. you will be glad you didn't add the shutters.

You have a lovely home!

What specifically do you mean by "curb appeal?"

You have a lovely home, that appears to be thoughtfully sighted on the lot, with the garage almost hidden off to the side (as it should be) The front of the house looks well balanced and that !forest of trees makes a gorgeous backdrop.

Maybe you're feeling the need to put something up there because it's not finished yet? Can you "see" the house with the finished door, the light fixtures, some wonderful landscaping, a big pot of something colorful on the front porch? I sure can, and I don't see shutters adding anything to what you've already got going on.

If you haven't already, you may want to visit the Landscape Design forum here on GW to get a few ideas. They have lots of opinions about curb appeal. And shutters.

Oh, and my vote is for no shutters. Can you wait a year or two and see what it looks like when it's finished before you make that decision?

Shutters that are not in proportion and on all windows are just excess "stuff" on a house....rather like a scarf on a jacket with a ruffled front and a necklace and important earrings....just to pick up a color.
Excess froufoo....and poor design at that.
Linda C

I disagree with lindac. I think shutters would look good on the siding portion of the house, although I would leave them off of the stone work portion. You definitely want to paint your front door a nice vivid color to help your eye move directly to the entry. Good luck on a nice looking house.

If you have any windows above the garage doors, make sure that you put shutters on those too. It will make your house more cohesive as you drive up to it.

Wow all, thank you! Thanks for your time commenting, and homeagain thanks for your time photoshopping. And thank you for the compliments - we also think it is going to be a handsome and relatively cohesive exterior when it all comes together.

Were it a period home, I would modify the shutter mountings - thank you for that. I will keep that in mind if we ever bring the home into a more period appeal. We're just another 'burbs facade however.
I appreciate the comments to bolster the window sills. After Dear Builder put those massive headers on, I thought something was missing & wasn't sure what. After we move in, I'll see what we can do there.

And I also wanted to shutter the sides, so the look could be more cohesive on approach. We could do that one after market, but the windows are all over the map on that side (casement, small DH, larger DH), and I think that strategic Plantings might be a better approach.

But we have modified our shutter order for the front - just a tad. And I think black will add snap - but am keeping your comments in mind, will consider something a little less dramatic - a deep grey/brown would look amazing - the shutters can always be painted.

You'all are fabulous - thank you!

I'm a shutter fan. I agree they should look functional if the house is conducive to that design but in your case it's not. But that's no reason in this day and age to not put on the finishing touch of the shutters if you like the look (which I do). I'd put them on the top stone window. I like them everywhere actually but if you leave them off under the porch I'd still put them on the upper stone window to just make the house look more pulled together.

You could go several directions in color, the dark brownish grey, black, dark green. Any of those would look good. It's beautiful by the way.

Agree with other posters. No shutters and add some wider trim to windows. I have removed shutters from a few houses we have bought.

i think i would also put shutters on all of the windows...they won't cover up too much stone-i think it would look alittle odd to leave them off of the 2 lower windows.

i also think shutters CAN be decorative! even the people i know who have "working" shutters don't close them for storms!! i love homes with large windows and shutters---but it would look ridiculous to put shutters up that could completely cover the window if closed!!!

No shutters, for the reasons already discussed. But that brown would be pretty for trim and improve the curb appeal.

Your welcome!

How about a version with beefed up trim?

The Check is in the Mail, homeagain - thanks! Happy Fourth!

I live inland Pacific NW. I don't think ANY shutters on this side of the world are functional. Thus, I never knew any rules about shutters and harbor no pet peeves! :)

I think you either should have them on all windows or no windows. Anything in between would look off,... to me. I favor the last photo with the beefed up trim. There is one house I drive by with really thick, pretty trim that stands out among the others. It's very tasteful.

Recently my husband and I visited a home that was built at the turn of the last century. The home had large windows and what appeared from a distance to be shudders too narrow to cover the windows. Upon getting close to the home, we observed the shudders to be, in fact, working shudders with all the hardware -beefy hinges and latch...but they were bi-folded...so when closed they did fully cover the window.