It can be simple or complicated, depending on the design of the shutter.
Years ago, with a LOT fewer tools than I have now, I made some with vertical 1x3s, spaced about 1/2" apart, and horizontal 1x4 pieces near the top and bottom. I mounted them with 2" square pieces of wood in back to make them stand out from the wall. You can probably find pre-primed 1x boards at a contractor's supply yard to make the painting go faster.

I looked and looked for some plans but couldn't find any.
Now what?
Its a new house - I don't want it to look amateur.

I'm also in a new house, and looking for advice/ideas/plans for making board and batten shutters! I'll post any info here if I find it. I saw some on a house today on my way home from picking my son up from school...I might stop by there and ask them if I can look at them up close and maybe phtograph them. The worse that can happen is they say no, right? :)

Julie on Virginia's Middle Peninsula

A while back, there was an article in Woodsmith magazine or Wood magazine, I believe, on making your own wooden shutters. Both magazines have websites to go to for back issue searches and information.
You might also try Home Handyman for information as well as Workbench magazine put out by the same people who publish Woodsmith.
Ralf

As Seen on TV........Ron Hazelton

Here is a link that might be useful: New Orleans Style Shutters

There are several web sites "out there" that have plans ans instructions for making Plantation Shutters. (Google on "Plantation Shutters"). There was a two-part New Yankee Workshop show on Shop Jigs a while back. One of the jigs is for making fixed shutters or cafe doors (the slats don't open). The video and plans from that program are avaiable through the NYS site.

-- Steve

I just replied to something to a blog that I found in making shutters on about.com. Try this link which gives you some how to do plans for a fixed louver type, please read my comment )

Here is the link and good luck with your project: http://woodworking.about.com/b/2008/01/27/how-to-make-louvers-for-doors-window-shutters-more.htm

-Jewel

Here is a link that might be useful: Kestrel Shutters & Doors

Here are some shutter plans. These are for indoors but the same construction methods can be used.

Here is a link that might be useful: window shutters free woodworking plans

Here is a link to some instructions and diagrams. Hope it helps.

Here is a link that might be useful: http://www.woodshoptips.com

Board and batten are about as simple as it gets.

Raised panel types are a littler tougher, but the router bits to cope and stick the frame are easily found, and panel raising is not very hard on a router (or even a table saw).