Quick Answer: Most of the time, the choice between shutters and curtains will be personal preference. If you have unconventional window shapes. You may find curtains will not suit your situation.

If you’re considering a new window dressing, there are plenty of shutters vs curtains questions you might want to find answers for.

Both choices will refresh and revitalise a room – but not all window treatments are created equal!

You’ll no doubt expect us to recommend shutters wholeheartedly – but this isn’t always the case.

We have a very strict ‘no hard sell’ promise here at Shuttercraft – so if shutters aren’t going to be the right choice for you, you can trust us to provide an honest, objective opinion.

That said, very few customers call us and ask whether curtains or shutters will be right for their home – so we don’t get to share our expert knowledge on the subject very often!

Privacy

The overwhelming majority of properties in the UK have windows that are visible from a road, footpath, or neighbouring property.

There are plenty of times when this is far from ideal.

Even if your neighbours are close friends, you might not feel comfortable with them seeing you fresh out of bed, getting a coffee in the kitchen first thing.

When it comes to privacy, plantation shutters usually win over curtains.

The reason comes down to the flexibility that louvres offer. With window shutters, you can adjust the louvres so you cannot be seen from a particular angle.

That means you can obscure the view from a busy street without shutting the light out altogether.

With curtains, your options are limited to open or closed. Having your living space closed off from the outside world during the darker winter months might not feel like a problem.

However, if your only option for privacy is closing the curtains at 6 pm on a summer’s day, you might be keen to find more flexibility.

In some rooms – especially living areas and kitchens – café-style shutters offer a fantastic balance of light and privacy.

Covering just the lower section of your windows, a café-style window shutter gives absolute privacy when needed, without ever compromising on light.

Security

You might think that window dressings aren’t going to make a great deal of difference to your household security.

In terms of your insurance premium, you’re probably right – but choosing shutters over curtains may have other security benefits.

Firstly, interior shutters give the impression that your windows would be more difficult to get through.

An extra layer of solid wood behind two panes of glass can certainly work as a visual deterrent.

There’s also the fact that they can be angled so would-be thieves just cannot see into your home.

According to a 2021 report from the Office for National Statistics, around 70% of domestic burglaries in England and Wales take place during the week – with many taking place during the morning or afternoon.

Online advice from the Met Police explains that thieves are also often opportunistic – meaning they will strike if they notice a valuable item or chance to get inside a home.

As well as making sure windows and doors are locked, one of the best things you can do is prevent people from being able to see inside your home while you’re out or on holiday.

If you don’t want to leave your curtains shut all day, shutters can be easily adjusted to prevent unwanted attention – but they don’t make your home look unattended or unloved.

Room darkening

Light is the most important external factor that affects peoples’ sleep – and it’s not just the sun that keeps us from getting the quality of sleep we need to thrive.

One of the world’s leading authorities on sleep, Sleepfactor.org, explains that it is best to sleep in as much darkness as possible.

However, from street lights and car headlights to neighbours’ security lights, it’s very difficult to get absolute darkness in your bedroom – but both curtains and shutters can help.

As far as standard window shutters and blackout curtains go – both do a very good job of minimising the light coming in from the outside world.

If you choose a smaller louvre size, you’ll block more light, too – as they close together slightly closer than large louvres.

That said, window shutters and blackout curtains still let some light in – due to ‘light bleed’ where they’re not tight against the surrounding window aperture.

Don’t worry, though; this is where a good shutter company can go one step further.

Hybrid shutter blinds combine the outstanding looks and practicality of shutters with a hidden honeycomb blind that can be closed behind the panel – blocking virtually all the light that would otherwise come through the window.

So, curtains and standard window shutters are neck-and-neck when it comes to blocking light – but if you want the ultimate solution for a dark room, hybrid shutter blinds are the perfect window treatments.

Energy costs

Curtains might look like the cosiest window dressing option, but shutters tend to lead the way when it comes to temperature control and locking in a home’s heating energy.

The secret is in the materials used to create custom-made window shutters.

Natural hardwood is considered ‘thermally dynamic’ – which means it reflects heat.

This means that the heat you’ve generated inside your home stays inside your home – when it reaches your shutters, it’s reflected into the room.

As a result, you can expect to save money on heating costs with shutters – whereas curtains, roman blinds and roller blinds generally don’t insulate as effectively.

Of course, shutters aren’t going to chop your energy bills in half – but with energy bill price caps as high as they currently are, even a small improvement in energy efficiency can result in hundreds of pounds saved annually.

Conservatories

Conservatories are often a room that can only be practically enjoyed for a small part of the year. A predominantly glass room can be too cold in winter and sometimes too warm in summer.

As we’ve just discussed, shutters will help you regulate the heat – making your conservatory practical all year round.

Now, we appreciate that you’re unlikely to go for floor-to-ceiling curtains around a conservatory or orangery – so shutters are probably an obvious choice.

However, there’s a shutter vs curtains conversation to have about the doors that lead from your house to your conservatory.

With curtains, it can feel like you’re completely closing a full section of your house off – leaving your conservatory a little unloved when it’s not in use.

If you choose conservatory shutters instead, you can close the room off when it’s not in use – but they still do a wonderful job of keeping an airy openness throughout your home.

The environment

You don’t have to explore any news outlet for long to understand the impact that ‘fast fashion is having on our environment.

According to the UN Environment Programme, the world’s hunger for cheaply produced clothes is responsible for more global carbon emissions than all international flights and maritime shipping combined.

So, what does this have to do with curtains and shutters?

Well, there’s an increasing focus on the impact of the so-called ‘fast homeware’ – cheaply produced homewares that many homeowners will consider on-trend today and ready to be replaced when the next trend hits interior design magazines.

The problem isn’t quite on the same scale as fast fashion, but industry experts say it’s a growing issue.

There’s no getting around the fact that shutters are a more expensive option than curtains – but it’s worth considering quality window coverings as more of a long-term investment rather than a quick interior fashion fix.

Your shutters are going to be still looking beautiful long after curtains have come down and been binned or hidden away in a cupboard.

Moreover, you can work with Shuttercraft confidently, knowing that the materials used are from sustainable sources.

From sustainable Ayous wood plantations in the Solomon Islands – to the ethical sourcing of Paulownia wood for lighter-weight shutters with a reduced carbon footprint – your new shutters will be a talking point for all the right reasons.