Shutter Time!!!

I don't know if it's a gift or a curse, but one of the easiest things for me is making an idea list immediately while walking through a home.  I instantly categorize what needs to be done and can usually prioritize things on the spot.

Well, when I bought this Cleveland home last year, I knew without a doubt that one of my biggest desires was for more curb appeal.  And that curb appeal would come instantly in the form of shutters.  I could tell that this home used to have shutters, but some time ago, they were removed for whatever reason.  I love brick homes, but this home just needed some color!!!

I love this home, but something is missing!!!  I need some accenting color!!!

So I was off to shop for shutters.  It's funny to me, too, just how passionate some people can be about certain things.  Well, in my research about how to measure shutters, I came across a gentleman who is all things shutters, and he actually influenced me greatly!!!  You can read all about shutters here (More Than You Care to Know About Shutters).  However, I warn you:  You will NEVER look at shutters the same way again...and will probably realize that your shutters on your own home are installed improperly.  You've been warned!  :)  I learned soooooo much, and I took it upon myself to pass that knowledge on to my sister, too.  Now we can't drive down the street without noticing the 90% fail rate of proper shutter installation!

It's basically simple.  The shutters we see today on homes are simply an extension of the original purpose of shutters back in the 1800's and early 1900's.  The difference is that today shutters are for aesthetic purposes only.  They don't open or close or even turn with the louvres.  They quite simply give the appearance of actually being useful...that's it.

So with that said, the easiest way to figure out if a shutter is installed properly is to picture it in 1850!  Could the shutter close on its hinge and fully cover the window glass from top to bottom?  If so, would it cover the window from left to the middle (probably the biggest failure of current shutters)?  Of course, it can get a wee bit complicated when you have curved windows (your shutter better be curved, too!) or windows in between windows.  But for simplicity's sake, a shutter should cover a window fully.

Well, after much research and pricing, I did what any sane man would do.  I went with something that would look good...be reasonably priced...fit in with the neighborhood...and not hold up to the shutter test.  Yes, much to my own dismay, I had to break the shutter rules!!!

But, alas, that's the route I took.  I debated long and hard between maroon and blue shutters and even cheated by playing around with shutters and my actual house on the internet.  I chose blue.  I ordered eight of 'em from Lowe's and eagerly awaited for them to arrive!

I don't think I knew exactly what I was getting into, but that seems to be typical for me anymore!  ha!  I had to purchase a couple masonry bits, and I used my battery-powered drill for the power.  But even then, this was going to be a project that required some muscle!

Going off a tip from the internet, I measured the depth needed for the masonry anchors.  I then took a piece of masking tape and put that same measurement on the drill bit.  Now I would know when I needed to stop.  I then started drilling through the 1939 mortar!!!

Long story short, I would have to drill six holes in each shutter.  They were to be 3 inches deep.  So I had to drill 8 shutters...6 times...3 inches.  In other words, I would end up drilling through 12 feet of mortar.  OUCH!!!  No wonder my arm was tired!!!

But the final result is worth it.

My house before shutter installation.

The house is completely transformed!  So much more "home-y"!

The home as seen from across the street.

Such a small change.  Such a big difference.

The shutters only cost me $165.81.  Add in the drill bits, anchors, and ladder rental, and I was able to transform the look of my exterior for $200.  I LOVE it!!!