Gäste-Forum » DIY Cafe style shutters

When renovating or decorating your home, timings are crucial. Making sure that products and services arrive at certain times - and within budget - are important parts of the process.
Our shutters are a bespoke made-to-measure product, fitted precisely to your personal requirements, but how long do they take to arrive? Here's how it works:
Where are shutters manufactured?
All our shutter ranges are custom-made in our exclusive state-of-the-art facility in China, which manufactures several shipping containers' worth of shutters every week. All our shutters are crafted using top-grade quality materials and are even painted by hand!
On average, each order takes 10-18 days to manufacture. We make certain that this crucial stage is not rushed in any way to ensure the high level of quality that our customers have come to expect.
To get an idea of the materials and colours we offer order free samples from us.
Café style shutters are a popular choice for window decorations, but are they best suited to some rooms more than others?
Even for this adaptable design, it can be tricky to know whether choosing Café shutters is right for your windows. Here are some key factors that we hope will help inform your decision.
The advantages of DIY Café style shutters
Unlike our full height shutters, ‘café style' simply means that the shutters cover only the lower half of your window. This can easily be measured to the half-way point of your windows or to any desired height.
This design is beneficial because:
The top of your windows are clear to let in the maximum amount of light
You can customise the height of this style
It brings you the privacy you desire from your shutters
They are more cost-effective than full height or tier on tier. With half the height you literally pay half the price!
The disadvantages of DIY Café style shutters
As this design only covers the lower section of your window, they don't offer any coverage or block any light from the top of the window. This can be an advantage depending on the room it's for or its intended use, but it can be less flexible than the other styles if you may eventually wish to add a top ‘section'.
Full height shutters could be for you if you wish to have more control over the light and privacy in your room
If you have very wide windows, a 4-sided frame will be sturdier and easier to install.
Tier on Tier shutters would provide the same advantages as a Café style, with the added option to close the top tier for full coverage.
The perfect room for DIY Café style shutters
This versatile design is a great choice for rooms which require privacy over maximum light reduction.
Kitchens and living rooms are the most popular choice for this design as you want privacy from the outside world but are less likely to want to block out the light completely. These shutters are perfect for adding privacy to your street-facing rooms.
Bedrooms are the least popular choice for this design. In a room where light reduction is the priority, full coverage of your windows is key to ensure a restful night's sleep.
The many colours and styles of DIY Café style shutters
Our DIY Café Style shutters are even available in our Waterproof polyvinyl range. So if you're concerned about the moisture levels in your kitchen/bathroom, or you're worried that your shutters will come into direct contact with water - then worry no more - our Waterproof range has you covered.
Not only do our Café Style shutters come in all our hardwood and polyvinyl ranges, but they also come in all our colours and stains as well.
From Pure White to Clay, and Natural to Walnut, we have a wide range to ensure your Café Style shutters look as good as they can. You can choose a painted colour to complement your windows and surrounds or choose a sultry stain to show off the beautiful grain of our hardwood products.
When remodelling a kitchen, plantation shutters make the perfect addition. Fully customisable to accommodate any style of décor, from farmhouse style to modern, wooden shutters provide privacy, light control and elegance. Here we offer some key guidelines to help you design the perfect kitchen shutters.
Why choose shutters for your kitchen?
Shutters provide flexible control over the amount of light you'd like in your kitchen
You can bifold or swing your shutter panels open fully to allow complete view and light entry into the kitchen
Panels can be kept closed, lowering and raising the louvers to maintain exactly how much light you'd like to come through.
Minimise afternoon glare and shut out extremely hot and cold temperatures by keeping your kitchen shutters closed.
Household chores are reduced as shutters are easier to clean than curtains or blinds
With our standard UV protectant and sealant, your kitchen shutters are guaranteed not to yellow or fade over time. Unless you choose to order them in yellow of course!
One of the most popular styles for kitchens is café style shutters. Covering the lower section of a window, they still allow plenty of light to flood through the upper portion. Café style gives you the freedom to cover as much or as little of the window as you'd prefer. You can measure up to the lower third, the centre, two thirds upwards, or to obscure any natural divide or obstruction in your window.
Full height shutters offer total privacy and light blockage. A mid-rail in full height style adds flexibility to influence the upper and lower louvers independently.
Tier on tier shutters split the panels so that both upper and lower tiers can swing open and be closed separately.
What's the best material for kitchen shutters?
The kitchen is a busy area prone to spills, splashes, grease drops and odours that might smell appetising until they're lingering around your home for ages. Made from polyvinyl, our waterproof shutters are really easy to clean. Just wipe them down with a damp cloth! A hidden tilt rod will give you an even more streamlined look that's even easier to wipe than the more traditional central tilt rod. If your kitchen window sits right behind a tap you won't have to worry about any splashes, but it's worth considering bi-folding panels which fold away from the tap rather than swing towards it.
What colour shutters look best in a kitchen?
Choosing just the right colour to complement your kitchen can be awkward! Of course, you can never go wrong with a classic white that really brightens up a room and goes with any colour. If your cabinets are painted or stained, a white shutter can blend right in or offer a striking contrast.
Stuck on choosing a colour? You can order up to 3 free samples and hold them up to your cabinets and appliances to see what looks best! If you're feeling bolder and want to add more pop to a more neutral tone kitchen, also check out our Kids Collection, which you don't have to be a kid to appreciate!