Exterior Shutters in America are ALL WRONG 

Its a few extra dollars...lol. This is the reason they are only decorative on most American homes.

They are decorative in America. They aren't meant for function. I do want real shutters but hard to find. I will have to make myself.

I’m a Californian living in Europe. Hands down American building/construction is inferior to Europe. We use plastic as siding and my European co-workers would not believe me until I pulled up a photo online. I also showed them the faux shutters and they asked why would you do that if it’s not functional?

I don't even work in home design and this gets under my skin. Currently trying to convince my wife the same thing. Our problem is that most of our windows are 36 in wide and there are typically two side-by-side. Probably going with the roller shutters I saw in Germany (when we have enough saved lol).

In Greece my country, every person rich or poor has shutters that function. It doesn’t matter if you live in a big manor or not, even the neighbourhoods in poverty will laugh at you for fake decorative shutters. It’s the same in France and Spain, although sometimes the shutters will look different (one apartment I stayed in Paris had a more modern shutter that opens and closes with a remote control)

As an American that lived in Italy for 3 years I adored the functionality of the windows in my apartment. Windows that opened on a hinge like a door, screens that you could raise, and the built in black out shades that were encased in a box at the top of balcony doors & windows, so that you could let them down to any length you desired. I always said if I ever built a home in America I would copy every, single detail of those windows.

Couldn't agree with you more about the shutters. Nothing says cookie cutter more on a home than fake shutters

Fake shutters are no worse to me than fake columns on a house. They both look tacky.

Thanks for the video. I'm a painter and I scratch my head every time I have to remove shutters to paint. Half the time they break (wood and plastic) and invariably always look junky. I'm with you. Spend a bit more and do it right.

thank you for nice video. it's exactly I was looking for.

I can't stand fake shutters! And we have them EVERYwhere here in the USA.

YESSSSS! Thank you for explaining the proper size.

I didn't even know fake shutters were a thing. I am currently looking for information to build shutters for my home in Portugal and was watching a video of someone making wood shutters (the same model I want), but then suddenly he started screwing them to the wall... and I was totally confused. Why?! Why?!... What are they for? Then this video was suggested :P

As everything else here in America it all comes down to cost. Vinyl decorative shutters are probably $50 pair vs $500+ for these custom functional shutters. I personally would do at least real wood deocarative shutters instead of vinyl.

You would be loving our hurricane shutters just as much as we are loving your shutters! Awesome video! Thank you so much. I'm wondering who the manufacturer of these shutters are and if they available in aluminum. They're like a hybrid of colonial hinged shutters and Bahama shutters. Super duper awesome! :)

Agreed 100%. Even the chaps at the window department at Home Depot and Lowe's would have difficulty answering questions about shutters. I find it funny how some people think it increases home value. Nope, it does not. I makes the house look cheap.

100% agree Kim, but the problem is also created by how horrible our newer vinyl windows look. If we had nicer casements and actual window panes instead of the dumb white metal bars inserted in newer windows, we wouldn't need to visually frame them with fake shutters. I actually like Plantation shutters inside to give a finished look and lesser maintenance. It is the casements of the windows we need to change and have more visual appeal.

What's ALL WRONG, is the number of people who think *interior* shutters are a good alternative to *exterior* shutters. Exterior shutters should be required in the South Western USA. Exterior is the only way of blocking out the heat generated from rays hitting the windows.

Never saw veranda/traditional hybrids before! Looks pretty interesting and functional. Probably have to DIY it, or take out a mortgage. Plus American windows frames aren’t made with this in mind so fit is a problem.

Hi!!! I'm from America too, I'm from Perú... :D

These are truly beautiful.

Thank you for this video. I'm not american, so when I walk around my neighborhood here in usa, I'm just confused on why people think fake shutters look nice. I see them everywhere. It looks very weird on brick houses

THANK YOU

I'm so glad shutters are finally starting to go out of style where I live. If they're going to be fake, it's better to not have them at all!

Well duh most ppl are aware of this. Not everyone can afford real ones but still enjoy the look of them. Its really about looks(curb appeal) vs function. Most ppl that do have real ones in the US have them for hurricane etc. and not so much for the look.

Exterior Shutters. I Did not know the name of them. First time home buyer here.

These in the States are used for decoration purposes only! In Europe, in the historic areas, most places do not have central AC, therefore you need to have Windows that can open.

recently we are building an Italian style house in China but seriously we are in trouble with the window shutters I really wanna keep real functional shutters but there is no where i can find hinges so I guess I may have to install fake and decorative only shutters .

2:50 it's not called a “mounting block”. The correct hardware to keep a shutter open is called a “shutter dog”

I have always wondered why they don't put real shutters on houses in America. I would think they would help in some instances, like storms.

They're just faux/decorative in America. For most homes in America the windows are many on a wall or large ( many times almost the total width of a wall)and there's no way to have these functional shutters. The actual shutter has to be very wide to cover the windows, but can't open and fold against the side of the home due it being so such a wide shutter.

Very nice video. Curious to know if I can purchase this in the USA ? Thank you.

“You know what grinds my gears?”

Thank you.

Omg same fake shutters piss me off

You must realize we have real shutters in the U.S. They just aren’t as cheap as merely decorative plastic pseudo shutters.

converted, thanks!

Does anyone know what song is at 3:15?

Not only in Italy,all over the world EXCEPT in the USA

I agree. Whoever thinks that the decorative part of it covers up for the lack of functionality is kidding themselves. Do it right and make them useful.

Where do I get these?

For a little added perspect:ive, from "an ugly American". Functional shutters have two main jobs: 1) protect the window from damage which mainly means hurricanes as tornadoes and hail storms don't generally give much warning. (although, they would definitely help protect windows from hail or tornado-blown debris) 2) protect the interior of the house from the sun There's also a (3) - break up large expanses of uninteresting wall. And a (4) - make your house look like buyers in the area expect, rightly or wrongly I am currently going through this project, DIY-style, with my wife. We both really want fully functional shutters on our house. They are simple to build, hardware is easily available locally or on the 'net, and the hinges allow you to clean behind the shutters ( to remove wasps, small birds, and lots and lots and lots of leaves). BUT ... we are far from hurricane country, we already have deep 6-foot porches and many mature trees so excessive sunlight isn't a problem, and when the next hail storm hits I WANT it to take out my old windows 🙂 The (functional) hardware adds $100-$150 per window (2-3 pairs of hinges with pintle hinges, plus shutter dogs). With 10-14 windows to do (depends on if we do the back), this is a significant extra expense to consider, as I can make fixed shutters for the whole house for less than the hardware for 2-3 windows. Because I always like to have options and configurability in my projects, if possible, we will probably size and build the shutters so that they easily be hinged later if we desire, but mount them fixed for now. Will we get some of those corny cheap aluminum fake hinge straps (the kind people put on their garage doors to make them look like old carriage-house style) and "fake it" in the interim? I don't know. We're about 120 feet off the street, so it's hard for passers-by to see the small details, so ... maybe. In the meantime, the large expanses of uninteresting whitewashed brick will be broken up by something a little more "warm looking". My wife wants it, I don't want to pay an arm and leg for something that we don't really need, but we can do it this way as a compromise, save some money, and the house will still look better (fake shutters notwithstanding). It's kind of a slam dunk decision from where i sit.

I wish the company was somewhere in this video.

How do I get shutters like these, Kim Lewis?

Should I just throw away my window screens and put on some real shutters? 😂😂😂

Fake shutters get on my nerves too. Get some real shutters!

Solar Panel Innovation Idea - Shutter shape solar panels fitted on external shutters. Can this work, double sided solar panels? // Per

where can I buy authentic affordable shutters?

You know she did this video in an hour and wrote off the trip on her taxes.

We don’t need shutters. We have central heating and cooling. Same reason we really don’t have screen doors anymore. Decorative shutters are fine, just like fake eyelashes.

Got them on my house and it makes it look better, idrc, I’ve got ac and I live in Louisiana, winter or cool days don’t really exists here, shutters are shutters, real/fake it’s still a shutter regardless

Which America? We have North, Central and South America.

Great points honey but a lot of people can't afford thos nice shutters.

Omg I know it makes me shudder...💁

somebody said it!!!

You showed a large window, but not how to shutter the WIDE spance ones, i have double windows with no way to do THAT in the center of the windows, WHAT DO YOU DO ABOUT THAT EACH WINDIW IS 30" WIDE...so the application is a bit disfunctional for SOME windows...clue??? I plan to build my own, so this was helpful to SOME degree but only for single windows...You also didnt show the hardware needed to have them BE as those are...ranch home, double windows, one bay window that CANT gave anything BUT decorative...need WAY MORE INFO if ur gonna say the American homes need to have the real deal...

you can buy this or build your own out of lumber for way cheaper than this and the fake shutters.

Yes, I want to become Green Certified!

Duh, they are faux shutters used for aesthetics only. Not rocket science

I only want to say there are many decorative items in the world, you wanna get rid of them all?

Shutters in America are the equivalent of house earrings

ITs actually BIGGER Than the Window.

If it is not your house.....I dont see that it is any of your concern

Aww, she’s so cute.

I just watched Today's Homeowner install stupid fake tiny shutters permanently affixed to a brick house. It was so bad.

I wish they actually functioned. They look nice, but it would make more sense if they actually performed a function.

100 years ago this would be functional

To each his own! Shutters are not for functionality in America unlike other places in the world where they need that functionality for that ventilation and shade. Americans use it as a fashion piece. Our homes are unlike homes in let’s say Italy. Italy has true antique homes therefore having true antique window shutters. In America we don’t have homes 200+ years old therefore we don’t have those windows that old so definitely don’t need shutters like those. I do admit the real antique ones in Italy are beautiful! However we don’t need that in the south in America. We have central air bc we need it here.

I have 7 windows that need shutters. $3500 ? Sheesh

I'm in love with the fake shutters. It's for decoration only. There's nothing wrong with it.

Are you going to clean those shutters? Decorative is functional too, as it is doing what it's suppose to do and that is decorate.

Comparing real shutters to fake decorative ones with no functionality.. right

How dare the American people decorating their homes NOT to your liking. Your blouse dont match your skirt, How dare you!😂

In America we don’t have small windows ! Come to my place and show me how u can place shutters on my huge windows. God bless America ! Next time make a video on how beautiful shutters are if your house can accommodate.

If you see shutters that are too small, they're there for decoration. Not everything you do for your home is always meant to be functional. Sometimes, it just looks nice to have some type of decoration framing the windows. People who are really upset by some decorations need some counseling.

We don't live in Europe! We live in 'Murica, and over here, we're darn proud of bein' fake!

who in the heck uses shutters

Ya'll

What she also fails to mention is that the area she is visiting is labeled as a historic area where by Government enforces through building codes that people must have these shutters on their houses and businesses in that area, and that it is likely subsidized through debt to ensure a certain look for the visiting tourists. Secondly she also fails to mention is that 90%+ of Italians can not afford this and do not have this on their home. As other comments here have alluded towards is that shutters nowadays due to HVAC merely serve as an aesthetic addition to a home, which is what many old European homes do not have. Yes, she has a point, shutters not covering the entire window height, or very small compared to the window size make it look ugly as hell.

Not everyone has a budget to allow fully functional shutters.

The windows are super tiny there. No way I'd have room for "functional" shutters on my house. They would be massive.

For me living in America and one of the poorest states I can’t afford go out and buy expensive shutters so I make my own shutters and for decor not function!!!!! I like both kinds of shutters however I think it’s up to the individual who BOUGHT THEIR HOME whether they want it for decor or function n regardless how I feel I’m not going to say I can’t stand to see shutters used the wrong way!!!! Ugh I hate when ppl do that to ppl

Is it just me or is she part alien 👽

No shit Sherlock a shutter had a function woooow who would have thought

I NEVER knew someone could be so neurotic about shutters.... amazing

In AMERICA, Most SHUTTERS are Decorative Y'ALL. EXPLAIN what those SHUTTERS COST Y'ALL.

Us Italians probably find you strange …

American exceptionalism we have A/C and heaters!

Waste of money.

That high pitched voice is annoying. Also quite vexing is her annoying use of "you all". In English there is no plural for "you". Get used to it! Not "you all" not "youns" not "younses" not "you guys"... An option in the case of her explanation: "one"

Get off your high horse

This woman is so full of herself.

Fake shutters are only meant to decorate and enhance windows with color. So, Kim, are you going to demonstrate how to install real shutters, or just walk around knocking American homes?

Hilarious she cares about shutters when all those houses in Italy are slums. Much better construction in the US.

I will switch them not functional shutters on house I'm closing soon. Thank you.