White shutters are a year-round classic. But they’re even more impressive in a sweltering South African summer. So if you’re thinking of renovating your home or upgrading your window treatments for summer, here’s why they should be part of your plan.

Why choose white?

White shutters are iconic, but there are practical reasons for choosing them too. You might be tempted to match your shutters to your window frames, but in most cases, we recommend sticking with white.

• White shutters are versatile

Like a blank canvas, white shutters give you the freedom to experiment with your personal style.

It doesn’t matter if you prefer bold colours, earthy tones or barely-there neutrals. White shutters never look out of place. And you can combine them with sheer or heavy curtains for a softer or more dramatic feel.

Even if you change your decor style from one season to the next, you’ll never have to change your window treatment.

• White shutters are energy-efficient

It’s true. Shutters insulate your home in winter. And in summer, they reflect heat away from your windows. Reduce your reliance on power-hungry appliances. Install shutters to regulate your home’s temperature instead.

Shutters, like all window treatments, let you control light, airflow and privacy. You can direct light, heat and air where you want it when you want it by adjusting the louvres.

• White shutters create space

It’s an optical illusion, but white shutters can make a room feel bigger and brighter. White reflects light which explains the effect, especially in smaller rooms.

Are They Hard to Keep Clean?

Worried your shutters will show up dirt or turn yellow from sun exposure? You needn’t. Both wood and aluminium shutters will keep their bright, clean aesthetic if you take care of them.

Primed and painted with specialist paint, our wooden shutters won’t crack, peel or discolour. Over time, the colour may fade a little. But with regular maintenance, this won’t be an issue.

Our aluminium shutters are powder-coated with marine-grade powder. This finish protects it from UV rays so your shutters will always look as good as the day we installed them.

Clean & Bright: White Kitchen Shutters

Families love gathering in a clean, bright kitchen to cook, eat or simply spend time together.

Our decorative aluminium shutters are well-adapted to withstand steamy, damp and wet conditions. Plus they add a practical elegance to what is a functional space.

Privacy & Luxury: White Bathroom Shutters

The bathroom is another space where aluminium shutters add both function and style. They provide complete privacy for those moments when you want to escape. And they’re steam- and splash resistant.

Recreate the atmosphere of your favourite spa by adding shutters. Add scented candles, put out fluffy towels, and add an extra dash of bubble bath – instant bliss.

Rest & Relaxation: White Bedroom Shutters

Shutters transform a bedroom into a sanctuary. The adjustable louvres give you complete control over light and airflow. So you can create the ideal atmosphere for a peaceful night’s sleep.

Another benefit of installing shutters in the bedroom is noise reduction. Adding a barrier between your room and the window reduces the ambient noise. Less noise will make it easier for you to fall asleep.

Indoor & Outdoor: White Patio Shutters

Enclosing your patio with either decorative aluminium or security shutters is smart.

First, with a cool space to retreat to, you’ll make more use of your patio in the summer. And in winter, you’ll have a sheltered area where you can bask in the sun and avoid the icy wind. That alone is priceless.

Second, it’s like adding an extra room to your home. Now you have extra space for entertaining guests or another place for the kids to play. Shutters will protect your outdoor furniture, so you don’t have to store it away when you’re not using it.

And third, shutters (white or otherwise) add real value to your home by increasing its market value. Your home also becomes more attractive to potential buyers.

Of all the window treatments you have to choose from, white shutters might seem rather plain. But they are versatile and practical yet sophisticated and elegant. A bit like the iconic little black dress of the fashion world.

To add this instant icon to your home, contact us to arrange a consultation. We have branches in Johannesburg, Cape Town, George and Mbombela.  And with agents in Durban and Gqeberha, we supply the whole of Southern Africa with white shutters and other custom-made window treatments.

 

Bypass shutters are some of the most elegant shutters you’ll find. The way the crisp white panels float across an opening is captivating. With the ability to slide past each other and stack up on either side, they offer endless versatility.

What are Bypass Shutters?

They get their name from the way the panels pass each other by as they slide along their individual tracks.

Compare this to bifold shutters. Here, the panels fold up against each other and fold away from the opening. Visit our Shutter Speak blog to learn more about the different shutter configurations.

How do Bypass Shutters work?

It’s simple. Each shutter panel glides along its own track, mounted above the opening. If you have enough space on either side of the opening, you can extend the tracks. That way the so the shutter panels can slide right out of the way, giving you full access to the opening.

If you don’t have the space, keep in mind that there is likely to be at least one panel overlapping the opening at all times. If that doesn’t appeal to you, consider the bifold configuration.

The track can be mounted directly on the wall (face fix) or recessed within the opening (recess-fix).

But remember, a recess fix is only possible if there is enough room within the recess to house all the tracks.

Wood, Decorative Aluminium or Security?

You aren’t limited to a specific material or type of shutter if you want a bypass configuration. All our custom-made shutters can be configured as bypass shutters.

It’s even possible to keep the louvres open as you slide the panels past each other. As long as there is enough space between the tracks.

Where to install Bypass Shutters

Sliding shutters are a popular window treatment for large openings. Glass sliding patio doors are a perfect example of where this application works best.

But you can also install them to divide open spaces and create cosy nooks. Many modern homes have an open-plan layout to accommodate our modern lifestyles. But sometimes, you’d like the option to screen off an area.

In this case, we refer to them as privacy shutters. You can use them to create a study area in your bedroom or to separate your open-plan lounge and dining area.

Advantages of Bypass Shutters

Bypass shutters have three distinct advantages over bi-fold shutters:

• They don’t protrude into the room

This feature makes bypass shutters ideal for balconies and other small areas.

Most bi-fold shutters stick out at a 90° angle from the wall. But sliding shutters will always take up less room because they run parallel to the opening.

• They last longer

Shutters are the most durable window treatment on the market. But bypass shutters might be even more so. They have fewer moving parts so there’s less chance of something wearing out or breaking.

Once installed, your shutters will provide you with a lifetime of service and style. And they need hardly any maintenance.

• Their panels can be bigger

Bypass shutters are less likely to sag under their own weight because they’re top-hung. This means they’re not subject to the same design limits as bi-fold shutters. And that means that the individual shutter panels can be a little taller and wider.

Sliding shutters have the usual benefits you get with any other shutters:

• They control light and airflow,
• give you control over your privacy,
• are easy to clean,
• last a lifetime and,
• complement any decor style.

Sophisticated window treatment for a sliding door? A way to screen off a messy kitchen when you’re entertaining? Bypass shutters are the solution.

If there’s an area in your home that could benefit from bypass shutters, contact us today. Our sales reps will be happy to assist you with advice and a quote.

Our shutters have the slimmest frames on the market – and yet, they pack more safety features than any other. Investing in security shutters can be daunting if you’re unfamiliar with them.

So to help you buy security shutters with confidence, we’ll walk you through some of the features to look out for.

First of all, let’s get the big question out of the way…

Are Security Shutters Burglar Proof?

It’s a question we’re asked all the time. Are residential security shutters a sound way to protect your family and your home? Yes, they are. Many insurance companies recognise them as home security because they’re a physical barrier.

But answering the question, ‘how tough are security shutters’ is a little trickier. No security measure is foolproof. With enough time and the right tools, thieves can penetrate almost anything. That includes steel security bars, solid metal doors and yes, shutters. But that doesn’t mean they aren’t an excellent deterrent.

A better question to ask might be ‘how long does it take to break through security shutters?’. In that case, the answer would be, long enough for you to escape, or call for help or for the intruder to give up and go away. Keep reading for a real-life case of our security shutters in action.

Security Shutter Feature Checklist

Ready to purchase? Here’s a handy checklist of features to compare as you shop around.

• Locks

There’s no point paying for aluminium security shutters if you can pick the lock in five minutes. Be sure to ask the sales consultant about the locks they use. Ask them about the features that make their locks pick-proof.

• Bolts

Bolts form part of the lock mechanism and most home security shutters have two bolts. One bolt locks the shutter panel to the top track while the other locks into the bottom track.

Strong materials such as solid steel, bronze or brass make the best bolts. So again, be sure to ask about the bolts on the security shutters you’re interested in.

• Louvres

All aluminium louvres are hollow and although it’s a strong material, it’s not strong enough on its own to keep intruders out. Another point of weakness is where the louvre attaches to the stile.

Ask the manufacturer what reinforcements they add to their louvres and end caps to strengthen their shutters.

• Frames

Sometimes, it’s what you don’t see that counts. That’s the case when it comes to shutter frames. Here are two things to look out for.

First, ask about the grade of aluminium. High grades of aluminium have a higher Ultimate Tensile Strength (UTS). That means the material can tolerate more stress when it’s stretched or pulled.

But that’s not enough. Remember that the frame is hollow, not solid. Ask the consultant what reinforcements they add to the frames to make them stronger.

What Makes House of Supreme Security Shutters (Almost) Impenetrable?

You can’t tell by looking at them, but our shutters have more security features than any of our competitors.

• Superior Shutter Locks

Practically pick-proof! That’s how we describe our Super C-Class Cylinder locks. With a clever design incorporating the latest lock technology, these locks are impossible to pick.

• Stainless-Steel Bolts

There’s no skimping on quality when it comes to security and our stainless steel bolts are proof. There are two bolts on our security shutters. An 11.5 mm bolt extends into the top frame, and a 16.5mm bolt extends into the bottom track.

• Reinforced Louvres

Our louvres feature a double-layer centre core which adds strength and stability.

• Hardened Steel Rods

We’ve reinforced the end caps (that’s the part that attaches the louvre to the stile) with 100 mm hardened steel rods.

• Internal Support

Our slim frames are what set us apart from the competition. We design our shutters to be aesthetically pleasing but never compromise your safety. Some hidden ribbing inside the aluminium extrusion adds strength and stability.

• High-Grade Materials

We use a high-grade 6063 T6 grade of aluminium for our security shutters. T6 temper 6063 has an ultimate tensile strength of at least 190 MPa (28,000 psi).

• Smart Design

The design alone makes them one of the trickiest barriers to penetrate. With moveable louvres, there is no leverage for a crowbar or similar tool to dislodge the louvres.

Need More Proof?

Not convinced that shutters are as strong (if not strong) as steel burglar bars? How’s this for proof…

These photos, taken around three years ago by one of our clients, are from an attempted break-in. The would-be burglar couldn’t make it past the security shutters. And although he managed to damage some louvres, we were able to repair them.

This is what the client had to say about our security shutters:

‘I’m very impressed with the product, you can see the guys spent quite some time trying to get in.’

Our security shutters are even better today. We’re always working on ways to refine and improve our window treatments. And that’s why we’re confident that ours are the best on the market.

If you’d like to know more, schedule an in-home consultation with a sales consultant. We’ll show you how House of Supreme manufactures the best security shutters.