Is An Area Rug Right For Your Home’s Interior Design?

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There are many reasons why homeowners choose to include an area rug in their home decor. Rugs create visual interest beyond solid flooring, adding designs and patterns that can really brighten up a space. They can also be especially helpful in homes where there is no carpeting. After all, stepping out of bed in the morning and onto a soft rug is preferable to a cold floor. For families with young children, area rugs can offer a comforting place for little ones to learn to crawl and walk. Plus, you can even use an area rug to help divide a room into sections. 

An area rug can provide the framework for your home’s design. Because area rugs are so decorative and varied, your rug can serve as a key element in your interior design scheme. After you select your area rug, you can then move on to choosing complementary paint colors, throw pillows, art pieces, and other decorations. 

Including Rugs in the Dining Room and Bathroom

While area rugs can completely transform a room, there is one glaring downside: spills and stains. If you often have guests in your home for dinner, or if you have small children, you might find yourself quickly growing frustrated with the need to constantly clean or touch-up the rug. In rooms with a high likelihood of mess, like the dining room, you could opt to skip the rug altogether in favor of decorative tile or interesting flooring. The downside is that you would miss out on the sense of comfort and warmth that an area rug below the dining room table provides. 

You might feel similarly about the bathroom. If you have non-carpeted flooring, then including a rug or mat in the space can offer warmth and luxury. Of course, you probably wouldn’t select a delicate area rug for the bathroom space. Instead, try out bath mats and rugs that are especially made for restrooms. Bamboo rugs, in particular, make great choices for bathrooms. They provide the same visual interest as other rugs while usually still being slip-resistant and less resistant to water damage. If you’re a renter who has carpet in your bathroom, you might also find that investing in a bamboo rug makes your bathroom feel more put-together and less vulnerable to water mishaps. 

Area Rugs for Living and Bedroom Spaces

When choosing rugs for your living room and bedrooms, you should first consider the size of your rooms and the size of your furniture. It’s always better to get a slightly larger rug than a too-small rug. You want the rug to fit comfortably underneath your furniture pieces, with the rug extending at least a little beyond the furniture. For hallway runners, make sure that the rug properly fits the walkway. 

If you’re layering a rug over carpet, consider your carpet type. Choose soft, luxurious rugs for carpeting with short, tight fibers (low-pile carpets) and flat, less fluffy rugs for plush carpets (high-pile carpets). 

Cleaning and Maintaining Your Area Rugs

Rugs are typically easier to clean and maintain than basic carpet, but they aren’t easier to clean than non-carpeted flooring. It’s important to keep in mind how you will clean and care for your rugs while making your selections. You’ll likely want to use nicer, more expensive rugs in areas of your home that see less spills, dirt, wear, and tear. 

Certain rug materials are easier to maintain than others. High-pile rugs are more easily dirty and worn than low-pile rugs. Both of these rug types have their pros and cons. Your choice will depend on your room and your maintenance goals. 

There are some rug materials that simply can’t be properly cleaned, and will have to be replaced once they become too damaged. Natural fiber rugs can be particularly difficult to maintain, but they are also extremely versatile and tend to be less expensive.

Are You Looking to Upgrade Your Home This Summer?

The summer season is the most popular time of year for buying and selling homes. If you’ve recently bought a home in the DMV area, include plantation shutters in your design plans. 

Plantation shutters, like area rugs, bring warmth to every room. These shutters are stylish and timeless, combining aesthetics with functionality. With plantation shutters, you use the tilt rod to move the louvers (horizontal slats) of the shutter to easily and efficiently control the sunlight that enters your home. Plantation shutters provide the perfect natural lighting for entertaining, relaxing, and night. You don’t have to worry about plantation shutters blocking too much light or not blocking enough light. These shutters truly give you the best of both worlds. 

Are you planning on selling your house, instead? Plantation shutters are one of the few window treatments that actually increase the resale value of your home. Since these shutters are a permanent fixture of the home, they immediately boost your home’s curb appeal and interest for potential buyers. 

Schedule an Appointment for Plantation Shutters with Shenandoah Shutters

Shenandoah Shutters is located in nearby Richmond, Virginia. We’ve been handcrafting authentic, hardwood plantation shutters since 1990. All of our shutters are made from fine American woods and manufactured right in Richmond. You can pair your plantation shutters with your design scheme by selecting from our cream colors, stains, and custom colors. You can also choose from contemporary and traditional options. However, unlike other window treatments, plantation shutters are versatile enough to fit in with future decorating changes. 

Since there are no cords or dangling materials, plantation shutters are safer than blinds for families with young children. They are also easy to clean. Simple tools like a duster, natural furniture polish, and vacuum attachment are all that you need to keep your plantation shutters looking as fresh as the day they were installed. 

Shenandoah Shutters is still open for business during the coronavirus pandemic. We are safely providing all of our usual services. Contact us today to learn more about our plantation shutters and to schedule your free consultation.

Bedroom Design: Where Should the Bed Go?

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The bed is usually the widest and longest piece of furniture in any bedroom. Since beds take up so much space and are such an essential part of the room’s design, it can be difficult to know exactly where to position your bed when designing your bedroom. There is also a great deal of philosophy surrounding the bed and its location within the room. 

So, where should the bed go? Here are some ideas for arranging your bedroom with harmony and aesthetics in mind:

Consider the Rules of Feng Shui

According to Feng Shui, an ancient Chinese practice of design, the bed should be placed along the main wall of the room. This should be the wall that is the farthest from the door without being right across from it. Why? Many cultures around the world, including China’s, associate feet facing the doorway with death. Probably not exactly the kind of association that you want in your bedroom. 

Of course, sometimes placing your bed with your feet facing the door simply can’t be avoided. In this case, you can place a bench, storage trunk, or another tall object at the foot of the bed to change the dynamic. Depending on the layout of your room, you could also place your bed diagonally in a corner. 

No matter what, being able to have a clear view of the bedroom door and a full view of the room from the bed is considered a key rule in feng shui. Try to avoid placing your bed against a wall with a bathroom on the other side of it. You should also be away from the window. If you have to place your bed on the same wall as the door, hang a mirror, so that you can still see the entrance to your room. Space on both sides of the bed is a positive, too, although young children will often need at least one side of their bed placed along a wall. 

Organization Can Make a Difference

If you’re having trouble finding space within your room for the bed, moving a dresser into the closet can free up more floor space. It’s also important to make sure that the furniture in your room is well-suited to the size of your room. Using furniture that is too large for your room can negatively affect the look of your room and take up valuable space. 

After you’ve set up your bed, resist the urge to use the bottom of it for large amounts of storage. Plenty of space below the bed adheres to feng shui, but it can also give the illusion of a much bigger room. This is true for all of your furniture. Choosing end tables and other pieces that are designed with a small amount of space below them will make your room feel spacious. 

Another feng shui necessity? A headboard. If you don’t have a headboard, you can DIY your own for a personal touch. 

Design Rules Are Made to Be Broken

Of course, feng shui is just one of many helpful guides for designing a bedroom. If your room is uniquely shaped or in an unexpected part of the house, you might find that breaking all of the traditional rules is actually the best design choice for you. For instance, most people instinctively don’t want the bed to be visible from outside of the bedroom door. If this is your preference, you might find that placing your bed against the wall or on the same wall as the door is necessary to keep the bed out of view. After all, comfort and security are key parts of feng shui design. 

Use the Rest of Your Bedroom Space Well

When it comes to bedroom design, it is said that simpler is better. Of course, this doesn’t mean that your room should be lacking in personality. You can maximize the potential of your bedroom by keeping the space free of clutter and well-organized. Include a luxurious bedding set and live plants in the room to really tie the look together. If you’re feeling bold, richly warm colors are growing in popularity for bedrooms, but neutrals are always a tried and true favorite. For smaller rooms, you can try choosing light colors for things like paint, curtains, and rugs to make the bedroom seem larger. Mirrors can give bedrooms a similar effect, as they help bounce light around the room. 

Light plays a powerful role in home design, truly setting the ambiance of each room. A bedroom is typically a versatile place that needs to be relaxing for sleep, but also vibrant for daytime hours spent in the room. Dressing your bedroom windows with sheer curtains is a beautiful choice for a warm, inviting natural light. You can pair drapes with plantation shutters to block out early morning light, or you can choose to forgo them altogether in favor of the light control that plantation shutters provide. 

Plantation Shutters in Virginia, Maryland, and D.C

Sophisticated and functional, plantation shutters are a stylish choice for any bedroom. Shenandoah Shutters has been crafting hardwood plantation shutters in Richmond, Virginia for over 30 years. Our authentically wooden shutters will help you turn your bedroom into a sanctuary for years to come. With plantation shutters, you can easily filter sunlight in or out of the room for the perfect mood lighting. Plantation shutters are easy to maintain. At Shenandoah Shutters, we don’t even use a tension system. Plantation shutters are safer for children than blinds, too, thanks to the lack of dangling  cords. 

When you order your plantation shutters, you’ll be able to choose between our milky whites, rich stains, or custom color options. You can also explore our traditional and contemporary plantation shutter design selections. We can fit shutters for any window, including tilt-ins, casements, and unusual shapes. 

Shenandoah Shutters is open and ready to safely serve you during the COVID-19 pandemic, with careful precautions being taken. Call us today to schedule a free consultation for your plantation shutters.

6 Tips for Designing a Nursery

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Welcoming home a baby is an exciting moment for every family. You want your nursery to be perfect, but where should you begin? Follow the tips and tricks below to build your dream nursery in no time:

Choose Your Nursery Theme

Selecting a theme is the first step in creating your nursery space. There are seemingly endless choices for themes, from children’s TV characters to woodland creatures, so definitely take your time deciding on the right theme for your baby’s room. Once you’ve decided on a theme, use your choice to decide what colors fit your theme. For instance, if your theme is an ocean room, you might want a blue color palette. If you don’t have a theme in mind, but know that you want certain colors, then you can also work your theme around those colors by selecting decorations and patterns that pair well. 

What are the most popular colors for nurseries? Blues, greens, pinks, purples, whites,  and grays. 

Work Your Furniture Pieces Around Your Theme

Your nursery’s key furniture pieces, like the crib or the glider, will look best when the color is matched with your theme or color scheme. The baby’s bedding, too, is another way to represent your theme. You can choose from a variety of sheet colors and designs to fit your style. 

When shopping for nursery pieces, it’s a good idea to keep the future in mind. While it might be difficult to imagine your soon-to-be newborn as a rambunctious toddler, the day will come when your little one climbs right out of the crib. A baby bed that converts into a toddler bed and even daybed is a helpful investment. The ability to transform is also a good quality for your changing table. Some parents choose to simply leave a changing pad on top of a dresser instead of buying a specific table that will only be used for a couple of years. If you do buy a changing table, look for ways to reuse it in your home later on. 

Match Your Decor with Your Theme

Decorations will really bring your nursery to life, and there are so many choices. You can select art pieces that go along with your theme, like framed book pages for a children’s book theme. If you’re focused more on color, then you can select art pieces that you enjoy for your child’s room or floating shelves with colorful knick knacks and framed photographs. Wooden letters over the crib that spell out your new baby’s name is an elegant touch. You might even paint a mural on the wall or add wall decals. 

Keep your baby entertained by decorating the ceiling, too. Add a safe mobile over the changing area or paper lanterns from the ceiling. An area rug, too, can tie the whole room together and provide a soft space for baby to land when the crawling and walking phases start. 

Go Ahead and Child Proof

I know it seems too early, but you’ll thank yourself later. Milestones quickly creep up on you and a safe nursery will give you peace of mind. Go ahead and get in the habit of storing lotions, ointments, medications, and other items where your child won’t be able to access them. Use a safe night light in the nursery and keep cords up and out of a baby’s reach. Outlet plugs, too, can help protect your future crawling baby. If you have heavy furniture in your nursery, anchor those pieces to the wall to prevent them from toppling over. 

Consider Your Storage Options

Babies come with so much, well, stuff that even the roomiest homes can suddenly feel a whole lot smaller. Keep your space intact with clear storage bins that let you see what’s inside. Buy shelves with cubby holes for fabric bins. Invest in a book rack and use wall shelves to maximize space. 

When organizing items for your baby, you can also make it easier on yourself by keeping everyday supplies like diapers, wipes, wash cloths, and extra crib sheets in a caddy or drawer near your changing table. 

Dress Your Windows

When your baby takes naps and sleeps at night, you’ll want the room dark and cozy, but during the day, sunshine can brighten up the room. While you can choose blinds or blackout curtains, plantation shutters are some of the safest options for dressing your nursery’s windows. Plantation shutters don’t have a potentially dangerous cord that you have to tie up and away from your baby’s reach. Instead, you control plantation shutters by using a tilt rod to adjust the wooden slats of your shutter. This way, you can filter sunlight in and out of your room to suit your baby’s mood. 

Plantation shutters are also stylish choices for your nursery. They are aesthetically pleasing and bound to match any theme. You can even pair them with curtains!

Plantation Shutters for Every Nursery

No matter your room design, your baby’s nursery will be their sanctuary for years to come. Setting up your baby’s first bedroom is an incredible time in your life. If you’re ready to upgrade your nursery’s window treatment, call Shenandoah Shutters today. We’ve been handcrafting completely wooden plantation shutters for more than 30 years. We’re located in Richmond, within a day’s drive of all of our service areas in Maryland, Virginia, and Washington, D.C. 

At Shenandoah Shutters, we offer cream-colored and stained shutters, as well as custom colors that are perfect for your baby’s first space. We use American woods of the highest quality, including yellow poplar, basswood, and specialty woods, like mahogany or oak. Are you also wanting plantation shutters on a French door or arch? What about the rest of the house? At Shenandoah Shutters, we can outfit every window of your home with gorgeous, handmade plantation shutters at a competitive price. 

How Is COVID-19 Affecting Shenandoah Shutters?

Shenandoah Shutters is open and carefully providing plantation shutter services. Call us today at 800-733-1549 for more information on how we can safely schedule an appointment for your home during these challenging times.

Preparing Your Guest Bedroom For an Incoming Visit

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As stay-at-home orders are being lifted and shifted across several states, many of us are dreaming of a time when family and friends can safely visit our homes again.  Preparing a cozy guest bedroom is one of the most enjoyable parts of home design, and now is the perfect time to ready the room for your future visitors. Looking for ideas? Try incorporating some of these ideas into your own guest bedroom design:

Choose the Right Color

Neutral colors work best for guest bedrooms, but your choices don’t have to be plain. Pair neutral walls with a pop of color from the bedroom furniture or bedding for a more dramatic statement. You can also try out trendy wallpaper for a vintage guest room feel. Other solid choices for bedrooms? Calming blues, soothing purples, and sunny yellows. For a particularly bold effect, you can even paint your guest space in shades of black. Pair dark walls with a white bed comforter and white furniture elements for an elegant contrast that doesn’t feel too moody. 

Plan and Declutter

Since guest rooms are used sporadically, you’re probably using the room’s closet as extra storage for the house. Before guests arrive, empty the closet in the guest bedroom to give your visitors a clean, spacious place to hang their clothes. You could also offer a dresser for your guests to use during their stay. A coat hook, full length mirror, and clock are also helpful items to include in the room. 

If you want to have space for more guests in one room, consider switching out a larger bed in favor of a couple of twin beds. If you expect to have kids staying in the room, bunk beds are always a favorite. Make your guests feel special with indulgent bedding, like a rich quilt, fluffy pillows, and high thread-count bed sheets. 

Create an Oasis 

Thoroughly cleaning the bedroom and making the bed with a fresh set of linens is a given, but you might also want to provide a basket of extra sheets and towels for your guests. Part of the fun of setting up a guest bedroom is turning a room in your house into a mini hotel. As such, feel free to include helpful surprises, like a suitcase rack or a bedside reading light. A bench at the foot of the bed or near the door is another option for suitcases, as well as an appreciated spot for guests to put on shoes.

If your guest room regularly has visitors, an in-room coffee or tea maker is an increasingly trendy option for guest bedrooms. Make a little beverage station in the corner of the room and include a teapot and mugs, as well as tea and coffee varieties. Your guest room will quickly feel less like an extra room in your house and more like a fancy bed and breakfast. 

Add Fun Details

A bedside bouquet of flowers, trial size toiletries, a basket of snacks and bottled water, a diffuser, and other luxuries are fun additions to any guest room. You can also play up the guest theme of the room by adding playful decorations, like a be my guest sign or framed wi-fi password. Write the names of your guests on a chalkboard sign and hang the sign on the door for a sweet welcome. 

If you live near a lake or the ocean, you could use your location to your room’s advantage by incorporating a beach theme. Add beachy decorations and choose palm tree patterned bedding, for instance. You might also provide outdoor essentials, like a small bottle of sunscreen or bug spray.  

Consider a Seating Area

A deskspace is ideal for guests who are bringing along a laptop. Add to the hotel effect by including pen and paper. You could also incorporate a vanity area with a mirror to give your guests a convenient place to apply make-up and get ready for the day. Space too small? Even just a cozy chair by the window can help tie the room together and give your guest a place to read and relax. Toss a throw blanket across the chair for even more comfort and color. 

Don’t Forget About Entertainment

A nice television set with easy remote access will keep your guests entertained. Magazines, favorite books, puzzles, and even board games for families are other ideas for in-room entertainment. Add a personal touch to it all by displaying a few of your own favorite movies and books for your guests to enjoy. If you’re going to be showing your guests around town, you could even keep brochures of area attractions on the bedside table to maximize excitement. 

Brighten Up the Windows 

Freshly polished windows let your guests fully take in the view. Instead of blinds, opt for plantation shutters in your guest bedroom. Plantation shutters elevate the look and feel of a room. Plus, your guests will love the ability to filter sunlight in and out of the room during their stay. You don’t have to sacrifice a love of curtains for elegant shutters, either. In fact, pairing drapes and curtains with plantation shutters is a popular design choice. 

Plantation Shutters by Shenandoah Shutters

Shenandoah Shutters handcrafts custom made, hardwood plantation shutters that are elegant additions to any room. We’re local to Richmond, Virginia, within a day’s drive of all of our service areas in Virginia, Maryland, and Washington, D.C. 

At Shenandoah Shutters, you’ll choose from traditional and contemporary plantation shutter styles that suit each room of your home. Choose from rich wood stains, vibrant whites, and custom colors for your shutters. Because all of our plantation shutters are custom built for your windows, we can cut plantation shutters to fit windows of any size or shape. 

Your plantation shutters can go far beyond guest rooms and living spaces. Install plantation shutters on your French doors, arches, sunbursts, and even sliding glass doors. 

Contact Shenandoah Shutters today to schedule an appointment for your plantation shutters.

Colors to Work Into Your Home’s Interior

Gorgeous Custom Plantation Shutters in a Yellow Room
Gorgeous Custom Plantation Shutters in a Yellow Room
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It’s amazing how a fresh coat of paint or a pop of color can completely change the look and feel of a room. Color is one of the most important elements of interior design, but it’s also a tricky one for homeowners to get right. Finding the right type of colors for your home is the first step in creating a balanced color scheme within your house. Not sure where to begin? Take a look at these top shades for each room of your home:

Colors for Your Living Room

A living room is often the main space for entertaining guests and spending time with family. It’s understandable, then, that the most common colors for living room design are colors that are either calming or welcoming and inviting. As a general rule, cooler colors result in a more soothing and serene feeling within a room. Warmer colors, meanwhile, make a room feel cozy and even energetic. 

Gray is one of the most popular living room colors. This is an earthy, neutral color that makes a room feel relaxing. Gray is an extremely versatile color, too. Neutral colors let you place any type of furniture or decor in the room without having to worry about the pieces clashing with the paint color. 

Blue is just a step up from the shade of gray, so it makes sense that blue is another common living room choice. Since this is a cool color, a blue room also evokes a sense of calm. 

Prefer a warmer living room? Mix neutral colors, like creamy white, with pops of amber or red. Want a more dramatic statement? A touch of black on the walls paired with white furniture (and vice versa) is a chic design choice for modern homes.  

Colors for the Bedroom

Like the living room, the most common bedroom colors are usually neutrals or cool colors. You want your bedroom to be your oasis, afterall. For the bedroom, you might also want a little splash of personality with unique colors like purple or yellow. Blues, grays, and simple neutrals like white or beige are top choices for bedrooms.

Colors for the Bathroom

Before taking color to the walls of your bathroom, take the time to consider your design goals for the space. The optimal color for your bathroom may depend on your theme. If you have beachy elements in your bathroom, for instance, then you’ll likely want shades of blue or sea green for the walls. These are also ideal colors for a spa theme. Taupes, whites, grays, and shades of brown are solid choices for simple, more traditional bathroom spaces. 

Colors for Your Kitchen

Kitchens are places where warmer colors can really shine. In fact, the next time that you visit a restaurant, notice the colors in the room. Chances are high that the most visible colors will be reds, oranges, and yellows. It is thought that warm colors can stimulate the appetite, making these colors particularly appealing to restaurant owners. Plus, these colors are inviting and welcoming. You can include some of these shades to get the same effect in your own kitchen. 

Prefer a lighter eating area? Try blues with hints of red. You don’t have to stick to paint, either. Wallpaper is trendy again these days and there are many beautiful kitchen patterns to choose from, including bright florals and unique designs. 

Colors for the Kids’ Rooms 

Just like your own bedroom, you want your child’s room to be a space to relax and unwind. For a child, though, you might want to inject even more playfulness and creativity into the space. You can use neutral colors, but you might also choose to play around with bolder colors like hot pink or aqua. Your child’s personality should also influence your choice in color. 

Kids are thought to be especially sensitive to colors and their impact on mood. This means that you might want to use warmer colors in small doses, rather than painting an entire wall red. You don’t want to end up with a child too restless to sleep.

A single wall of fun elements, like stars or polka dots, can be a way to incorporate excitement without involving the entire room. Think, for example, rainbow wallpaper surrounded by otherwise light blue walls. Another creative idea for kids? A chalkboard wall!

Colors for Your Guest Room

A guest room can be a hard room to decorate, because you want the room to be versatile without feeling impersonal. Neutrals are great options for guest rooms, because they easily achieve this result. Give the room a little personality through your decor choices, like a playful WiFi password sign on the end table or a collection of trial size toiletries on the dresser. 

Improve Your Interior Design with Plantation Shutters

Shenandoah Shutters is ready to provide you with beautiful, custom made plantation shutters that effortlessly fit in with every color scheme. We’re local to Richmond, Virginia, within a day’s drive of all of our service areas in Virginia, Maryland, and D.C. We’ve been handcrafting all wood plantation shutters for more than 30 years. 

Plantation shutters are timeless, elegant design choices that pay off for years to come thanks to increased resale value, improved energy-efficiency, and ease of maintenance. These are also versatile window treatments. You can choose from standard stains and whites, as well as custom colors that blend in with the chosen colors of each room. The natural hardwood adds character to your living spaces. 

Plantation shutters are terrific choices for every room of your home. Parents will especially appreciate the added safety of plantation shutters for young children, as there are no cords or curtains that could pose a safety risk. As long as you don’t have direct water contact with the plantation shutters, you can even install these shutters in the bathroom. In fact, they offer a beautiful extra light and privacy source for bathrooms. 

If you’re ready to add plantation shutters to your home, contact Shenandoah Shutters today.

12 Easy Home Improvement Projects

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With so much extra time spent at home these past few months, it’s likely that you’ve noticed some parts of the house that could use a little touching up. Home improvement projects can leave your home feeling refreshed, but you don’t always have to spend a lot of time or money to accomplish them. 

If you’re looking for a change, take a look at these 12 easy home improvement ideas that won’t break the bank or your clock: 

Pressure Wash Your Siding

It’s amazing what pressure washing can do for your house, windows, and outdoor settings. A quick spray with the pressure washer and your home will look polished and fresh. You don’t necessarily have to buy a pressure washer, either. Most home improvement stores have pressure washers available for daily rentals. 

Brighten Your Entrance

Painting a front door is easy and inexpensive. For maximum effect, choose a color that contrasts with the colors of your brick or siding. You could even go bold with an unexpected color, like purple or lime green. Boost your curb appeal even more with a seasonal wreath, outdoor plants, and stylish foot mat. 

Tend to Your Floors

You’d be surprised at how much dirt accumulates on your soft flooring. Renting or purchasing a shampooer is an easy way to polish your carpets and rugs. For wooden floors, you can use wood markers and fillers to hide scratches. 

Enhance the Outdoors

If you have an outdoor space, taking the time to deep clean outdoor furniture and add extra touches, like fairy or walkway lights, will give you a sanctuary right in your own backyard. If you have a green thumb, try your hand at a backyard garden. 

Freshen Up Your Kitchen

You don’t have to buy new cabinets to refresh your kitchen. Instead, give your cabinets a fresh coat of paint. You can also replace the knobs and handles with newer, more updated hardware. After you’ve hit the reset button, take the time to organize your pantry and toss out old kitchen utensils.

Add Inexpensive Upgrades

You don’t have to spend a lot of money to get home upgrades that keep your home up-to-date. If you have an older thermostat, you can upgrade to a programmable edition for less than $200. You can also add a smart smoke detector, like the Nest, a smart door lock, or a video doorbell. 

Organize Your Closets

Tackling the closets is a spring cleaning favorite, but adding a few storage baskets,  racks, and shelving is an easy way to keep your wardrobe neat anytime of the year. For utility closets, take the time to label containers for easy access. Clear containers, too,  are great choices for storage, because you can immediately see what you’ve stowed away. 

Bring Plants Inside

Whether fresh or faux, plants make a home feel lively and vibrant. Adding a pop of greenery to your living spaces can also give rooms contrast and provide a strong focal point for the eye. Just make sure that any living plants you bring inside are safe for pets and curious children. 

Hang a Mirror on the Wall

Mirrors are terrific statement pieces and help direct natural sunlight into your home, making your space look large and cozy. They’re also a safe choice when you’re not sure how you’d like to decorate a space, like a guest room. You can find mirrors in a variety of styles and sizes. 

Create a Backsplash

Peel-and-stick tiles are an easy way to create an eye-catching backsplash on an otherwise plain wall. Backsplashes are especially popular in kitchens and bathrooms, just behind the sink. Can’t find any wall tiles of interest? You can also use adhesive flooring on your walls for an inexpensive backsplash in a variety of patterns. 

Try a Stair Runner or an Area Rug

Switching out your rugs or placing a runner on your stairs is an easy way to give your home a new look. Try out carpets with unique designs and textures to add interest to your rooms, or strive for a minimalist look with solid colors. You might also try an anti-fatigue mat or chef’s mat in the kitchen for a put together look with added comfort. 

Add Plantation Shutters 

Plantation shutters are a classically beautiful way to control the natural light that enters your home. Lighting is a powerful tool for any home, making rooms look larger and more inviting. Plus, plantation shutters offer a layer of privacy to your home. They are also energy-efficient. The structure of plantation shutters helps them to insulate your home, keeping your home cooler in the summer and warmer in the winter without overworking the thermostat. Many people find that plantation shutters decrease heating and cooling bills. They are also safer for young children than blinds, thanks to the lack of cords. Custom made, hardwood plantation shutters also boost the resale value of your home, making this a home improvement project with a strong impact.

Shenandoah Shutters has been handcrafting custom made, hardwood plantation shutters for 30 years. We service Maryland, Delaware, and Virginia homes from our woodshop in Richmond. At Shenandoah Shutters, we use high-quality American woods and a stunning silken lacquer finish to build beautiful plantation shutters that will last for years to come. 

Ready to Schedule an Appointment for Plantation Shutters?

Contact the team at Shenandoah Shutters today for the ultimate home improvement project. We’ll show you samples, answer your questions, and measure your windows. 

At Shenandoah Shutters, we customize every plantation shutter to fit your window, no matter how unique the size. Have oddly shaped windows? Hoping for a certain plantation shutter style? We can handle it all. You’ll choose from rich stains, creamy whites, and custom colors. We have traditional and contemporary plantation shutter options for all home designs. That’s why we invented the Softedge design, a clean look that hides the hinges of the plantation shutters when they’re closed. 

Explore our products and gallery for a closer look at our plantation shutters.

How Plantation Shutters Can Boost Your Curb Appeal

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With stay-at-home orders still common across the East Coast, it’s understandable that many homeowners are starting to daydream about selling their homes. Maybe you’ve realized that there just isn’t enough space for the size of your family, or maybe you even want to downsize to a smaller house. No matter your reason for thinking of selling, boosting your home’s curb appeal can make a huge difference in the outcome.

Thoroughly cleaning your home and tending to repairs before you attempt a sale is a given, but what about your house’s curb appeal? Your curb appeal is that important first impression given to potential buyers when they first see your house from the outside. 

What Boosts a Home’s Curb Appeal?

Making your home as attractive to buyers as possible is the key to elevated curb appeal. The best thing to do is to stand outside of your own house and really take in its strengths and weaknesses. Does the front door need a new coat of paint? Do the hedges need a trim? Taking simple, inexpensive steps like mowing the yard or pressure washing the siding can make your home look fresh and new. You might even consider adding a live wreath to the door or potted plants to the front porch. Choose plants with lively colors or bright greenery, and use them to accentuate walkways and windows. You’ll also want to make sure that your walkway isn’t cracked or run-down. If you don’t have a defined pathway for your house, you might consider building one. 

If you have plenty of space, you could include outdoor furniture to make your house more inviting. Cleaning off outdoor lighting fixtures is another easy way to boost curb appeal. Replace old fixtures or dust and clean existing fixtures to leave your home looking maintained. Even things like old house numbers or dated mailboxes can affect first impressions. Luckily, most of these details can be accomplished all on your own without outside help or a lot of money. 

Your windows, too, are an important part of boosting your home’s curb appeal. Homeowners want to know that there are enough windows for quality sunlight. This is where your window treatments come into play. When it comes to curb appeal, certain window treatments are more highly valued than others by homebuyers.

How Do Plantation Shutters Boost Curb Appeal and Home Value?

Plantation shutters do more than just boost curb appeal. They are also one of the rare upgrades that actually adds value to your home. Why are plantation shutters a terrific investment for sellers?

  • Aesthetics. Window treatments don’t just control sunlight. They are also aesthetically pleasing. Plantation shutters, in particular, are upscale, solid, and historic. They never go out of style. Wooden plantation shutters blend right in with custom moulding and furniture, adding to your home’s character. Plantation shutters are also unique in that, when they are used to control sunlight, you can easily filter the light in and out of your home to create the perfect ambiance. You can customize your plantation shutters for a price that is similar to custom drapery. The tailored look of plantation shutters is another favorite of homebuyers. 
  • Energy-efficiency. Buyers are frequently looking for energy-efficient home options. Plantation shutters naturally insulate your home, keeping it cooler in the summer and warmer in the winter. The result is lower heating and air bills that are easily attractive to homebuyers. 
  • Security. Plantation shutters offer an extra layer of privacy that is valuable to homeowners, without sacrificing picturesque home views and warm sunlight. When the shutters are closed, homeowners don’t have to worry about prying eyes looking through their windows. 
  • Permanency. Unlike blinds or curtains, plantation shutters stay with the home when it is sold. Homebuyers don’t have to worry about purchasing new window treatments or changing the look of the home with the removal of its current treatment. 
  • Durability. Plantation shutters are durable and long-lasting. With high-quality wooden material and top-notch manufacturing, plantation shutters delight homeowners for years to come. Plantation shutters are also easier to maintain than soft window treatments, like curtains, which tend to tear or fade over time. You can simply dust or gently polish plantation shutters, and they look as good as new!

Invest in Plantation Shutters for the Ultimate Home Upgrade

Adding plantation shutters to your home will make a difference when it comes time to sell. They might even refresh your house enough to make you want to stay! 

Shenandoah Shutters handcrafts beautiful, all wood plantation shutters in Richmond, Virginia. We’ve been serving Virginia, D.C, and Maryland for more than 30 years. Our custom made plantation shutters are available in stains, whites, and custom colors. We use yellow poplar wood for our cream colors and basswood for our rich stains. Shenandoah Shutters also offers custom wood favorites, like mahogany, cherry, and oak. We handfinish each shutter with a gorgeous silken lacquer. We even offer a 100-year warranty on the plantation shutters and a 25-year warranty on the finish. 

Choose from Traditional and Contemporary Designs at Shenandoah

Plantation shutters, in some form, have been around for centuries, but they never grow stale. At Shenandoah Shutters, we offer the traditional, movie famous style of plantation shutter, as well as plantation shutters with more modern twists. We know that different windows have different needs. That’s why we created the Softedge design, a particularly seamless option for casements and tilt-ins. You can even add plantation shutters to your sliding glass or French door for an effortlessly charming look that draws in homebuyers. At Shenandoah Shutters, we can customize plantation shutters to match windows of any shape or size. 

Schedule an Appointment for Plantation Shutters Today

Ready to add curb appeal to your home this spring with our hardwood plantation shutters? Contact our design team today! We offer a free estimate and consultation to answer your questions and plan for your investment. Take a closer look at our options with our online photo gallery.

How to Maximize Space for Your Kids During the Coronavirus

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With child care centers and schools closed due to the coronavirus outbreak, parents and other caregivers are spending more time at home with their children. Depending on the size of your home, having everyone in the house together for months on end can easily feel overwhelming. This is especially true for students engaged in distance learning or parents trying to work from home. Luckily, there are certain steps that you can take to make your home feel more spacious and inviting during this trying time. 

Spruce Up Your Entryway 

The humble entryway has taken on new levels of importance during the outbreak. Before the pandemic, you may have just hung up a coat or tossed off your shoes, but now, you’re likely finding yourself searching for a place to store your mask or sanitize your hands before coming inside. 

Many people are optimizing their entryways by creating sanitizing areas and makeshift mudrooms. Even if you don’t have a large entrance or hallway, you can still use up your wallspace with hooks and utility boards. A neater entryway will make disinfecting from your time outside a whole lot easier, especially since it’s being suggested that we should thoroughly clean our shoes after outings. 

An organized entryway is especially helpful for children, who benefit from organization and routine. Try out some IKEA hacks for fun entryway tools like dot wall hangers or repurposed spice racks. Even a simple bench or shelf will give you a place for gloves, masks, and hand sanitizer. Make sure to keep the area regularly swept and mopped for optimal germ control. 

Set Up Kid-Friendly Areas

The loss of school or expected daily activities can be overwhelming experiences for children. They’ll enjoy a sense of familiarity and comfort when they have their own, kid-friendly area to complete at-home school work. If possible, set them up with a desk and available school supplies for a calm place to focus. You can hang a calendar or home schedule and even include favorite books, music, craft ideas, blank journals for writing, and homemade calm down jars. 

While your kids are home, you can also enlist them to help you clean and organize their bedrooms. You’ll all feel better with a fresh room and everything in its proper place. Maximize floor space for indoor exercise (check out GoNoodle!) by using more wall and closet space for storage. 

Make the Most of Your Outdoor Space

We all need to get outside, and even the smallest outdoor spaces can be sanctuaries with a swept deck, live pants, and outdoor toys. Use bins and labels to organize playtime essentials like chalk and basketballs, so that your kiddos can easily find their favorites. Have terrific grass space? Go ahead and use this time to create your own family garden. This is a great time to think about adding fun things to your yard, like a basic swing set or a playful tire swing for much needed fun outside of the house. 

Optimize Your Home Office (and Your Time)

If you have a dedicated office space to complete work-from-home tasks, consider setting up a quiet corner of the room for your child to play, study, or relax while you work. This way, you can both spend time together while working on your own, separate tasks. Plus, your child can get a glimpse into what your workday is like. Are the distractions too much for you to concentrate? If two adults are home, you could also try “taking shifts” with the children. For instance, one adult can watch the kids in the morning and work in the evening, while the other adult watches the kids in the evening and works in the morning. 

Don’t have a home office? Pick a spot in your home with a neutral background to put a desk or even a coffee table. This way, you’ll have an easy place to video chat with co-workers, clients, and bosses. 

Get Creative 

Make these long days feel a little bit shorter with just a touch of creativity. Have a toddler? Pick a blank wall in your home and tape contact paper sticky side-up for a DIY sensory board. Add safe textures for your little one to stick and unstick, like big pom poms or large paper shapes. Move around furniture for older ones to have a dance party in the living room. It’s understandable to change up your home to suit the circumstances of quarantine. 

Dreaming of New Windows?

With all of this extra time at home, bright windows and warm sunlight has become even more important to families. Shenandoah Shutters handcrafts beautiful, hardwood plantation shutters for homes in Virginia, Maryland, and Washington, D.C. Plantation shutters are special window treatments, because they allow the homeowner to filter in and out sunlight using the parallel slats of the shutter (called the louvers). The result is the perfect mood lighting for every room in your home. 

Plantation shutters have extra benefits, too. They are known to increase a home’s resale value and make homes more energy-efficient. Since they have no cords, they’re safer for babies and young children. Plus, you’ll love the added home protection that plantation shutters offer. Thanks to the way that the louvers are designed, you can enjoy the sunlight and views from your home without sacrificing privacy. 

Choose from traditional or contemporary plantation shutter choices. We even created our own, patented Softedge design for more flexibility over unique windows, like casements and tilt-ins. Our plantation shutters are available in stains, creams, or custom colors. We use high-quality American woods, including yellow poplar and basswood. You can even request a specialty wood, like mahogany, cherry, or oak. All of our plantation shutters are finished with a gorgeous, silken lacquer finish for maximum aesthetic value. 

Schedule an Appointment for Spring Plantation Shutters

At Shenandoah Shutters, we’re one of the few window treatment providers to include a warranty on both the plantation shutters and the lacquer finish. We provide free design estimates and consultations for homeowners. Contact us today for more information on our plantation shutters, or to schedule an appointment.

6 Fun Facts About Plantation Shutters

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Plantation shutters are a unique window treatment with benefits that aren’t seen in other window choices. As beautiful as they are functional, plantation shutters have existed in some form for hundreds of years. If you’re planning to update your home with plantation shutters, you’re probably already familiar with the basics, but plantation shutters still have some secrets. Here are 6 fun facts about this popular window treatment:

Plantation Shutters are Energy-Efficient

An unexpected perk of choosing plantations shutters for your home is increased energy-efficiency. Because of the way that plantation shutters are built and installed, they allow less air to pass in or out of your windows. As a result, you’ll be able to insulate more cool air in the summer and more heat in the winter. This could result in potentially lowered heating and cooling bills. 

Plantation Shutters Can Increase the Resale Value of Your Home

Plantation shutters are one of the most popular window treatments for homebuyers. When a home has been outfitted with custom plantation shutters, this is a huge selling point. Unlike blinds, curtains, and other treatments, custom made plantation shutters stay with the house for the sale. Plus, this window treatment is timeless. Wooden plantation shutters, in particular, are appreciated for their authenticity and character. 

A special bonus for homebuyers with young families? Plantation shutters are a much safer window treatment choice than blinds for homes with small children. Plantation shutters don’t have cords that could potentially endanger young kids. Many families prefer this peace of mind.

Plantation Shutters are Valued for their Privacy

Hundreds of years ago, plantation shutters were especially valued for their privacy. In fact, one legend says that King Louis XIV of France actually used the privacy of plantation shutters to sneak a peek at the women of his court!

While spying isn’t exactly recommended, homeowners still love the privacy provided by plantation shutters. Because of the way the louvers tilt, you can filter sunlight in or out of your home without jeopardizing your view and without being seen from others outside of the home. This is especially exciting for the many scenic towns throughout Virginia, Maryland, and Washington, D.C. 

Plantation Shutters Come in Many Different Materials

Plantation shutters are available in materials like composite, plastic, pvc, foamed synthetics, and beautiful wooden varieties. While each material has its pros and cons, Shenandoah Shutters is proud to manufacture only wooden plantation shutters. The truth is that all other plantation shutter types are made with the goal of trying to make the product as much like wood as possible. Wooden plantation shutters are the most aesthetically pleasing type of plantation shutter. They are natural in every sense of the word, making them tough and long lasting. They also go right alongside your own wooden furniture and home elements.  

At Shenandoah Shutters, we take our wood a step further than the rest. We use only American woods of the highest quality, such as basswood, yellow poplar, cherry, oak, and mahogany. These woods lend themselves to stunning, rich stains and refreshing creams that simply can’t be imitated by other plantation shutter materials. We can even do custom color requests. 

You Can Install Plantation Shutters On Doors and Oddly Shaped Windows

Plantation shutters aren’t just meant for bay windows. You can install plantation shutters on French and sliding glass doors. You can even have plantation shutters customized for circle of life windows, sidelights, triangle panels, and sunbursts. If you have a window, then Shenandoah Shutters has a plantation shutter to fit it.  

Plantation Shutters are Low-Maintenance and Versatile

Wood is naturally durable, but it’s also easy to clean, too. You can clean your plantation shutters with a gentle wood polish, cloth duster, and vacuum attachment. You don’t have to worry about dry cleaning trips or expensive, time-consuming products. 

Plantation shutters are also known for their versatility. While traditional plantation shutters have lasted generations because of their beauty, there are now even more incredible design choices for homeowners. You can select a contemporary design, like our patented Softedge design that neatly hides the hinges, or you can choose café shutters to only cover part of your window. You can even choose your louver size and shape, as well as your tilt rod. 

At Shenandoah Shutters, we offer a single tilt rod, divider rail, split tilt rod, or a hidden tilt rod. You can also choose from 2.5”, 3.5”, or 4.5” louvers (the horizontal slats) and a flat or contoured louver. Your choices will reflect your own individual taste, truly making the plantation shutters your own. Larger louver sizes result in a larger viewing space, while certain tilt rods (like the hidden tilt rod) offer a more contemporary style or privacy advantages (the divider rail). 

Flat louvers are exactly as they sound, while contoured louvers resemble airplane wings. Both are a matter of personal preference and are equally lovely. You may end up wanting different styles depending on each room of your home. Your design consultant can help you plan the right custom shutters for your house. We’ll measure your windows, bring samples, and get an idea of your home goals. 

Plantation Shutters for the 21st Century

Plantation shutters are still prized window treatments for homeowners. If you’re ready to upgrade your window treatment or add plantation shutters to your new home in one of our service areas, contact Shenandoah Shutters today. Our design consultants will work with you to create the perfect custom, all wood plantation shutters for your home. 

Shenandoah Shutters has been handcrafting custom, hardwood plantation shutters since the 1990s. We’re local to Richmond, Virginia, and within a day’s drive of our service areas. All work on your plantation shutters is completed at our woodshop and showroom on Cofer Road. We even offer a 100-year limited transferable warranty on your plantation shutters, as well as a 25-year warranty on the silken lacquer finish that completes each shutter. 

Take a look at our gallery for more insight into our designs and installations.

Choosing Window Treatments For Your Home Office

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Choosing Window Treatments for Your Home Office

With the coronavirus pandemic, there’s never been a greater time to focus on your home office. Many of us are working from home these days, and having a comfortable space to take calls or attend virtual meetings is paramount. A room’s lighting is one of the most overlooked aspects of design, but it’s impact on your home is extraordinary. Installing proper lighting and appropriate window treatments will make your home office feel more spacious and inviting. The perfect room ambiance can inspire creativity and better concentration, too. Here are some suggestions for choosing the right window treatments for your home workspace:

Get to Know Your Windows: Soft Vs. Hard Window Treatments

As you explore window treatments for your home office, you’ll notice that there are soft and hard treatments for windows. Soft window treatments include:

  • Drapes and curtains
  • Valances
  • Roman shades
  • Sheers

Hard window treatments include:

  • Blinds 
  • Shades
  • Plantation shutters

There are many varieties and styles of both types of window treatments. Interestingly, some homeowners even choose to combine both soft and hard window treatments for a layered look. For example, custom plantation shutters with custom drapes. 

All window treatments have pros and cons. Some window treatments, like blinds, tend to wear down quickly, while others are long-lasting. Soft window treatments, like curtains, require cleaning that can sometimes be time-consuming. Hardwood plantation shutters, meanwhile, are easy to clean and even increase the resale value of a home.  

Consider Your Window Type

The type of window in your home office can help influence your window treatment choice. Curtains, for instance, are usually too long for small windows. Some home workers enjoy shades, instead. Blinds, too, are a common choice for windows of all shapes and sizes. 

For larger windows, fabric options are traditional and provide you with a choice of patterns and styles to match your office’s decor. Of course, custom made plantation shutters are an excellent choice for windows of any size or shape. They can even be fitted on tiny windows (including sunbursts) and doors!

How Much Sunlight Would You Like?

Natural lighting is uplifting and helps boost your focus, but how much sunlight you prefer in your home office is really a personal preference. Some window treatments (like shades and curtains) are better at blocking out light than others, just as some window treatments (like blinds) are ideal for incorporating more sunlight into a room. When you’re working from home, you’ll likely want different things at different times. This is another area where plantation shutters really excel. With plantation shutters, you don’t have to choose between completely blocking out the sunlight or having too much sunlight. You simply use the louvers (horizontal slats) to control the amount of sunlight that you’d like in the room, getting the lighting in your home office just right every time.

Think About Your Design Scheme

Just like sunlight goals and determining your window’s size or shape, your office’s design scheme can help you decide on the right window treatment. If you’re wanting your window to blend into your office, then sleek, wooden window treatments may be a good idea. For window treatments that stand out, try a pop of color from curtains or drapes. You can also pick out specific fabric designs for your soft window treatments. 

Hard window treatments seem to make the most versatile choices. They’re easier to maintain than soft window treatments, and can be designed to stand out or blend into the scenery. Wooden plantation shutters pair especially well with other wood furnishings.  

Why are Hardwood Plantation Shutters the Best Window Treatment for a Home Office?

Hard window treatments, or even layered looks, are beautiful and functional choices for a home office. Blinds and plantation shutters both allow you to control the natural light in your office, but it is only plantation shutters that gives you detailed control over the sunlight filtering into your home. Hardwood plantation shutters hold up over time and really provide your office with a cozy, warm atmosphere. Plantation shutters also help block out noise, so that you can focus on your work tasks in peace. 

While all window treatments are a valid option, plantation shutters check every box on your home improvement checklist. 

Staying Productive When Working From Home

Fresh window treatments, enjoyable decorations, and well-stocked office supplies will remind you that you are at work in your own home. This all makes staying productive a whole lot easier. If you don’t usually work remotely, designating a specific space in your home solely for the purpose of work will help you build an association between your home office and your job.

Maintaining a pleasing home office space and a regular schedule can help keep you from getting distracted throughout your workday. Even getting dressed as though you’re headed for a day at the office can help you keep an appropriate work-life balance as a remote employee. While it might be tempting to work from your bed while wearing pajamas, it’s easy to lose focus when your job doesn’t actually feel like a job. 

Ready to Install Plantation Shutters in Your Office?

Shenandoah Shutters has been installing plantation shutters in homes across Virginia, Maryland, and Washington, D.C for decades. We’re local to Richmond, Virginia and craft all of our plantation shutters by hand at our woodshop. We use real, high quality American woods and a silken lacquer finish to build our plantation shutters. Choose from stains, creams, and custom colors for the ultimate home office window design. You can even choose from traditional plantation shutters to our own, contemporary Softedge design. With the Softedge, the hinges are hidden in a style that is similar to European cabinetry. It’s a perfect design for tilt-ins and casements. 

Are you ready to spruce up your home office this spring with a brand new window treatment? Contact us today for more information on installing plantation shutters in your home. You can also visit our frequently asked questions and check out our online photo gallery.