If you are style conscious and wondering whether plantation shutters still belong in a modern British home, you are not alone. The quick answer, no, they are not outdated in 2025. Our interior design trained surveyors are in homes across Essex, Suffolk, Kent and the South East every week, and shutters remain one of the most requested, design led upgrades.
The look has evolved, the quality has improved, and the detailing is more considered. Here is what we are seeing in real projects right now, plus clear answers to the questions homeowners ask most.
What designers are choosing in 2025
- Wider louvres for a lighter feel: The shift is toward 76 mm and 89 mm louvres that invite more daylight and create cleaner sight-lines. In living rooms and open plan spaces, 89 mm reads bold and airy. In period bays and bedrooms, 76 mm
balances privacy with brightness. Our surveyors will show you both options with scale accurate room mock ups so you can visualise the difference on your actual windows. - Calm off whites and soft neutrals: Warm whites, bone, chalk and pale greige remain the most popular shutter colours for interiors. These tones flatter original woodwork, new joinery and mixed metal finishes, and they work with both cool and warm palettes. If you are wondering what the most popular shutter color for interior is, it is still an off white with a soft, restful undertone.
- Colour matched frames: Frames painted to blend with existing architraves give a built in, architectural finish. This small detail elevates the whole room, especially on period skirtings and deeper reveals.
- Designed for real life privacy: Café style is a favourite on street facing front rooms where you want privacy at seated eye line but love daylight above. Tier on tier is still the go to for Victorian and Edwardian bay windows where flexible top bottom control suits changing light through the day.
- Integrated blackout for bedrooms: Shutters are not blackout on their own. For true darkness in bedrooms and nurseries, our integrated Shutter Shades combine a discreet blackout blind within the shutter frame, giving you the clean shutter look with hotel level rest.
- Shaped and bay specific solutions: Arches, triangles and angled loft windows look extraordinary with made to measure shapes that follow the architecture. Bay window specific frames avoid bulky infills and keep lines crisp in heritage spaces.
Real timber or PVC, what to choose and where
- When to choose premium hardwood: Real timber delivers the most refined finish with beautiful grain, crisp detailing and long term colour stability. In living rooms, dining spaces, studies and bedrooms, hardwood is the design led choice. It resists the warping and discolouration that can affect cheaper MDF or plastic lookalikes over time.
- When moisture resistant PVC makes sense: In bathrooms, wet rooms and high humidity kitchens, a moisture resistant PVC option is practical and easy care. It looks smart, wipes clean and copes with steam. We frequently specify mixed materials across a home, hardwood in the main rooms and PVC where splash zones demand it, so your whole scheme stays consistent.
Our team will bring both materials to your survey so you can feel the difference and see finishes in your light.
Do interior designers like plantation shutters?
Yes. Designers appreciate shutters because they solve several problems at once, light control, privacy, insulation and clean lines that frame views. The contemporary way to use them is considered and minimal, wider louvres, slim frames, colour matched finishes and selective layering with soft window dressings where you want added texture.
Do you still need curtains with plantation shutters?
Not always. Many clients choose shutters alone for a clean, modern profile. If you want softness, consider pairing with simple curtains or Roman blinds. Keep fabrics plain or lightly textured so they complement rather than compete. In bedrooms, a Roman blind in a blackout fabric over a shutter gives cosy comfort and full darkness when needed. In living rooms, a lightweight curtain hung wider than the window can add warmth without blocking light.
Do shutters make a house look bigger or smaller?
Done right, shutters make rooms feel bigger. Wider louvres and colour matched frames reduce visual clutter and extend sight-lines, which helps spaces read more open. Café style can make tall sash windows feel taller by emphasising the upper glass. Myths around scale usually come from poor proportion choices. We counter this with on site measuring, 3D room mock ups and our before and after gallery, which shows how the right louvre size and frame transform both small and large rooms.
Are plantation shutters outdated in 2025?
No. The look has shifted from heavy, dark stained slats to light, airy panels in soft neutrals with wider louvres. Our recent case studies across Colchester, Chelmsford, Ipswich and Bury St Edmunds show the same pattern, a timeless silhouette, updated proportions, and finishes that suit calm, contemporary British interiors.
What our surveyors are seeing locally
- Essex and Suffolk period bays love tier on tier: Independent top and bottom panels suit changeable street light and winter sun. We often place a mid rail to align with sash splits for a seamless look.
- Street facing privacy solved with café style: Front lounges and kitchen diners benefit from lower coverage while keeping sunshine up top. It is an elegant alternative to net curtains.
- Bedrooms prioritise rest: Shutter Shades provide blackout for sleep while keeping the exterior view tidy by day.
- Kitchens and bathrooms go PVC: Steam heavy rooms get moisture resistant materials so you do not worry about long term care.
Browse our case studies and before and after gallery to see these choices in context and judge what will suit your windows.
Future proof finishes
- Choose a soft off white or gentle neutral, easy to live with through redecorations.
- Opt for 76 mm or 89 mm louvres, both feel current and will not date quickly.
- Match frames to architraves for a bespoke, built in result.
- In heritage rooms, align mid rails to sash bars for authenticity.
- In modern builds, keep frames slim and clean with hidden tilt where possible.
Coordinating shutters with curtains or Romans
- Layer selectively. One soft dressing per window is often enough.
- Keep header treatments simple, a slim track or minimal pole.
- Use blackout lined Romans in bedrooms if you are a light sensitive sleeper.
- Consider cellular blinds behind shutters in cold spots to boost insulation during winter.
See the transformation, then book with confidence
Nothing beats seeing what is possible in homes like yours. Explore our before and after gallery and recent client projects from Colchester to Ipswich, then arrange a free, no obligation home survey. Our surveyors bring physical samples, take precision measurements, and create scale accurate room mock ups so you can compare louvre sizes, colours and frame styles on the spot. You will receive a clear, tailored proposal with transparent pricing, professional in house installation and our award winning aftercare.
If you are local and researching options, you can learn more about shutters colchester or view our service details for shutters Ipswich to see how we work in your area. Prefer to start with a quick ballpark, use our online Price Calculator, then book your visit.
How to arrange your no obligation home survey
- Get a free estimate online or call 01702 244698.
- Book a convenient survey visit. We cover Essex, Suffolk, Kent and the South East.
- Review samples at home with our design trained team, choose finishes with confidence.
- Place your order and we handle the rest, from careful manufacture to tidy installation.
Summary
Plantation shutters are not outdated in 2025. They are timeless, premium and more versatile than ever, shaped by wider louvres, soft neutrals, colour matched frames and smart configurations like café style and tier on tier for bays. Choose premium hardwood for living spaces and bedrooms, and moisture resistant PVC for bathrooms and high humidity kitchens. Pair with curtains or Romans only when you want added softness or blackout, and trust proportion plus finish to make rooms feel bigger, brighter and calmer.
Ready to explore what will suit your home, view our gallery, then book your free home survey with our award winning team.
