The narrow vertical windows flanking most front doors, known as sidelights, can be beautifully accentuated with the addition of proper shutters. Sidelight shutters provide insulation, light control, and privacy while matching the woodgrain texture of your elegant entryway. For homeowners frustrated by pets damaging window coverings or those looking to boost curb appeal before a sale, sidelight shutters are a versatile upgrade providing both form and function.
Shutters Provide Much-Needed Privacy
Sidelight windows notoriously allow clear sight lines into a home’s interior. Whether greeting guests or simply passing by the front door, it can feel uncomfortably exposed at times. Sidelight shutters solve this issue through their ability to completely block views from outside. Unlike flimsy blinds or breezy curtains, shutters are opaque and offer full visibility protection when closed.
By covering sidelight windows with shutters, homeowners gain a greater sense of security and peace of mind. Valuables near front windows are obscured, conversations stay private, and interior spaces feel more secluded.
Light Control to Fit Your Needs
While welcoming in bountiful natural light, unobstructed sidelight windows also create sun-drenched entryways. This can lead to glare and uncomfortable brightness at times. Sidelight shutters allow homeowners to modulate outside light via adjustable louvers to create the perfect ambient lighting.
Shutters can flood an entrance with daylight when fully open yet provide dimmed lighting at a slight angle. Fully closed, shutters offer complete blackout control. This flexibility enables the creation of bright, dimly-lit, or dark spaces as desired for both function and mood.
Design Showpiece Matching Your Front Door
High-end sidelight shutters are designed specifically to integrate seamlessly with a home’s front door. Constructed of richly grained wood or molded composites, the shutters beautifully match the natural patterns and colors of the entry door.
Shutter colors come in various wood stain hues and painted shades to coordinate with a home’s exterior color scheme. This visual continuity between the front door and window coverings brings enhanced cohesion to curb appeal for a polished look.
Energy Savings from Added Insulation
Given their thin construction, sidelights can allow noticeable air leakage around windows in some homes. Shutters form an insulating barrier, trapping air in place to save energy. This adds a buffer against outdoor temperatures, reducing reliance on heating and cooling systems.
In older homes especially, sealing drafty sidelights with shutters cuts back significantly on utility costs. Even modern doors with insulated windows see improved efficiency thanks to shutters’ tight weatherproofing abilities.
Tailor Shutters to Your Home’s Unique Architecture
Sidelight dimensions span a wide range depending on window height, width, and shape. Custom-fit shutters are crafted to exact specifications for a picture-perfect fit regardless of sidelight size variances.
Round-top and uniquely arched sidelight windows also commonly found in historic homes can be accommodated with shutters shaped specifically for atypical angles and curves. This made-to-order approach ensures shutters blend into the home’s one-of-a-kind architecture beautifully.
Keep Pets from Damaging Window Treatments
For pet owners, sidelight blinds and curtains pose problems as cats and dogs are prone to pawing, scratching, and tearing the lightweight materials. This inevitably ends in damage requiring costly replacement or repairs.
Since sidelight shutters are solid and pets can’t access what’s behind them, window coverings stay pristine and undamaged. Shutters are virtually indestructible save for major blunt force, causing no concerns for pet owners.
Simple, Do-It-Yourself Installation
One appeal of sidelight shutters is the relatively easy installation process for DIYers. Using basic screws drilled into window frames or clip mounts, homeowners can handle the task themselves without professional help.
With simple tools and minimal hardware components, even those less handy can install shutters properly. And unlike drapes or roman shades, there’s no hemming, sewing or advanced skills required.
Add Valuable Curb Appeal for Resale
Entryways make a vital first impression on home buyers. Enhancing curb appeal with upgraded sidelight shutters therefore adds perceived value from attractive aesthetics alone. Going beyond looks, shutters also provide helpful functionality that further boosts property desirability.
As a relatively low-cost project offering excellent return on investment, installing high-end sidelight shutters just before listing pays dividends in elevated offers and quicker sales.
Sidelight shutters are a great upgrade for front doors because of their privacy, light control and style. Their custom-fit approach ensures they accentuate the architecture for homes with unique shapes and styles. For pet owners and sellers prepping their properties to list, sidelight shutters check multiple boxes both functionally and visually.
