Shut Out The Dust

dust

It’s a pretty universally known fact that wooden shutters and wooden blinds are the perfect window dressings when it comes to keeping dust to a minimum within the home; using wood to maintain your privacy and shut out the light helps to cut down on the accumulation dust much more than fabric furnishings like curtains, and it is also much easier to remove dust from wooden window dressings than it is to get it out from fabric. If the shutters happen to be made from top quality basswood and also look unbelievably stylish, like our wooden shutters, then so much the better!

The health effects of dust come in many shapes and sizes, from mild irritation of the eyes and sneezing to asthma attacks and even lung cancer. With this in mind, it’s essential that we all take precautions against these risks – fortunately, Shutters Direct is here to provide you with some top tips for a dustless decor:

1. Where possible, remove carpeting

Carpets are a breeding ground for dust to gather and remain. Aside from requiring regular vacuuming sessions and long shampooing jobs, they also wear thin and begin to lose their colour, eventually. Vinyl flooring is a much more practical and long-term solution – it is easier to clean and remove dust from and promises many more years of satisfaction. Wooden floorboards will add a rustic yet stylish touch to your home, and if you can complement them with matching shutters in the same colour, then that’s an added bonus!

2. Invest in an air purifier

The name says it all. Air purifiers will help to keep the air in your home clean, and remove many of the impurities, including a real reduction of dust.

3. Use microfibre cloths and dusters

Microfibre materials attract and retain dust using an electronic charge, making them the best choice of material for anyone who is looking for some serious dust-busting products. Machine-washable dusters rather than disposables are also long-term investments, as well as being better for the environment.

4. Regularly change your bedding

Aside from accumulating dead skin, your bed sheets also shed their own fibres, circulating more and more dust each time you turn over. Regularly changing your duvet cover, pillow cases and sheets will help to reduce this problem, massively.

5. Vacuum twice each week

Even without carpets, it is still essential that you vacuum your floors often. If you could stretch to a vacuum cleaner that incorporates a HEPA filter, this will help to suck in as much dust and dirt as possible.

Happy Christmas!

Shutters Direct - Merry Christmas!

Shutters Direct would like to wish all our visitors a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year.

Thank you for stopping by and reading our articles in 2015, not to mention placing so many orders for our real wooden shutters. We hope to bring you blog posts which are just as riveting in 2016; not to mention continue to bring you top quality wooden shutters!

Merry Christmas, everyone!

Our Autumn Collection

autumn-coming-soon

We are currently working on our Autumn Collection, set to launch on 16/10/15.

When creating this collection we had a specific image in our head. We pictured a cosy room, warmed by a fire. No T.V, just a few sofas and chairs, piled high with warm blankets. Soulful music is background to laughter as a group of friends share drinks and talk about good times passed. The room is warm and safe and full of laughter, the blinds are closed, keeping the cold world outside at bay.

The Roaring 20’s!

 

To put it bluntly, the 1920’s looked like a right laugh.

Pre-world war one the western world was still rooted in old Christian values. But the atrocities committed during the war made people question a lot of things. Subsequently people began to get a lot more liberal. In America especially progress abounded. The country achieved a sustained period of economic growth, science and technology took huge leaps, even homosexuality began to get more accepted.

Louis Armstrong 1920's party

Strangely enough it was also the period in which America went through prohibition. But we all know, when you ban something, it just makes it all the more fun. Moonshine and speakeasies were rampant.

We Want Beer! Prohibiton

 

 

 

 

Yep, the roaring twenties looked like a whole lot of fun.

Throughout Europe design progressed leaps and bounds. It was around this time that the Modernism movement began taking place in France, which still affects design to this day. In complete contrast to the frilly and excessive design of preceding it, modernism encourages a stripping down of objects and design to their bare essentials. Architects began to design with functionality, efficiency and economy in mind. Kitchen, living rooms and dining rooms became open plan. Inbuilt storage with shelves and such built into nooks and crevices increased the efficiency of space and created more available square feet in homes.

Modernist InteriorModernist Interior 1

Arising from modernism came two large design movements, the influences of which can still be seen today. The first of which most people are aware of: Art Deco.

Art DEco Flapper Girl

When we imagine the 20’s, we imagine Art Deco. The two just go hand in hand. Art deco, which originated in France after WWI, uses simple geometric shapes, bright colours and definitely has an air of… show biz. The size and scope that Art Deco cannot be overestimated. It was a worldwide phenomenon that strove to celebrate human decadence and our need for beauty.

Art DEco Mural

Art Deco interior (2)

It drew from influences globally. It is easy to see the romantic link between Art Deco and the excitement surrounding the Ancient Egyptians and Meso-Americans at the time. Colours and shapes were borrowed from Africa with themes taken from the exuberant ballets of Paris. It spread across all forms of design: from art to photography to architecture, even to transport.

Art Deco Bike

There are still many wonderful examples of art deco design, such as buildings and vehicles that have survived through to this day.

Empire State Building

The Bauhaus School of Design is the other large influencer from the 20’s. Formed in 1919 it ran from several locations before being shut down for political reasons in 1933. Mainly known for its influence on architecture, the School of Bauhaus strove to achieve the ideal of creating a ‘total’ work of art and design that would unify all design elements.

Bauhaus Design School

 

Rietveld chair

Bauhaus is similar to art deco with its use of simple shapes. But in its essence it is less ‘showboaty’ stating that designs and creations should be true to the source material: it is closer to modernism in this aspect than Art Deco is. One large aspect that Bauhaus contributed to design is it started to view objects that were previously utilitarian as potentially beautiful objects. Items were created that not only functioned well, but were pleasing to look at. Though they always remained true to the source material. Bauhaus celebrated the advancements in the technologies of the time. It encouraged a scientific approach to design and to display an items mechanical roots.

Wooden Or Aluminium Blinds?

It can be a tough choice, one that deserves spending some time thinking over: which window furnishing would suit my home the best? They have a huge effect on the feel of a room. It’s not just the appearance of the furnishing itself, it is also the effect they have on the light, and how that interacts with a room.

To this point, there is a big difference between Wooden and Aluminium Venetian blinds. Wooden Blinds, while cut accurately, somehow feel softer. They have a dampening effect on light as it comes into a room. The shadows don’t seem to have such a harsh edge on them. And the wood that the blinds are made of themselves is a more calming and natural material.

Whereas Aluminium Venetian Blinds are, by nature, a lot more exacting and clinical. They create harsh shadows with perfect edges. They can be used effectively in design, and are well suited to modern, clinical rooms. Another aspect of Aluminium Blinds is, due to the nature and chemical makeup of aluminium blinds, they can hold vibrant colours extremely well. This means they can be tailored to your personal colour scheme with ease, and will last forever.

Wooden and Aluminium Blinds are available from www.wooden-blinds-direct.co.uk

The Pleasure of Craftsmanship

We are a company that prides itself on the quality of the goods it produces. One word that we like to use, and are sad to see the decline of, is craftsmanship. We love that the goods we send out to people are amongst the best that can be bought. And, though it may not be the smartest business sense, we love it when others do the same.

There are a few folk out there slaving away to keep craftsmanship and man made goods alive. Men and women toiling in workshops with nothing more than love for what they do keeping them going. Days might pass while they are hunched over their work bench, hammer and chisel in hand, building perfection.

As much pleasure as we take in creating these wonderful products, we also enjoy in watching others create them. There is a real, deep seated, joy in watching a person excel in their life’s love. Whether it be sports, art, or creating things.

Here at Shutters Direct we have a soft spot for wood. Not only is it the material that our shutters are made from, but it is simply a lovely material to work with. There is a softness and warmth in wood, and a pliability that allows it to be turned into incredible objects.

A lovely coincidence is that videos about woodwork are usually wonderfully shot and accompanied with soothing music. Below is a few of our favourites that we fall back on when we are seeking inspiration. So sit back and unwind for five minutes as you watch people building perfection.

 

 

Shutters for spring

shutters for spring

Spring is fast approaching, much to our delight. Though the weather over here is questionable at the moment, we’re feeling positive about the warmer days ahead. We’re even looking forward to a good old spring clean, especially when it involves lots of lovely new furniture for our offices.

If you’re planning a spring cleaning session, we think you should treat yourself too. There’s nothing better than adding the final touch to your newly blitzed home: perhaps some nice new bed sheets, a piece of art for the walls, or even a new window dressing?

Here at Shutters Direct, we think that shutters are the perfect choice for the season. Here’s why… Continue reading

Why we love white shutters

Why we love white shutters

We’ve been pinning!

Here at Shutters Direct, we love seeing shutters incorporated into delightful interior design. Pinterest is the perfect place for us to hunt down some of the very best examples of this, and it’s far too easy for us to lose ourselves in the endless reams of inspiring interiors and stunning photography. Continue reading

Colonial Interior Design

Polished wood, tropical plants, botanical prints, relics from distant lands… There’s little to dislike about colonial interiors! It’s a style that developed over the reign of the British Empire, peaking along with the colonies in the 19th and 20th centuries. At this time, with over a quarter of the world part of the British Empire, influences from British colonials blended with the fashions of the colonies, creating a fusion of English tradition and exotic accents. The style was perfectly adapted to suit the climates and landscape of the colonies, while still maintaining the home comforts that the British desired.

Continue reading

How to measure and fit shutters

Shutters are arguably the ultimate window dressing. Stylish, strong and easy to maintain, they’re the perfect choice for those who want to spend a little more and invest in a high quality product that will add real value to their home.

Often, the thought of DIY puts people off undertaking new projects at home. However, when it comes to shutters from Shutters Direct, there’s no need to worry. Measuring fo and fitting your shutters is much simpler than you first imagined – especially with the help of our handy video guides. Be sure to take a look by clicking here and here, where you’ll discover fantastic, informative videos taking you through every step. We also offer a complimentary printable measuring guide, which you can find by clicking this link.

Do you have any other questions about measuring and fitting your shutters? Don’t hesitate to get in touch. You can contact us by filling in an enquiry form, or alternatively visit our Twitter and Facebook pages.