Extending just part way up the window, café style shutters leave the top of the window exposed so that natural light can shine through the top of the shutters but a level of privacy is still maintained in the room. Café style shutters are a wonderful choice for those who are not looking for full shutter coverage or would look to pair their shutters with another choice of window dressing.
Occasionally, we find that a homeowner may initially choose this part height shutter but later down the line change their mind and find that an additional tier on the shutter is preferred. There comes the question of ‘can I add a top tier to my café style shutters?’.
Well, the good news is that the simple answer is yes, we can almost always arrange for a top tier to be added to café style shutters if a homeowner changes their mind about having the top of the window exposed.
Below we have an example of how wonderful a top tier addition can look on a window and how it can transform a window to new levels.
Before:
After:
The shutters in this property have been manufactured in our Craftwood MDF material. MDF is a robust and cost-effective material option which provides a brilliant finish to rooms. The pure white colour that the shutters have been finished in is a bright white option that perfectly matches to the window surrounds and other features in the room. Brushed nickel hinges add a touch of antique class to the panels and make the fixings that bit more of a luxurious stand out feature than if hinges were manufactured in a matching white colour.
We usually recommend tier on tier shutters to be manufactured in one of our lightweight wood materials however MDF is a possibility for two tiered shutters, particularly if the second tier is added at a later date.
The no tilt rod slat control mechanism is a visually brilliant choice for large windows, especially where an additional tier is added later as when there are multiple panels on the window there is always a slight risk that the overall shutter design may look a little busy.
Why would I add a top tier to my shutters?
Choosing café style shutters is often an appealing choice initially, especially for clients who are pairing their shutters with another window dressings such as curtains or blinds. Homeowners may also decide initially that having part coverage of the window is sufficient for their light and privacy requirements, but this may change down the line. Full coverage of a window ensures the most complete level of privacy and light block can be achieved in a room.
Is there a benefit to opting for tier-on-tier shutters from the offset?
If you think that tier-on-tier shutters may be of interest from the offset then we recommend considering this style over the café shutters as it is most cost effective choice as measure and fitting costs are rolled into one combined total. This is also the best guarantee for an exact match across all the shutter due to batching methods used in the shutter manufacturing. Choosing tier on tier shutters from the offset if they will likely be of interest is the most cost-effective choice rather than adding a top tier to café style as measure and fitting costs are rolled into one.
If you have café style shutters that you are looking to add a top tier to then the Plantation Shutters team are here to help you. You can get in touch by giving us a call on 020 8871 9222, submitting a Contact Us form or emailing your enquiry to hello@plantation-shutters.co.uk.
