Installing storm shutters can affect your home's appearance in addition to providing protection from severe weather. You'll want to choose the outline and shape of your storm shutters as well as giving some thought to how you're going to get them to fit in with the rest of your home's exterior.

The type of shutter you choose, the colors you paint them, and whether you flaunt them or conceal them from view are some of the styling aspects to consider. Here are a few options and ideas for styling your storm shutters.

1. Paint them to match the trim

Many homeowners choose to paint their shutters in a color that contrasts with the walls, often the same color they use for their trim. This styling choice works well with plantation-style houses, as well as a variety of other architectural aesthetics. 

2. Screen with an awning or plant trellis

If having shutters on the outside of your home really doesn't match the aesthetic you're going for, consider choosing rolling shutters. These shutters stow away in a small horizontal or vertical area next to the window, which you can then conceal with an awning or by putting a plant trellis in front of it. Just make sure you grow only mannerly plants that won't grow thickly enough to hamper the use of the shutters.

3. Paint to match the walls

Unless your walls are unpainted (brick or stone, for example), you should be able to match your shutter color to your wall color pretty closely. This option allows your shutters to blend in if you don't want to make them a focal point. This absence of color contrast can also help give a streamlined or minimalistic appearance to the home's exterior.

4. Use your shutters as awnings

Instead of concealing your shutters or simply using them as decoration until a storm threatens, you can choose shutters that also double as shade awnings for your windows. Typically called Bahama shutters or Bermuda shutters, these shutters are installed directly over your windows and open out from the bottom into an awning-like position. They provide protection from direct sun while giving your home a very stylish look as well.

As you can see, storm shutters don't have to be an eyesore. They can be a sleek, unobtrusive part of your home's exterior or a cute element of your home that matches your trim color. For more information about the different types of storm shutters available and the best type for your home, contact your local storm shutters company today.

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