• Shutters come in many designs, including the louvered style.Old window shutters image by Jim Mills from Fotolia.com
  
  Originally, window shutters were operated from indoors, intended to open and close windows conveniently before glass was used. Since the advent of widely available glass windows, exterior shutters have served to protect glass, frame windows visually and filter sunlight. Different shutter styles complement different architectural styles and offer different functional advantages.
  
  

Board and Batten

• Board and batten shutters have a fairly simple construction, composed of several vertical boards placed flush, one alongside the next, and two horizontal cross-pieces (or "battens") that bind the boards together. The rustic simplicity of the board and batten shutter has made it a key feature in many architectural styles. Board and battens can be seen on the brownstones of the Northeastern United States, Tudor homes, Spanish and Mediterranean styles, and beach cottages. From barns and country homes in the Northeast to Spanish Colonial houses in the Southwest, board and batten construction's popularity can be traced to its simple and sturdy construction. Board and batten shutters can also be cut to fit windows with pointed or currved tops. Traditionally made from wood, contemporary board and batten shutters can also be made of weather-resistant composites and reinforced with metal.
  
  

Raised Panel

• Raised panel shutters have a slightly more refined look than the board and batten style. Depending on the shutter size and the aesthetic, a single shutter features two or three rectangular panels in relief. Traditionally, raised panel shutters would be used on the first floor of residences to offer security. Louvered shutters would be used on upper-story windows to allow improved air circulation. Traditionally, the refined raised panel has enjoyed particular popularity in the architecture of the southern United States, as well as in contemporary architecture throughout the country. Typically, raised panel shutters are made of wood, vinyl or composite materials.
  
  

Louvered and Bermuda

• Traditionally used on warmer upper stories or on houses in the balmy tropics, louvered shutters can be closed to permit ventilation while blocking direct sun. Regular louvered shutters come in pairs that hinge along the vertical axis on each exterior edge of the window, just like board and batten or raised panel shutters. The Bermuda shutter differs from all the others, as it consists of a single inflexible plane, the width of the entire window, that affixes to the upper edge of the window and angles upward and outward from the bottom edge. Practical in equatorial climates, it blocks overhead sun while promoting air flow.