Many homes feature one room that becomes the family dumping ground down to sheer lack of imagination as to what to do with the small amount of space within the upstairs box room or downstairs out-house. Instead of wasting the space (small it may be) why not turn it into a home office, which can become your own little haven of calm and productivity. It can be used as a multi-purposeful space for the whole family to use, such-as a office for you to catch up on some work, a quiet space for the children to do their homework or just an area to sort through household correspondence and bills. Whatever the purpose it is to be used for it presents you with a quick DIY project that you can turnaround in a weekend resulting in an inspiring usable space within your home.

The aim of your new space is to inspire productivity so what should you include to help get the creative juices flowing and help stimulate the brain cells. Here are our tips:

• Colour
  This plays a huge part in the finished result of a room. You can opt for your favourite colour or consult the colour psychology chart which suggests that yellow is a good mood enhancer and blue is good at evoking calm and productivity which would be ideal for a home office space. The main thing to consider is the size of your space, as you will want to use a colour palate that makes the room appear larger and not suppressing.
   
• Lighting
  Opt for a quirky desk lamp to add a bit of fun to the room and to enable you to use the space at any time of day but also consider the amount of natural light that you can filter into the room as this is stimulating and energy-enhancing. Wooden Shutters are a great choice as they can be fitted into any shaped window and can be angled in a position that suits you so you can avoid sun glare on your computer screen whilst still appreciating the rays on your skin. Wooden Shutters are also a good way of controlling to amount of air that slows through a room again down to the angling of the slats meaning you can control the temperature within the room easily.
   
• Ideas Board
  Set up an area in front of (or near to) your office desk for a place to pin ideas to when your creative juices are flowing or display the bills that need to be paid that week. Wooden Shutters can come into play again here as when used in a creative way they can make for a unique notice board, café shutters in particular double us a great pinboard. Another inventive option could be to paint one wall using blackboard paint, which can be written directly onto and rubbed away once completed. Not only will this look great but will also bring an element of fun into the room for all. 

June is now upon us meaning we can officially say “summer has arrived” which for many, means hours of fun and relaxation in the garden or conservatory with the windows and bi-folds open wide to make your outside space a proper part of your home.

Wooden shutters act as a perfect link between the inside and outside without shutting it out as they allow ventilation and light to flood in whilst also offering maximum privacy, perfect for when you (and your neighbours) are pottering around in the garden all day.

On a warm summer’s evening wooden shutters really come into their own as they offer maximum exposure to the extra hours of light. They allow you the ability to control the level of air flow entering your property so you can enjoy the whimsical notes of summer scents flowing throughout your home from dawn until dusk eliminating the green-house effect that quite often happens in a conservatory during the heat of the summer months. What’s more, our selection of designs is so vast that we are sure you will be able to find the perfect style to suit to the look you wish to create. Café Shutters are a popular choice for garden facing windows as they are designed to shield the bottom section only. Just measure your windows using our step-by-step measuring guide and order using our simple online ordering system. We have a Fitting Guide to so your DIY Wooden Shutters will be adorning your windows ready for you to enjoy in no time at all.

Opting for a light wooden finish or white shutters will help evoke feelings of nature within your home and when coupled with light-coloured furnishings and textured finishes you will create a space that feels brighter, more airy and spacious as well as inviting. 

Window coverings play a huge part in the finished look and feel of a room from the light source to the appearance they have on your furnishings. Therefore, deciding on which window finishing would suit your home best can be a tough choice and one that deserves time thinking over. It is important to take your whole room into consideration and your outside space before deciding on which to opt for.

By utilising our easy to follow measuring and fitting guides DIY Wooden Shutters are designed to fit the exact measurements of your windows so you can be sure that they will cover almost any shaped window in your home. This said, it is worth noting that when installing wooden shutters yourself it is probably better to stick to more standard shaped, square and rectangular windows. For more obscure and unusual shaped windows, such as round or triangle we would advise calling in a reputable Wooden Shutter Installation company, such as Cherry Tree Shutters as they will be able to use their expert carpentry skills to create the perfect finish for the windows in your home.

Raw wooden shutters give a natural, earthy quality to a room creating an air of calm and the light source that enters the space can be easily controlled. If you don’t want to stick with the natural wooden or crisp white finish another benefit to Wooden Shutters is that many of then can be painted to complement your existing colour scheme making them incredibly versatile.

Blinds are more restricted in their design and work better for standard, square or rectangular windows and in rooms where light control isn’t as important. For example a baby’s nursery might benefit more from a blind (with a safety cord) as you tend to either have them open fully when the baby is awake or closed for nap time - rather than half open. Black out options are also available in blinds, which again might suit your bedroom requirements better. You do however still gain this benefit from wooden shutters as they come in a vast range of styles, many of which do offer a complete black out feature. 

As the seasons shift, as does the way we live within our homes. The dark nights of winter are behind us as is the need to snuggle up under the blankets and shelter away from the outside elements. Instead, now that spring is upon us and summer is on its way, we want to welcome the extra hours of light into our living space and connect with the outside world. Redecorating every time the seasons change isn’t practical however there are some clever tricks that you can adopt to help you maximise the light and space around you for a real bright, summery vibe.

• - Open up your windows
  And by this we don’t mean literally – although wide-open windows will naturally let the light flood in as well as create a lovely summer breeze. No, we mean take down the heavy winter curtains, which during the summer months will make the room feel claustrophobic, stuffy and block out the light. Replace them with a pair of café-style DIY wooden shutters in bright white as this will help to reflect the light. The added bonus of café-style wooden shutters is that the top and bottom layers can be opened or adjusted independently allowing you to control the light source. Opt for a slimmer louvre and this will create the illusion of height, resulting in a more spacious finish.

• - De-clutter
  Think minimal and bright. If you’ve got wooden flooring, take up the rugs as a plain floor opens up the room making it feel more airy. If you’ve got heavily patterned walls, try adding some mirrors to cover up some of the pattern as well as creating a way for the light to bounce around the room. Large white or faded fabric throws can transform a heavy, dark sofa as can delicate floral patterned cushions. Replace candles with flowers and driftwood to help make your inside space an extension of your outdoor space.

• - Elongate your walls
  High ceilings instantly make a room feel larger and more open however pushing your ceiling upwards is obviously not possible! The way in which you paint your walls though is! Try painting your ceiling a couple of shades lighter than the rest of the room or opt for a subtle pinstripe wallpaper to create the illusion of length and height.

The clocks are going forward this week, which can only mean one thing - Spring is about to show her beautiful face, so what better time to de-clutter and have a bit of a home cleanse.

And nothing says spring clean more beautifully than a new lick of paint to brighten up your living space. Or even better, why not take down the heavy winter curtains and let the light into your home with a new window dressing in the form of Wooden Plantation Shutters.

Installing Wooden Plantation Shutters doesn’t have to be a costly, time-consuming task as you now have the option to order stylish and affordable wooden shutters online, delivered to your home ready for you to install yourself. Spring provides the perfect season for installing Wooden Plantation Shutters for the following reasons;

• - You can welcome in as much natural light as desired with excellent precision using the angles of the slats, whilst still maintaining the privacy provided by the frame.

• - Our shutters are available in a range of neutral, light shades, perfectly suited to the season. You can keep your space bright and airy with the use of white or cream shutters or bring natures surroundings inside with the installation of our light or medium wood.

• - They provide extra privacy and security. As the weather warms up, more people are enjoying their outside space which opens up more opportunities for nosy neighbours to get a peak inside your living room. Wooden shutters act as a barrier from prying eyes as well as reducing the risk of a potential burglary as the inside view of your property can be obscured by the angle of the slats whilst still allowing you the ability to have your windows open. 

You can choose between a number of different shutter options by visiting our online store and selecting your perfect spring home necessity.

When in comes to decorating a child or babies bedroom safety needs to be at the forefront of your mind. One of the biggest hazards to a small child in the home is internal window blind cords or chains due to the risk of strangulation. In fact most accidental deaths involving blind cords happen in the bedroom and occur in children aged between 16 and 36 months old. It is therefore of paramount importance that you take steps to make sure your child’s bedroom is a safe haven for them to play and rest in.

The first thing to check before installing a blind into your child’s bedroom is that it complies with the BBSA's (British Blinds and Shutters Association) strict guidelines regarding child safety. This association takes a leading role in encouraging the highest possible standards of product service and safety. But with so much choice on the market it’s difficult to know which is the best window treatment to go for. 

In our opinion, Safe by Design is the best option for use in a child’s bedroom as these are cordless or the cords are concealed within the mechanism so out of view from prying eyes (and necks). Wooden Shutters are also a perfect choice for a baby’s bedroom as again there are no dangling cords to worry about. They are also fantastic at shutting out the light, which is perfect for a baby or small child who needs the dark to enable them to go to sleep at night. What's more, they are quick and easy to install at home yourself. Other blind options include in-built safety systems which feature a chain break, designed to separate under any undue pressure. Or you can purchase a separate safety device, which is designed to tie the cords away or conceal them.

Placement of the bedroom furniture is another thing to consider. Remember little people are mischievous creatures and love nothing more than to play with things that they shouldn’t or climb onto objects. So ensure that cots, beds, bookcase etc aren’t placed too close to the window.

This advice isn't just restricted to the bedroom, preventative measures should be taken throughout your home to help reduce the risk of accidents happening.

Are you interested in installing DIY Wooden Shutters in your home but nervous about ordering them online without seeing them first?

We now offer a SAMPLE SERVICE enabling you to order swatches of your favourite high quality MDF, ABS or Wooden plantation shutters before ordering.

Our extensive online catalogue provides customers with a huge amount of options to help choose the right kind of shutter for the home however sometimes it's hard to envisage it without actually seeing the product first.

The samples we post out to potential customers are a true representation of colour and finish so making the final decision on which shutter to go for is easy.

Our FREE measuring and fitting guides are also available to download making the installation process child's play.

You can view our DIY Wooden Shutters product range here. 

Upcycling is becoming a hot trend when it comes to home DIY projects because it can be a cost effective way to reuse household items that are no longer serving a purpose. So instead of throwing them away, get creative and try turning something old into something new and beautiful for your home. Wooden Shutters provide loads of options as they can be used to create just about anything.

Here are a few ideas using Wooden Shutters to help inspire you;

Keep it private
Grab yourself some hinges and connect three or more Wooden Shutters together, add some embellishments and you have yourself a beautiful Privacy Screen with can be used in any room in the home, or even outside in the garden.

The Tables turned
Transform your lifeless coffee table into a statement piece of furniture. For this you can simply take an old Wooden Shutter and lay it across the top of an exisiting coffee table to give it a new lease of life. Or if you are feeling more creative then why not make a table or unit from scratch using the wooden shutters to create the top. You can add a pane of glass if desired or leave it in its natural state for a raw more rustic finish. 

Board with your bed
Experiment with different colour wooden shutters and variations in height an angels to create a unique headboard for your bed.

Get Noticed
Organise your life by turning your Wooden Shutters into an innovative Noticeboard. The slats provide the perfect storage places for letters and such like. 

Say it with Flowers
Turn your garden into a tranquil oasis filled with colour and the scents of spring with a stunning flower display trellis. You can add your favourite flowers directly into the slats of the wooden shutter or add a flower box to the front as use the shutter as a backdrop to your whimsical bloom. 

Happy upcycling, have fun...

Colour Matters: choosing the right colour for your home…

Most of us have a favourite colour (mine is green) meaning that you are more than likely drawn to shades of that colour when decorating your home (or choosing what to wear) and where is the harm in that?

The answer is actually a lot more philosophical than you might realise. The psychology of colour is a very interesting topic as it can play a huge part in the way we feel. So that shade of green you have covered your lounge wall in could be having a profound impact on your mood. For example, blue evokes calmness & serenity and is often used in office environments as studies have proven that employee’s work more productively in blue rooms, similarly red encourages appetite which is why many restaurants use red in their signage and advertising campaigns. Yellow, although bright and cheerful it is more likely to cause eyestrain and it should definitely be avoided in a baby’s nursery as this colour makes them cry more (apparently). Green is a natural earthy colour so, depending on the tone, it connotes relaxation, freshness and fertility making it the perfect colour to use in a bedroom. If combined with natural features, such as wooden shutters, the atmosphere created will be one of calm and tranquillity.

It is also important to know which colours complement one another and which should be avoided. It’s all to easy to opt for Magnolia through fear that anything else will overpower the room but so long as you understand how colours work together you can use unusual contrasts to create a really unique haven. This is where the Colour Wheel comes into play, its basic rule is that colours opposite each other on the wheel are complementary.

• Complementary: This is one of the most dynamic colour schemes you can opt for – opposite colours, like combining blue and orange, are guaranteed to add energy – ideal for a room like the kitchen. To combine these colours the best way would be to use one on a feature wall to make a real statement then dress the room with accessories and accents in orange. Orange, similar to red, is said to spike appetite so it is also perfect for Dining rooms. 
   
• Monochromatic: This means that you choose different shades or intensities of the same colour and use them in combination. 
   
• Analogous: This approach entails combining one main colour (usually the primary colour) with the two colours either side (usually tertiary colours). It often gives a room a feel of warmth or cool (think cool blue or hot red). Yellow, yellow-orange and orange (think Van Gogh’s Sunflowers) are an example of an analogous colour palette. 
   
• Contrast: A contrast colour scheme is one that uses colours from different segments of the colour wheel. Red and blue are contrasting, because blue is from the cool half and red from the warm half of the wheel. The contrast is greater when more transitional colours are used to separate the two colours.

It is recommended that the average adult requires between 7-9 hours sleep per night and that optimum sleep occurs when resting in a completely darkened room before heading off to the land of nod. However with the introduction of smart phones & tablets combined with the stress and fast pace of modern society it seems there is often not enough time to sleep as well as work, socialise and run a home with a young family. This means many of us lay in bed at night on our phones playing catch up on activities that weren’t completed during the day which results in poor quality/not enough sleep.

Now, we can’t help you restructure your work/play/sleep balance but we can help to create a restful bedroom for you to rest your weary head in at the end of a busy day to aid a well deserved good nights sleep.

Shutters are renowned for their ability to control the amount of light that floods into a room so are a perfect choice for bedrooms and we would recommend Full Height Shutters. This style, which is available across our whole product range, covers the window space from top to bottom and the louvered shutter slats provide you with the option to close them completely flush resulting in a totally dark environment during the evening hours then you can angle the slats to control the amount of natural light you want in the room throughout the day.

Shutters are also great for drowning out street noise that might keep you awake at night and they keep the heat in meaning your electricity bills could be lowered during the winter months as you wont need to have it on constantly.

Combine your functional and gorgeously dressed bedroom windows with calming décor and soft lighting then jump into bed, turn off the gadgets and drift off into a peaceful slumber.