How Much Do Plantation Shutters Cost?

Many grand homes are graced with plantation shutters or shutters that have tilted wooden louvers. Plantation shutters are specially fitted to the frame of a window and are designed to open like doors versus being pulled open with a string. According to The Window Outfitters, the design of plantation shutters stems from ancient Greece and was originally made from stone. It’s said they were introduced to North America by Spanish settlers. 

The name “plantation shutters” came about later on when the style of window treatment became especially popular in Southern mansions and plantations. Homeowners preferred this style of shutter not only for its aesthetic appeal but for functionality. Their design allows easy airflow and customizable light and shade levels, which comes in handy in hot, humid climates.

Nowadays, the moniker “plantation shutters” is on its way to being phased out—more on that later. But if you’re thinking of introducing louvered windows into your home, here are some of the basics you should know. 

According to HomeGuide, plantation shutters cost anywhere from $150 to $800 per window, depending on many factors, such as where you buy them, whether they’re custom-built, and the material they’re made from.

HomeGuide reports that wooden shutters, which are the most expensive (as well as the most durable and long-lasting) will cost you somewhere between $200 and $800. Faux shutters, meanwhile, run between $175 and $650 per window.

Home Depot offers a variety of different types of louvered window shutter options, the cheapest being made from faux wood.

Someone with a larger budget can opt for Home Depot’s teak real wood interior shutters, available for $423.30 per case. (They measure 72’’ by 35’’ inches per panel.) In order to calculate a more accurate cost, you’ll need to figure out the size of the shutters you need. A Home Depot associate told me the best way to get an estimate is by scheduling an appointment with them, which involves having a professional come to your home and assess what an installation would entail. 

Aside from having a pro come to your house to work out the logistics, you can get an estimate from a plantation shutter cost calculator like HomeGuide’s.

It will ask you about your location, how many window shutters you need, what type of shutters you want (interior, exterior, or both), what kind of shutter material you’re partial to (medium density fiberboard, PVC, foamed synthetic, wood, or laminated), whether or not you’re providing all the tools and parts, how many stories your home has, how old it is, what type of housing you have (single-family house, multi-unit building, office, or commercial), and when you need the installation.

You’ll be emailed an estimate pretty quickly when you’ve completed the questionnaire. 

There are other window installation calculators like RemodelingExpense that will ask you similar questions. I tried all both, and HomeGuide’s was the most user-friendly.

It depend on the material and size, but according to prices on blindsgalore.com, you can get faux wood plantation shutters for sliding doors for as little as $117 for 8’’ by 16’’ shutters, and as much as $3,571 for 188’’ by 110’’ shutters. 

As with any new feature you install in your home, the price depends on the material, size, the number of rooms being outfitted, and any special features you might like. You can get a close estimate by using a pricing calculator like HowMuch. Overall, though, the cost of installing blinds for one window is average is about $150, according to Fixr. Depending on the type of blinds, they can be more expensive than plantation shutters.

• Planation shutters provide a more stylish look, compared to traditional blinds. They tend to look more high-end.
• This elegant look can also provide increased home value, should you choose to sell. You can consider them an investment.
• Shutters tend to be more durable, compared to other traditional window coverings.
• You can have more versatility with plantation shutters, with a variety of designs and materials to choose from. They also work with a wide variety of windows, including French and patio doors.
• Shutters provide better light control, compared to traditional blinds. You can not only use the louvers to control the amount of light, but also angle it upward or downward. When closed, shutters tend to leave a room pitch black, something traditional blinds don’t usually achieve.

• Planation shutters are of course, more expensive than blinds or other coverings. They’re essentially custom made-furniture for your home.
• Shutters can take a long time to produce, with some sites listing 6-8 weeks for delivery time.
• They will almost always require professional installation, adding to the cost.
• Planation shutters are much more visible, compared to traditional blinds. Even when they’re opened and resting on either side of the window, there’s no way to reduce their size — unlike blinds, which can be folded up out of sight.

In December 2019, Pinterest and The Knot announced they would no longer be promoting plantation venues or any kind of wedding inspiration that romanticized the grounds where countless African-American slaves were brutalized. This decision should also include the glamorization of plantation-style anything when it comes to not only weddings but also home decor and style.

Something that hasn’t quite faded from the common language is the term “plantation shutters.” Interior designers still love the style of shutters, and many are big proponents of using them to make a house’s space look brighter and bigger. But the name? It’s gotta go.

Julie Leigh Sergeon, the principal interior designer at The Camp in New York City, tells Apartment Therapy, “While we no longer want to refer to their Southern plantation origins, I love employing louvered windows as an alternative to window blinds. Depending on the paint or stain color used, they can read as a current and masculine way to establish privacy, or as a traditional and intimate.” She adds, “Louvered windows provide a pleasant transition between indoor and outdoor, creating the illusion of more space inside of a room.”