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Home » Should Shutters Be Darker Or Lighter Than The House? (Answered)

Should Shutters Be Darker Or Lighter Than The House? (Answered)

  • Zak 
shutter colors, should shutters be lighter than walls, should shutters be darker than walls

First impressions leave lasting impressions, and I am of the opinion that it’s pointless to invest a ton of time, money, and effort into optimizing the interior of your home when the exterior looks shabby and unimpressive. Small details make the biggest difference, especially when you attempt to enhance the curbside appeal of your home. This is why I want to talk about shutters. When it comes to shutters for your home, it really boils down to choosing the right color. Should shutters be darker or lighter than the house?

To make the right choice, you have to examine the color of the exterior to determine if it needs to be accentuated or contrasted. There are two ways to do this. Use a lighter shade that complements the primary color of the exterior walls or use a darker shade that contrasts the primary color.

Contrasting colors tend to be ideal for highlighting specific areas or features. Ironically, both darker and lighter shutters can contrast the exterior. If the walls are painted a light and neutral color, dark shutter colors will stand out and contrast the light walls.

On the other hand, the contrast between dark walls and light shutter colors is brought about by the disparity in brightness, saturation, and intensity.

Benefits Of Darker Shutters

shutter colors, should shutters be darker than walls, should shutters be darker or lighter than the house

Conceals Dirt

Darker colors tend to conceal the appearance of dirt and this will definitely be a factor to consider since these shutters will be installed outside where sand and dirt are far more prevalent, especially during windy days.

This would also minimize the frequency at which you would need to clean the shutters.

Darker colors like brown, black, charcoal gray, blue, and green are wonderful shutter colors for the exterior of your home.

Creates Contrast

When you want to draw more attention to the color of the exterior walls and the number of windows on display, darker shutters are the way to go. 

In fact, neutral wall colors can benefit from the addition of darker shutters that serve as a focal point or aesthetic feature on the exterior of your home.

Adds Privacy And Security

Apart from the visual appeal that comes from adding exterior shutters, they were originally designed to enhance privacy and security. 

Darker shutters would only perpetuate that purpose since it’s harder for a wondering eye to see beyond the bold, stark, and dark color of the shutters when they are closed in front of the windows.

Minimizes Light

Even though the shutters themselves are designed to control the amount of light that enters through the windows, this can be enhanced by using darker colors since they are less reflective than lighter colors.

If you want a moody, intimate, and sophisticated aura within your home, opt for shutter colors that are dark, like black, brown, and other similar colors.

Historical Accuracy

Apparently, throughout history, shutters based on Victorian and Colonial architectural styles tended to favor darker shades of shutters.

So, if you want to be historically accurate, use dark-colored shutters.

Benefits Of Lighter Shutters

shutter colors, should shutters be lighter than walls, should shutters be darker or lighter than the house

Promotes Cohesion And Subtleness

The best way to solidify the cohesiveness of the exterior decor is to use colors that seamlessly bleed into each other without unnecessary contrast or boldness.

Light walls and light shutters have a clean, straightforward, and minimalistic appearance.

Homeowners and exterior decorators who do not want colors to dominate the overall architecture and structure of the house favor these characteristics.

Modern Appeal

Given that light, neutral, soft, and earthy colors dictate the market, it makes sense to use light shutters to promote a modern and fresh-looking house.

In this time of minimalism and functionality, there’s no problem with preferring light colors over dark colors.

High Compatibility With Other Colors

From my experience with color schemes, I can say with certainty that lighter colors tend to be more compatible with the standard wall colors used by most homeowners.

White, gray, cream, tan, and brown in their lightest forms are perhaps the most common exterior wall colors.

It’s hard to pair these wall colors with dark shutter colors without creating a bold visual contrast that has the ability to overpower every other design feature on the exterior walls.

Reflects Light

Evidently, shutters that are not made from metal or glass would not really reflect light directly; however, certain light colors have reflective properties that can help minimize the amount of light that enters the home.

This can be beneficial during the summer months when you need the inside to be cool.

Final Thoughts

That brings us to the end of this article on whether shutters should be darker or lighter than the house.

Ultimately, your choice should always reflect your personal preferences. Always choose colors that you like to see while factoring in color schemes, intention, and overall appearance.

Think about whether you want to make a dramatic and bold statement with the shutters or if you want to enhance the cool, simple, and modern appearance of the exterior before selecting darker or lighter shutters than the house.

As long as the color complements the house and doesn’t conflict with the predominant color scheme, everything will be fine.

With that being said, I hope you enjoyed this article and found it helpful. For more ideas and advice on shutters, be sure to check out some of the articles that are linked below.

Related Posts:

Shutter colors for a white house

Should the door be lighter or darker than the shutters?

What color front door is best with a white house?

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