OMEOWNEPS Shutters: A Facelift For Your Home (NAPSA)—There are few do-ityourself projects that make a statement quite like adding shut- ters. With a few hours of effort, it’s possible to mount beautiful, expertly crafted shutters that add character and can help define a home’s look. Since the nation’s founding, shutters have been an essential architectural element, protecting windowsfrom storm damage, pro- viding ventilation and offering charm andprivacy. Genuine cedar shutters offer a ; look that greatly enhances the curb appeal of a home. Peeples offers several tips for choosing shutters: e Even though you might choose wood shutters for their superior looks alone, they also tend to be stronger and more durable. Wood shutters take stain and paint applications easier and can withstand highly humid cli- Wantto improve thelook of your home? “Louvered shutters on the upper stories could be angled downward to provide a view of mates or climate changes. e In hurricane climate areas, shutters can afford instant protec- tion and eliminate the ongoing effort and expense of having to replace broken windows. When choosing wood shutters, activities below and provide a barrier against the rain,” said Christopher Peeples, an expert in shutter history and owner of Vixen look for quality rot-and-insectresistant wood. The preferred choice cedar shutters. Today, shutters are primarily a decorative fixture, supplying a finishing touch that enhances the architectural style of a home and adds that much-sought-after curb the highest quality. e Louver thickness is a key indicator of shutter quality. The Hill, which manufactures quality appeal. is old-growth western red cedar (air-dried, not kiln-dried). Vixen Hill mills its own wood to ensure best louvered shutters have 3/8- to 1/2-inch louvers. For more information, visit www.vixenhill.com.
