When shutters are mounted on the outside of your home you have a choice of a shutter that is functional or merely decorative. A functional shutter can be closed to protect windows during storms or when you will be away from home for more than a day or two.

Interior shutters are installed for their decorative features, but they can also be opened and closed to control the amount of light entering the room, or for privacy purposes.

When you begin shopping for shutters you will quickly learn you have a wide variety of styles, colors and designs to choose from.

One of your choices will be the material from which the shutters are constructed. Traditionally shutters have been made from wood, but that has changed in recent years with the introduction of durable man made materials.

Wood costs more. Of course, wood shutters will still be on your list if you have the budget for the extra cost. As you learn more about shutters you will begin to weight the advantages of other, less expensive materials.

PVC and composite materials are now very popular for building shutters. These materials are used to made faux wood shutters that, from a distance, are indistinguishable from real wood. It is likely that their popularity grows because they are more affordable than wood.

Vinyl shutters designed for the exterior of homes are available in many colors and styles. They are easy to install, require little maintenance and can last for decades.

I suspect that we will see fewer shutters made of wood in the future, because of our concern for the environment and our forests. There is already a strong movement to preserve our natural resources.

The move to synthetic materials has additional benefits in the case of shutters. Wood shutters tend to warp, fade and crack with long exposure to the elements. You won't have those problems with composite materials.

Many feel that the beauty of wood is just hard to replace and who can argue with that. If you can afford them, especially for interior use, wood may be your best choice. The most popular wood shutters are made from, oak, cedar and basswood.

If you have a home with many windows you may find that you just can't afford all those shutters unless you choose the less expense faux wood or vinyl models.

The bottom line may be that shutters can so quickly add a new dimension to any home or room that you will find that they will more than pay back their cost.