Shutters
Cafe style shutters, made to measure
Covers only the lower half: privacy at street level, open light above. Every frame is templated to your opening, built in hardwood or waterproof faux wood and hung by a shutter fitter.
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- Same product, same service — find it cheaper and we'll match it.
- Measuring & fitting included
- Our own fitter measures and installs. No DIY, no surprise charges.
Start with the style
Six ways to shutter a window
The style decides how much of the window you can open independently, and how much light you keep when the louvres are closed. Pick one to filter the ranges below.
Full-height
One run of louvres from sill to head. The cleanest look, and the style most modern windows end up with.
Café-style
Louvres across the bottom half only. Privacy from the pavement while the top of the window carries on doing its job.
Tier-on-tier
Two independent sets of panels. Open the top for light, keep the bottom closed — the usual answer for a front room on a street.
Shaped
Arches, angles, gable ends and bay returns, templated to the opening rather than squeezed into a rectangle.
Solid panel
Raised panels instead of louvres. Period rooms, box sashes, and the darkest thing we make for a window.
Tracked door
Panels that slide and stack along a track — for wide patio runs, bi-folds and open-plan room dividers.
Cafe style shutters
Showing 24 of 42 · Cafe style shutters
All 42 cafe style shutter ranges, A–Z
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Explained
Cafe style shutters, explained
Café style shutters cover the lower part of the window and leave the top section open. That gives privacy at eye level while still letting plenty of daylight in above. They are a familiar choice for front-facing rooms, bay windows and spaces where you do not want to block the whole window. In this filter you will mostly see painted and wood-grain shutter ranges shown in several formats, but the collection is tagged for café style options. Your advisor will confirm the best layout for each opening on the day.
Café style shutters suit period terraces, bay-fronted homes and simple modern rooms alike. They give a neat, tailored line across the lower window without making the whole opening feel closed in.
Best for
- Front-facing ground-floor rooms where privacy matters
- Bay windows and sash-style windows
- Dining rooms, kitchens and living rooms that still want open light above
- Homes that suit a traditional shutter look without covering the full window
Worth knowing
- Less coverage than full height shutters, so the upper glass remains clear
- The exact panel split and proportions depend on the window height
- Some sample images show full-height or tier-on-tier layouts rather than café style
How to choose
- 1
Think about privacy height
The main choice with café style shutters is how high the panels should come. Too low and they may not screen the room properly; too high and they can lose the open, airy look. Your advisor measures each opening and can suggest a sensible split for the room.
- 2
Choose finish to suit the room
This filter includes soft whites, deeper painted shades and visible wood-grain looks. Painted finishes tend to feel cleaner and simpler, while wood-grain styles read warmer and more traditional. Hold samples against your own woodwork and wall colour rather than choosing from a screen.
- 3
Check the room conditions
Café style works in many rooms, but bathrooms and wetter areas may need a more suitable shutter material. If the window sits near steam or splashes, ask your advisor which option is best for that space and how the finish will cope day to day.
Cafe style shutters: questions people ask
Are café style shutters a good choice for bay windows?
Yes, they are often chosen for bay windows because they keep privacy across the lower glass while leaving the upper part open and bright. The exact panel arrangement depends on the shape of the bay and each section is measured individually so the layout suits the window you have.
Do café style shutters make a room darker?
Usually less so than full height shutters, because the top part of the window stays uncovered. You still control light through the louvres on the lower section, but daylight can continue to come in above. The overall effect depends on the height of the panels and the window position.
Can I have café style shutters in a bathroom or kitchen?
Often, yes. They are a practical option where you want privacy but still want natural light. In wetter rooms, the material matters, so your advisor will confirm the most suitable shutter option for the space, especially around steam, splashes or regular moisture.
Do café style shutters work on sash windows?
They often do, because the shape suits the lower-half coverage that café style is known for. They can look particularly at home on sash-style openings. As with any shutter, the exact fit and panel proportions depend on the window, and your advisor will measure each opening separately.
Why do some products here show full-height shutters in the pictures?
This filter is for ranges available as café style shutters, but some product images show the same finish used in other shutter formats such as full height or tier-on-tier. That means the photo may be showing the colour or material rather than the exact café style layout.
How it's made
How café-style shutters work
Tap a number to see what each part does, and what you'll be choosing at your appointment.
1. Lower half only
Covers the bottom of the window: privacy at eye level from the street or the garden.
Your advisor brings samples of every option to your window, so you can see and feel them before you choose.
Autumn
The evenings are drawing in
Now's the time to sort the windows you've been meaning to do — blackout for the bedrooms, warmer layers for the living room. An advisor brings the samples to your windows, free.
Reviews
What customers say about their shutters
What reviewers mention most
- Outstanding service and quality consistently praised by customers.
- Quick installation and friendly, respectful staff enhance the customer experience.
- Wide range of materials available at competitive prices.
An automated summary of our Google reviews.
What reviewers mention most
- Outstanding service and quality consistently praised by customers.
- Quick installation and friendly, respectful staff enhance the customer experience.
- Wide range of materials available at competitive prices.
An automated summary of our Google reviews.
Why our shutter service is right for you
01
Surveyed before anything is ordered
A shutter frame has to sit square in an opening that almost never is. We survey the window properly, record where it runs out, and build the frame to the opening you actually have.
02
Louvre width changes everything
A wider louvre means fewer blades across the window and more glass when they are open. A narrower one reads finer and more traditional. Both are worth seeing at full size before you commit.
03
Material matched to the room
Hardwood for living rooms and bays. Faux wood or waterproof ABS for bathrooms and en-suites, where steam would eventually move real timber and lift a painted finish.
04
Fitted, adjusted and guaranteed
Our own fitter hangs the panels, sets the tension so the louvres hold their angle, and covers the frame, louvres and finish under our 1-year guarantee.
Finance options available. We offer flexible ways to pay so a whole-house refresh doesn't have to land in one go. Your advisor will talk you through what's available at your appointment.
Ask an advisorWorth knowing
What actually decides the price
Shutters are quoted by the opening, not by the metre, and three things move the number more than the fabric of the room ever will.
Material
Engineered and faux wood sit at the accessible end and cope with damp rooms. Hardwood costs more, takes a finer paint finish and allows wider panels without a mid-rail across the middle of the view.
Shape of the opening
A square reveal is straightforward. A splayed bay, an arch or a gable end has to be templated on site and built as a set, which is where the survey earns its keep — get it wrong and the frame simply will not close.
How it opens
Full-height panels are the simplest build. Tier-on-tier doubles the number of hinged panels and frames, and a tracked run adds the track and carriers, so both sit above a like-for-like full-height quote.
How our service works
Three steps, and we handle all of them
01Book an appointment
Pick a day that suits you. It takes a minute, costs nothing, and there's never any pressure to buy.
02We come to you
Your advisor brings the full range, helps you choose for each window, measures precisely and quotes on the spot.
03We fit it for you
Once your order is made, our own fitter installs it, squares it up and takes the packaging away.
Book a free home appointment
An advisor comes to you with the full range, measures precisely and prices the job on the spot. It costs nothing and there's no pressure to buy.
Explore the range
If shutters are not quite right
Shutters are a permanent change to the opening and are priced accordingly. On some windows a blind does the same job better — your advisor will say so rather than sell you a frame you do not need.
Shutters: your questions answered
Styles, materials, how shutters compare with blinds and what fitting day looks like.
What shutter styles are there?
Full height covers the whole window in one or more panels. Café style covers the bottom half only, so you keep privacy at street level and light above. Tier-on-tier splits into independent top and bottom panels, so you can open one and keep the other closed. Shaped panels follow arched, angled and gable windows.
Why choose shutters over blinds?
Shutters are fitted furniture rather than a soft covering: they follow the reveal, add insulation and security, need no cords, and are the usual choice in conservation streets and period properties where a blind would hang in front of a frame worth showing.
Which shutter material should I pick?
Hardwood for the finest grain and the largest panels. Engineered wood for stability at a lower price. Waterproof ABS or vinyl for bathrooms and wet rooms. Your advisor matches the material to the room and the span.
How long do shutters take to fit?
A shutter installation takes longer than a blind because each frame is fixed and levelled to the opening — a typical room is a morning's work. Your fitter tidies and takes the packaging away when they are done.
What is the difference between a recess fit and a face fit?
A recess fit sits inside the window opening, so the frame and reveal stay visible and the blind looks built in. A face fit is mounted on the wall or frame outside the opening, which covers the frame completely, blocks more light at the edges and suits shallow reveals. Your advisor holds both against the wall so you can see the difference before choosing.
What guarantee do I get?
A 1-year guarantee on every blind, shutter and motor we supply and fit. If something goes wrong inside that period, ring the office and we come back out.
More answers in our full FAQ, or book a free measure and ask an advisor.
Where we fit shutters
Measuring and fitting are included everywhere we visit. Each county page lists its towns and the days our advisors are in the area.
Related pages
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