We are proud to introduce another first to the South African market; an anti-bacterial option to our shutters and blinds.

Anti-bacterial shutters and blinds are ideal for high traffic areas where communicable diseases are easily spread as well as in the homes where children and/or elderly residents suffer from compromised immune systems.

Sealed with Hygienilac, AMERICAN shutters range of anti-bacterial shutters and blinds will continue to kill off bacteria for as long as 10 years! The anti-bacterial properties are effective for years because of the lacquer’s inherently low water solubility.

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Renovating or redecorating is not cheap and when the to-do and shopping lists for the project seem to stretch on longer than the budget does, tough decisions need to be made. Quality, cost, choices of styles and design often take priority over the eco-friendly nature of materials and finishes. These decisions are made more difficult by the fact that the greener the product the bigger the price tag seems to be.

AMERICAN shutters offer a welcome change to this perception. Our Decowood range of shutters is not only our most cost effective; it is also our most eco-friendly. Made from medium density fibreboard, commonly referred to as MDF, Decowood shutters gives you more green for your money.

The MDF used in the manufacture of Decowood shutters is made from engineered wood composite (individual wood fibres) sourced from certified Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) plantations. The wood composite is bound together to form extremely strong panels which are then further strengthened with engineered wooden stiles. The result is a resilient material able to withstand desert –like temperatures.

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Intaka Island is a green lung in one of the fastest growing new urban precincts, Century City in Cape Town, and comprises 16 hectares of wetland, a bird sanctuary and a Green Building showcasing best practices for sustainable living.

We sponsored Decowood shutters for the Green Building which opened on Tuesday, 26 October. Decowood shutters are popular but few know this durable range is ‘green.’

Intaka Island. Image via Intaka Island Gallery

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As the grey clouds of winter give way to the warming rays of the African sun, nature begins to show off her beauty. Life explodes in full colour as our outdoor world welcomes spring.

Light is life and when the crisp morning dawn or the lazy afternoon sunshine comes knocking, there is no better way to refresh your indoor space than to let in the energy of the season with shutters or blinds.

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It’s been a long winter and we can’t wait for spring! Floral designs have bloomed on the runways for spring/summer 2010. Why not add stylish spring-inspired floral designs to your home décor?

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Today shutters are known for the classic style they add to homes, while ensuring privacy. But if the legend is true, the moveable function of louvres was first used by a royal ‘peeping Tom.’

King Louis XIV of France was said to have had louvered shutters installed around the garden walls of the Court in the 17th century. Apparently King Louis XIV liked to admire the women who bathed in the ponds within his gardens but noticed the women distracted the court guards. The shutter louvres allowed him to view the women at his leisure, without distracting the guards. If this is true, the term ‘louvre’ was named after Louis’ previous dwelling, the Louvre.

The 1838 Peter Augustus Jay House in the Boston Post Road Historic District (US) has colonial or traditional style shutters. Image credit: Jay Heritage Centre

Legends aside, the history of shutters is believed to have started in Greece where marble shutters with fixed louvres helped to control the light and minimise the Mediterranean heat while allowing for ventilation. Eventually wood replaced marble and made moveable louvre shutters possible.

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