The Cheapest Curb Appeal Upgrade That Actually Looks Expensive
Properly sized, correctly proportioned exterior shutters transform a plain Northwest Indiana facade for a fraction of what siding or windows cost.
Northwest Indiana's Smart Choice for Shutters
Shutters are the detail most contractors get wrong. Too narrow, mounted flat against the trim, in a color that fights the roof — and the house looks worse than it did bare. Done right, shutters give a facade vertical rhythm and depth, and they cost less than almost any other exterior upgrade.
Smart Choice Exteriors sizes each pair to half the window width so the pair reads as though it would actually close, mounts them with color-matched fasteners and proper spacers, and helps you pick a color that ties into the roof and front door. We also build custom board-and-batten and cedar shutters for historic homes in Valparaiso, Crown Point and Chesterton where stock vinyl looks out of place.
What Makes Our Shutters Work Different
Correct Proportions
Each shutter is sized to roughly half the window width and full window height so the pair looks functional, not decorative afterthoughts.
Fade-Resistant Materials
Through-color composite and premium vinyl with UV inhibitors that hold their finish through Indiana summers and salt-air winters.
Color Coordination
We bring samples and pull the shutter color from your roof, siding and front door so the whole facade reads as one design.
Custom & Historic Options
Cedar and composite board-and-batten built to size, with optional functional hardware and hold-backs.
Shutters Project Gallery
From Free Estimate to Final Walkthrough
Every window measured, style selected — louvered, raised panel, board-and-batten or Bahama — and proportions confirmed.
On-site sample review against your actual siding and roof in daylight, not a showroom.
Stock sizes ordered, or custom shutters fabricated to your exact window dimensions.
Mounted level and plumb with color-matched fasteners and spacers that let water drain behind the shutter.
Smart Materials, Honest Recommendations
We install what makes sense for your home and budget — never what pays the biggest commission. Here's what's on the menu for shutters.
The most popular NWI style — classic look, dozens of colors, and essentially maintenance free.
Deeper shadow lines and a solid-wood look with through-color composite that never needs painting.
Farmhouse and craftsman styling in composite or cedar, built to your window sizes.
Real operable shutters with hinges, pintles and hold-backs for historic and lakefront homes.
Smart Answers For NWI Homeowners
+What size shutters should my windows have?
Each shutter should be roughly half the window width and match the window height, so the pair would cover the opening if closed. Undersized shutters are the most common mistake we correct.
+How much do exterior shutters cost?
Stock vinyl pairs typically run $150–$325 installed per window; custom composite or cedar board-and-batten runs $400–$900 per pair.
+Do shutters have to be functional?
No. Most NWI installs are decorative, but we build and hang true operable shutters with hardware when a historic home calls for it.
+Can I add shutters without replacing my siding?
Absolutely. Shutters mount to existing siding with proper spacers and are one of the fastest standalone curb-appeal projects we do.
Get Your Shutters Quote
Tell us about your project. A local NWI project manager will call you back within one business day.
How We Approach Shutters In Your Town
Northwest Indiana isn't one market. Soils, wind exposure, housing stock, and permit rules change from town to town — and so does the way we build.
Historic districts here look best with custom board-and-batten or cedar rather than stock vinyl sizes.
Newer colonials and two-stories get the biggest visual lift from properly proportioned louvered pairs.
Brick ranches benefit from deeper raised-panel profiles that cast a real shadow line.
Lakefront exposure calls for UV-stable through-color materials that won't chalk out in a few seasons.