The first time I laid eyes on our house I couldn’t wait to replace the shutters and lanterns. Both were too small in scale for the job they were doing. It took years to budget for our exterior makeover, but having all that time to ponder taught me a couple things:

1) Copper lanterns are the most fabulous lighting in existence. A trip to Charleston drove that point home, and Carolina Lanterns is precisely where we ordered these handmade beauties from. They flank our front door, and I’ll never tire of their fanciful grace. Worth every pretty penny.

2) Shutters should fully cover the windows (if they were to be closed). Ours were too narrow, and probably what drove my eye nuts!

3) Shutter holdbacks add functional beauty that scream historical charm, even if your house was built in the ’80s. They made me giddy when they were installed.

For the details on our shutter, lantern and hardware selections and sizing, subscribe by clicking here or scrolling to the bottom of the page. When I write that bit of research up and post it, you’ll be notified by email! In the meantime, you can check out our post on Coastal French metals, hardware, and finishes.

Go to Stage 4 Dutch Colonial Exterior Makeover – Deck

 Go to the whole house Before & After Picture Index