Cafe Shutters

Americana DeVenco Fabricates High Quality, Hand Crafted Shutters

The Cafe shutters you buy today will be enjoyed for years to come. Whether you have a home of period significance, a new home designed to replicate period architecture, or you are renovating and desire a timeless window dressing, our shutters are tailored to your requirements.

• Solid wood components. There are no finger-jointed or “glued up parts.” All components are solid wood and custom milled to exacting specifications in our shop. There are no ready-made parts, imported parts or stock fabricated parts…and never faux wood.
• Mortise and dowel construction. Americana DeVenco shutters are not screwed together, stapled, or pinned together. We use old-fashioned cabinetmaker joinery. This assures the shutter will never fall out of square at the joints under its own weight.
• Nylon rotation pins. Louver operation is smooth and effortless, even if it is refinished numerous times.
• Proportional design. Based upon the style of shutter used.
• Hanging hinge mortise. Mortising for hanging hinges is standard, allowing a custom fit within the window jamb.
• Rabbeted stiles. One additional custom feature that provides total privacy and blocks additional light and heat.

Americana DeVenco Cafe Shutters Are Constructed of the Finest Material

All wood is milled by us in our shop. There are no prefab or stock-sized parts. All work is done in our shop by skilled craftsmen to the highest standards in the industry today.

Following our state-of-the-art CAD drawings that are reviewed and approved by the customer for accuracy, the components for each shutter are cut by hand, piece by piece, the old-fashioned way. The shutters are then assembled by hand using old-world cabinetmaker construction techniques.

After assembly, each shutter is sanded and buffed by hand and prepared for finishing. All shutters are ready to receive a finish with either being provided raw or primed. Hardware is carefully set on each shutter, and holes are drilled for installation. Your shutters are then packed like Waterford crystal for shipping.

We Know Cafe

Not merely “the bottom half of a full set” of shutters, Café shutters are actually specifically constructed for the purpose of covering the lower portion of the window. Any shutter style can be fabricated at the shorter height which allows natural light to enter the room while maintaining privacy. The shutters block the lower half of the window, lending itself well to kitchens and bathrooms.

These shutters mimic the original use of shutters on the bottom portion of windows in Tudor England when glass was difficult to get and expensive. Only the upper part of the opening would have a glass pane and the lower shutters typically remained across the window all the time. This shutter arrangement allows light and air when needed, highlighting its versatility. This style is also where café curtains originated, which are also applied to the lower portion of a window for the same purpose.

For tall windows, you can enjoy the incoming daylight while preserving privacy from the curious eyes of passersby. Like full height shutters, you can open or close the shutters as desired, but most Café shutters will remain open across the window and only the louvers will be adjusted when additional light is desired. Additionally, Café shutters will block out distracting views such as parking lots or utilities and mechanicals while displaying sky, clouds, trees, and higher foliage. A person entering such a room is free to imagine a prettier scene than may actually exist behind the shutters.

If you have north facing or heavily shaded windows, you may not need the upper portion of your windows covered at all. This style is ideal for letting in breezes to circulate outdoor air when they are used in areas conducive to air flow. Café shutters look elegant by themselves, or can easily be paired with window treatments to add interest and color to the upper portion of the window. You can also mix full height shutters in the same room as Café shutters in the same style for a consistent look that meets your needs.

We at Americana DeVenco Shutters construct shutters of all sizes, shapes and configurations. You should not feel that you are relegated to a particular style or design. Be bold. We will fabricate whatever you imagine for your windows.