QH: More and more Queensland home owners are using their outdoor space as an extension of their home, creating outdoor rooms and zones suitable for entertaining and relaxation. What are the benefits of adding outdoor shutters for relaxation and entertainment zones?
Shutterflex: Outdoor shutters provide passive shading for the exterior wall of the house, as well as passive shading for the entertainment area itself. This cools the area, whilst also allowing for the breeze to flow through.
Screening can be positioned to provide solar shading in the warmer months and are a feature of good passive design principles. They shield the building from the harsh Australian sun in the warmer months and allow that warmth to be used in the cooler months. This design feature minimises the energy consumption of a building.
QH: What are the different style options available for outdoor shutters to suit the typical Queensland-style home?
Shutterflex: For a classic Queenslander, we recommend the Miami Colonial bifold shutters, installed above the balustrade. For a modern beachside home, the Bahama vertical shutters in a large blade offer privacy and cool breezes or can be used as an awning. An inner city apartment balcony would benefit from the Catalina stacking shutters, while a tropical garden or poolside cabana could be enclosed with fly-screened Miami Colonial shutters.
QH: How do Shutterflex products ensure protection from corrosion – for example, an oceanfront or coastal home, where protection from sun, salt and sand is paramount?
Shutterflex: We recommend the Catalina Shutters that are cyclone-rated and built for these conditions. They are a very popular choice for installation in North Queensland, surviving several cyclones.
Our shutters are more protected because we prepare the shutter frame components prior to powder coating. This means there are no exposed uncoated surfaces. Our end crank design wraps around the end of the blade concealing and protecting the end of the blades. The end result of Shutterflex’s design and process is superior long term performance.
QH: And for those home owners who don’t want shutters, but do want some level of privacy or shade protection for their entertainment area or balcony, what additional products are available?
Shutterflex: On the modern architectural-designed homes, the Bahama vertical blade shutters are popular for both privacy and sun control. The Arizona range of pergolas also offer stylish shading for large decks exposed to the harsh elements. feature screens in various patterns allow for a decorating touch to your garden or sun screening, too.
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