Frequently Asked Questions
It generally comes down to three things: practicality, price, and need. Traditional sash windows aren't really designed for external shutters—the way they open means the window itself usually gets in the way. There is also rarely enough depth in the external opening to fit them properly. Then there's the cost; bespoke shutters are a major investment, which is hard to justify when you might only need them for a few weeks a year.
Most definitely! It's exactly what we did for years. We only started this because we eventually wanted a solution that worked just as well but looked a whole lot more stylish.
We're working on specific designs for these now. Most UK casements open outwards, which is another reason shutters often don't work. Our current shades can work with some side-hinged casements (as you can slide the shade on from the side), but they aren't usually suitable for windows with top or bottom hinges.
Not really. If you have particularly tall windows, a kick stool is a handy investment. If your sash window can be pulled down fully, it makes passing the shade outside much easier. Like most things, you'll soon get the hang of it after a couple of tries.
No, just the ones that catch direct sun. This usually means windows facing anywhere from East through South to West. If your windows are a similar size, you can even move the shades around during the day as the sun moves. If a window is heavily shaded then it should be ok. Morning (east facing) and later afternoon (west facing) sun can be a real problem as the sunlight is closer to perpendicular to the window so effectively makes the window area larger.
In two ways. First, through years of "living with them" and finding they made a massive difference to our own comfort. Second, we took a more scientific approach: we used a solar irradiance meter to measure the W/m2 (heat energy) hitting a shaded vs. unshaded window. The data confirmed what we already felt—they really do work.
We aren't promising to actively cool your home. The aim is to knock a handful of degrees off the maximum temperatures to help you get by. We've also shared plenty of other tips on our site to help you keep the heat at bay.
If your AC is struggling to keep up, or you'd simply like to save money on electricity bills, these will help. It's a similar principle to loft insulation: the less heat that gets in to begin with, the less energy you have to waste pumping it back out.
We're a small, growing business, so we're starting simple. We definitely plan to add more colours as we expand—so please do let us know if there's a particular shade you're looking for!
Do you need to dash outside at the first drop of rain? Not necessarily. While it's best not to leave them out during a week of storms, occasional showers won't hurt them, and they'll dry out quickly once the sun reappears.
Quality and ethics come at a cost. Between sourcing sustainable fabrics and ensuring fair labour rates, the overheads add up. We try to keep our prices as accessible as possible while ensuring everyone in our supply chain is paid fairly for their skill.
Every one of our shades is made right here in the UK, working closely with a team of highly skilled local tailors.
Mainly because we're just starting out! Accreditation is a lengthy process, but it's absolutely on our roadmap. In the meantime, we're embedding those B Corp values—sustainability, fairness, and transparency—into everything we do from day one.
Right now, we're a two-person band. However, as we grow and welcome new colleagues, we intend to explore employee-ownership models. We want everyone who helps build this business to have a real stake in its success.