Loft Conversion
Installing Plantation Shutters
Behind the Scenes - Loft Conversion
Once again the loft presented a unique challenge. The very large commercial windows did not have traditional window casings to attach the custom made plantation shutters. The shutters are over 6 feet tall and are made of poplar, a sturdy, solid wood. To hang these shutters in the front windows of the loft, Ryley applied a jam to the drywall.
It was important not to sand or plane the shutters. The jams allowed some fitting "give and take" on the pre-finished shutters. The jam was scribed on the backside before Ryley attached it to the drywall and then drilled it into the metal studs. With the hinges attached to the jams, Bob and Ryley lifted the shutters into place.
The loft bedroom also utilized the versatile plantation shutters. The bedroom entrance off the kitchen features a pocket door, and Ryley used the same hardware to hang the bedroom shutters but with a much longer track. The "window" in the bedroom wall opening out onto the living space of the loft takes full advantage of the shutters' functionality. Ryley trimmed the ends of the shutters and Bob installed them onto the pocket hardware. The stationary locations presented the most difficult part of hanging these shutters. To achieve a perfect fit the shutters had to be carefully trimmed in two different places.
With the shutters now in place, Bob demonstrated their different applications. The shutters can be opened to allow daylight in, closed completely when sleeping or opened all the way to give the loft a casual look.
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