Plantation shutters evoke the days of the colonial sugar and coffee plantations that dotted tropical islands around the globe. Designed to keep the hot rays of the sun away from the plantation house's living spaces while still allowing air to circulate in that era before air conditioning, plantation shutters are tall, wooden shutters with louvers that can be easily opened and closed.

Although the roots of these shutters are firmly planted in a past era, there are still a number of fun ways to use plantation shutters to enhance the beauty of your home.

1. For custom closet doors. Plantation shutters can be connected with hinges, in place of sliding doors, to give a custom look to your bedroom or other large closet. A single shutter can also be used in place of a traditional door on a linen closet or pantry.

2. To add privacy to your porch or Florida room. Plantation shutters can also keep you out of the view of neighbors and passers-by when you sit on your front porch, while still allowing the air to circulate.

3. As a room divider. If you have a large open living space or loft that you'd like to divide into separate areas, two or three plantation shutters nailed together can give you privacy without losing that open feeling. For large parties, you can open the slats in the shutters to tie the two areas back together.

4. As a garden trellis or divider. Plantation shutters made of durable wood, such as those made of cedar or teak, area suitable for outdoor use and can make a delightful and elegant trellis or blind to hide things like your trash cans or utility meters.

5. As a fanciful coffee table surface. In your design taste runs to colonial style, a single plantation shutter can become a unique coffee table. Choose a shutter without a center louver. Then, simply secure it to a wooden base and have a piece of glass cut to fit on top of the shutter.

While plantation shutters were invented more than 100 years ago to keep houses cool in hot, sultry climates, there are still a number of ways to use these gracious shutters in the age of air conditioning. These versatile shutters can be used as doors, room dividers, garden trellises and even to create distinctive coffee tables. The number of possibilities are only limited by your imagination. Click here for more information.