Styles
Tier-on-tier vs full-height shutters: which to choose
Both cover the whole window. The difference is whether the top and bottom halves work independently — and that single choice changes how you'll live with the room.
29 April 2026 · 5 min read
Full-height: the clean architectural option
One panel runs top to bottom. The line is uninterrupted, there's less hardware on show, and with a hidden tilt rod it reads as joinery rather than a window covering. Add a mid-rail if you want split louvre control while keeping the single-panel look.
Tier-on-tier: maximum flexibility
Separate upper and lower panels open independently. Close the bottom for privacy from the pavement, throw the top wide for light and air. On a Victorian sash in central Ipswich this is usually the right answer.
Quick decision guide
- · Overlooked front room → tier-on-tier.
- · Garden-facing living room → full-height.
- · Bedroom where blackout matters → full-height with solid panels, or tier-on-tier with a solid lower tier.
- · Tall period sash → tier-on-tier, matching the meeting rail.
