By Gene and Katie Hamilton

Interior shutters are perennially popular as a window treatment because they complement so many different décor styles and solve problems as well. Their sharp, defined lines make them a natural choice in a clean, contemporary décor. Their classic good looks make them ideal for traditional furnishings as well.

The width of the louver varies from as narrow as 1 inch to plantation louvers as wide as 5 inches. A pull bar runs vertically from top to bottom that adjusts the slant of the louvers.

Shutters do more than look good, they provide privacy when completely closed and let you control the light and ventilation entering the room. They're often used in windows facing the street or with a neighbor nearby when you want a finished look to the outside. Home and design centers have a wide selection of shutters sold in unfinished wood or pre-finished in white or wood-colored PVC.

A carpenter will charge $784 to install 4 pairs of white plantation shutters in 36-inch wide by 48-inch high. This includes the labor and material. You can buy the pre-assembled shutters for $380 and install them yourself, saving 51 percent. To avoid confusion when you're hanging shutters, first lay them out and mark the inside face of the shutter with a light pencil mark so you install hinges and hardware on the correct sides.

You'll find window shutters in different styles and sizes featured on www.hunterdouglas.com and www.horizonshutters.com to kickstart your planning process.

That sums it up. Knowing the average cost to install interior shutters lets you compare doing it yourself with what you can expect to pay a contractor. To customize the cost to where you live add your ZIP Code in the cost box.

Improvement and Repair Cost Updated 2019

The cost and time data is generated by averaging labor and material data from annually updated cost books used by contractors and refined by the authors' experience remodeling 13 houses. They are authors of 20 home improvement books and Do It Yourself or Not, a weekly column syndicated by Tribune Content Agency. The national cost can be adjusted by ZIP Code.