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John Donley makes all of his shutters out of Western red cedar and joins the pieces using mortise-and-tenon joints.
Elizabeth Donley designed Shutterstile shutters so the panels can be switched with the turn of a screw.
A variety of colors, finishes and panel options provide more than 10,000 possible shutter combinations.
The interchangeable Shutterstile panels can be filled with conventional clay tiles or a variety of other materials.
Pebbles are just one of the materials the Donleys use in the interchangeable shutter panels. |
BY RICHARD AMRHINE
If there is a niche to be filled, a good entrepreneur will find it and fill it. For people who want to dress up their homes, Elizabeth and John Donley see a niche they can fill with Shutterstile.
Shutter what?
"People build these million-dollar homes, and they end up putting on $29 plastic, solid-color shutters that look like everyone else's," said Elizabeth Donley. "Why not have shutters that say something about who you are? Many people enjoy personalizing their homes, or maybe they just want to add curb appeal."
The Donleys think Shutterstile is the
Donley said response has been good since they officially kicked off business at the recent King George Home Show. They've also rented a booth at the Fredericksburg Home and Garden Show at the Expo and Conference Center today through Sunday.
They've begun working with nearby Angelo's restaurant on add-ing new shutters to provide a fresh look there, and are working with home builders interested in offering the shutters as an option for buyers.
PLENTY OF CHOICES
So what is Shutterstile? It's a custom-sized shutter frame with standard-size weatherproof tile inserts. The inserts can be left in place or easily switched for another design as frequently or infrequently as you choose. Want bright colors for summer? Earth tones for fall? No problem.
A basic style and size for a smaller window starts at about $159 a pair, and rises from there according to the size, tile and finish chosen. There are accessories to choose from, such as copper caps and special mounting hardware.
Visitors to shutter stile.com can create and re-create virtual shutters until they find a favorite combination, and then calculate the cost.
"With regular shutters you have so few choices. Using different frames, finishes and tiles on our Web site you have more than 10,000 possible combinations," said Donley.
That's 10,764 to be exact.
There are porcelain tiles and pebble tiles, small glass tiles and large glass tiles, stainless-steel-covered tiles, handmade ceramic Talavera tiles from Mexico and tiles made from recycled cork stoppers. There are Western red cedar frames with a clear finish, stained finish or unfinished.
Like low maintenance? Try the PVC frame that can be left white or painted with a permanent milk paint that lets the look of wood grain show through.
PATENTS PENDING
Donley said there are two patents pending on the process, and they have searched the world over via the Internet and other sources for any shutter design that comes anywhere close. They have yet to find anything resembling Shutterstile.
The Donleys' other job is running their own environmental health and safety software consulting business, which leaves them time to pursue their entrepreneurial interests.
It also makes the Donleys insist that the shutter finishes and adhesives they use be completely water-based, nontoxic and environmentally safe. Elizabeth Donley said she didn't want to be around any hazardous materials or have any disposal issues to deal with. Everything cleans up with water.
"Two years ago we couldn't have done this. Water-based polymer adhesives, urethane grout and the coating used in the tile-sealing process that will stand up to the elements simply didn't exist," she said. "This is where my degree in physics from [Virginia] Tech came in handy."
Once the products became available, they had to be put to the test.
"We've put them in the pool, on the roof during the summer and in the freezer, and they've stood up to the abuse," she said.
CRAFTSMAN AT WORK
The workshop is John Donley's territory, and it's equipped with various woodworking tools and a central vacuum system that helps corral the sawdust. The wood comes mostly from American Cedar & Millwork in Madison County.
He has had home renovation and remodeling experience in the past, and goes about building shutter frames with evident confidence and craftsmanship. He even responds amiably to the question: Do you measure twice and cut once?
"Maybe I'd better," he replies.
The frames fit together seamlessly with mortise and tenon joints. Only adhesive is needed to hold them together. No metal fasteners of any kind are used.
Tile boards are placed in the frame and held there with a single screw that makes changing them easy.
Elizabeth Donley said quality control is important to her.
"I'm nit-picky," she said.
Richard Amrhine: 540/374-5406
Email: ramrhine@freelancestar.com
| Elizabeth Donley, in cooperation with Habitat for Humanity, announced that for every pair of old shutters that Shutterstile customers donate to Habitat, they'll get a corresponding $20 discount on each pair of Shutterstile shutters they buy.
She said customers can make the donation themselves and bring in the receipt, or bring the shutters to Shutterstile and the Donleys will make the donation for them. |
