The Shutters

Back in the summer we decided the cottage didn't need shutters.  But as the evenings began to draw in and the temperatures dropped we changed our minds and asked Monsieur B who did the stairs and the windows to build them.

They were installed by a forgeron (a blacksmith) who checked all the windows, checked the shutters and scratched his head.  Monsieur B had made one set of shutters too many.  He's not too good with numbers or measurements - not ideal in a carpenter.   We're getting used to it and in true gallic manner just shrug: "C'est Monsieur B".

At present they are just painted with a white primer and we've been debating what colour to have them.  I'd thought I would like the soft blue that we found on the original shutters, but we've been wondering about a dark Basque red, which would match the external lights.

Then we began to look at the price of wood paints.  There's lots of caution on the forums about not going with cheap French paints - like putting on milk apparently.  So we've looked at reputable brands like Dulux.  The prices are staggering: 75€ for 2½ litres is not unusual.  That's double what we would pay in the UK.  So we're having second thoughts.

There's also a suggestion we ought to check with the mairie to make sure we're not choosing a colour that offends the commune's sensibilities.

Mind you, as we walk round our fields and look back at the house, we're beginning to like the white.  And certainly white exterior wood paint (the base for mixing other colours) would be a lot cheaper.

I wasn't sure about the shutters when they first arrived.  They seemed too big and clunky and the black metalwork too overpowering.  They also hide the stonework round the windows when they are open. But now, as Tod says, they complete the cottage.  And they certainly help keep the heat in on these cold snowy nights.