James Albert · Est. 2007 · Lancashire
Plantation
Shutters
Bespoke, made to measure, and expertly fitted across Lancashire. The only window treatment that transforms a room — and adds lasting value to your home.
01772 823311Why Plantation Shutters
The window treatment
that lasts a lifetime.
"No other window treatment offers the same combination of timeless elegance, practical light control, and genuine added value. When shutters are fitted correctly, they look as though they were always part of the architecture."
Unlike blinds or curtains, plantation shutters are a permanent fixture — they add value to your property, require minimal maintenance, and never date. They insulate against heat and cold, reduce external noise, and give you total control of light and privacy.
James Albert was founded in Preston in 2007 by James himself, who still runs the business today alongside a small, carefully chosen team of specialists. Every shutter we supply is bespoke — made to the exact measurements of your specific windows. Nothing standard. Nothing off-the-shelf. And because James remains hands-on, the standard never slips.
Every Configuration, Covered
Choose Your Style
Full Height
The most popular configuration — and the most dramatic. Full height shutters cover the entire window from frame to sill in a clean, architectural installation. The louvres can be adjusted to control light and privacy at any level, and when fully open the panels fold neatly back against the frame.
They suit any window type — from the tall sash windows of Lancashire's Victorian properties to wide casements and floor-to-ceiling glazing. They work in any room, any interior style, and never go out of fashion.
The result is a window that looks finished, intentional, and considered — rather than simply covered.
Living rooms, bedrooms, hallways, and any room where a clean architectural look is the priority.
Café Style
Café style shutters cover only the lower half of the window — providing complete privacy at eye level while the top half remains open to the sky. Natural light floods in from above. The street can't see in. Your view remains unobstructed.
Originally inspired by the street-facing cafés of Paris, this has become one of the most requested configurations in Lancashire — particularly in kitchens, dining rooms, and ground floor rooms facing a busy street.
The dividing point can be set at any height across the window. Our team will advise on the ideal position during your survey, taking into account your window proportions and the view from the street.
Kitchens, dining rooms, ground floor front rooms, and any window where light from above matters as much as privacy below.
Tier on Tier
Tier on tier shutters divide the window into two completely independent sections — upper and lower — each with its own panels and louvres that operate separately. Open the top for light while keeping the lower section closed for privacy. The combinations are endless.
Particularly suited to rooms that need to work differently at different times of day — a bedroom where you want morning light without sacrificing privacy, or a ground floor room facing both a garden and a public space.
Tier on tier require precise measurement to ensure the mid-rail sits at exactly the right height for the window and the room. We take our time getting this right — because it makes all the difference.
Bedrooms, ground floor rooms requiring both light and privacy, and tall windows where sectional control is needed.
Bay Windows
Bay windows present one of the most rewarding — and technically demanding — shutter installations. The critical difference in how we approach bay windows is the use of a single continuous bay post — a structural upright running the full height of the window at every internal angle, treating the entire bay as one cohesive installation rather than individual sections pieced together.
No visible joins. No misaligned frames. No compromises in the corners. Every panel opens and closes cleanly. The result looks as though it was always part of the architecture.
We handle square bays, angular bays, curved bays, and projecting bays throughout Lancashire. This is genuinely made to measure in its truest sense — and the only approach that produces a result worth having.
Victorian and Edwardian bay windows and any multi-section window where a truly unified, uncompromising result is the standard.
Special Shaped Shutters
No window is too unusual to shutter — and some of the most beautiful results we produce are on the windows most companies say can't be done. Arched heads, circular porthole windows, gothic-style tops, triangular gable ends, and raked loft windows: each one can be shuttered precisely.
Shaped shutters are built with a frame that precisely follows the outline of your window — templated to the millimetre. Louvres can be arranged as straight horizontal louvres or sunburst louvres that radiate from a central point to follow the sweep of an arch — giving you full light control in even the most dramatic feature windows.
If you've been told a window cannot be shuttered, call us. The answer is almost certainly yes.
Arched windows, circular portholes, triangular gable ends, gothic-style heads, loft conversions, and any non-standard feature window.
Tracked Shutters
For wide patio doors, large glazed openings, and expanses of glazing too wide for hinged shutters to span, tracked shutters are the answer. Rather than swinging on a hinge, tracked shutters hang from a discreet overhead track and glide smoothly to one side — or concertina fold — to open the full width when required.
We offer two configurations. Bypass track suspends panels on separate parallel rails so they slide past one another — ideal where stacking space is limited. Bi-folding track allows multiple panels to fold concertina-style, stacking neatly at the track ends for a completely clear opening.
Where you have standard shutters elsewhere in the home, we specify a tracked system using matching frames, finishes, and louvre sizes so the entire installation reads as one cohesive design throughout.
Wide patio doors, large glazed extensions, floor-to-ceiling openings, room dividers, and any opening too wide for standard hinged shutters.
Our Work
Shutters in the Home
Every installation is different. Every window tells a different story. Here is a selection of our work across Lancashire — from bay windows and period sashes to tracked systems and shaped windows.
A selection of James Albert shutter installations · More on Instagram @jamesalbertuk
The Detail That Defines Everything
Choosing Your Louvre Size
The louvre — the horizontal slat — defines how your shutters look, feel, and perform. The right size affects the amount of light that enters, how clearly you can see out, how traditional or contemporary the shutter appears, and how easy the panels are to maintain.
Traditional & Fine
The smallest louvre and the most traditional in character. More louvres per panel create a fine-lined, classic appearance that suits period properties and smaller windows beautifully.
Best for: smaller windows · bathrooms · period propertiesThe Perfect Balance
Our most requested louvre size. Strikes the ideal balance between traditional character and contemporary openness — versatile enough to work beautifully in virtually any interior.
Best for: most rooms · most windows · the universal choiceModern & Spacious
Fewer, larger slats give a cleaner, more architectural appearance — particularly effective on larger windows and in rooms with a modern, pared-back interior aesthetic.
Best for: large windows · contemporary homes · open-plan spacesArchitectural & Bold
Just a handful of wide blades cover the entire panel — a dramatic architectural effect with maximum light and view. Best for very large windows or statement installations.
Best for: floor-to-ceiling glazing · bi-fold doors · statement spacesWhat They're Made From
Materials, Finishes & Colours
Hardwood
The premium choice for living rooms, bedrooms, and hallways. Crafted from basswood or paulownia — FSC-certified sustainable timbers chosen for their exceptional stability, lightness, and capacity to hold a crisp factory paint finish.
Available in any RAL colour as well as a range of natural wood stains and waxed finishes.
Recommended · Living rooms & bedroomsEngineered Wood
A real wood veneer surface over a stable composite core — the warmth and authenticity of natural timber with significantly improved dimensional stability. Less susceptible to seasonal movement than solid hardwood.
Available in a range of natural wood tones and painted finishes.
Recommended · Rooms with moderate temperature variationWaterproof Composite
Visually indistinguishable from hardwood — the same sharp louvres, same crisp finish — but engineered for bathrooms, kitchens, and any space subject to steam, moisture, or temperature fluctuation.
Will not warp, swell, or discolour. Available in all the same colours and louvre sizes.
Recommended · Bathrooms & kitchensColours & Finishes
White and warm off-white remain most popular — they work universally and deliver that classic shutter look. Our range extends to any RAL colour, from warm greys and soft stone tones to charcoal and deep slate.
Natural wood stains available across hardwood and engineered wood. All finishes factory-applied for total consistency.
Any RAL colour · Natural stains availableEvery Window, Covered
We Fit Shutters to Any Window
The classic window of Victorian and Edwardian Lancashire. Full height and café style both sit beautifully within a sash reveal, complementing the period proportions without competing with the original joinery.
Full Height · Café StyleEvery section measured individually, bay post specified at every angle, every panel designed to open without fouling its neighbour. A speciality — not an afterthought.
Full Height · Tier on TierStandard casement windows are straightforward to shutter — but the result is never ordinary. Full height shutters on a casement transform even the most unremarkable window into something architectural.
Full Height · Café StyleArched tops, circular windows, triangular gables, angled heads — shutters shaped precisely to the exact outline of your window, with straight or sunburst louvres. No window too unusual.
Special Shaped · Sunburst or StraightWide patio doors, large glazed openings, and sliding doors handled with a tracked shutter system — bypass or bi-folding configurations available, both from a discreet overhead track.
Tracked · Bypass · Bi-foldingShutters designed to work with the door operation — folding or pivoting cleanly when the door is in use. Each installation designed around the specific door so the shutter enhances rather than obstructs.
Full Height · PivotThe James Albert Standard
Why Choose Us for Your Shutters?
James Albert was founded in Preston in 2007 by James himself — who still runs the business today. The team is small and deliberately so. Every survey, specification, and fitting is done by people who take personal pride in the result. You won't deal with a call centre, a franchise rep, or a subcontractor. You'll deal with the team — and the team answers to James.
Years of Expertise
Founded by James in Preston in 2007, the business has grown on the back of quality work and word-of-mouth recommendation. James remains personally involved in every project — meaning nearly two decades of experience goes into every installation.
Truly Made to Measure
Every shutter is manufactured to the exact measurements of your specific window — not a standard size modified to fit. Frames, panels, louvres, and hardware all specified and made individually for each window.
A Small Team Who Care
James runs a small, capable team — and that's intentional. Every survey, specification, and fitting is done by people who take personal pride in the result. No subcontractors, no franchise reps, no one who doesn't know exactly what they're doing.
Preston's Largest Shutter Showroom
Visit our Fylde Road showroom to see full working displays across every style and configuration. See and feel every louvre size in real conditions before making any decision. 278 Fylde Road, Preston, PR2 2NJ.
Premium Suppliers Only
We work exclusively with manufacturers who share our commitment to quality. No budget product lines, no compromise on material or finish. Every shutter we fit is something we'd be proud to have in our own home.
Free Survey & Quote
Your home survey and full written quotation are completely free with no obligation. We'll take precise measurements, show you samples in your own light, and give you honest advice — then leave the decision entirely with you.
From First Call to Finished Room
How It Works
Free Home Survey
We visit your home, take precise measurements of every window, and bring our full range of samples — every louvre size, material, and finish. No charge, no obligation, no pressure.
Design & Quotation
A detailed written specification and fully inclusive quotation covering every shutter, frame, delivery, and installation. No hidden extras. A price you can rely on completely.
Bespoke Manufacture
Your shutters manufactured to exact specification. Hardwood and engineered wood: typically 10–14 weeks. Waterproof composite: typically 5–6 weeks. We'll keep you informed throughout.
Expert Installation
Our own fitting team arrives on the agreed date, installs every shutter to the highest standard, and walks you through the operation of every panel before leaving. We won't go until everything is perfect.
Everything You Need to Know
Plantation Shutter FAQs
Plantation shutters are a considered investment and the price reflects the quality of materials and precision of installation. We provide a fully itemised, no-obligation written quotation after your free home survey — so you can make a fully informed decision with no surprises and no hidden costs.
Yes — shutters are generally considered a fixture rather than a fitting, meaning they can remain in place and be included in a property sale. Estate agents consistently identify plantation shutters as a feature that enhances how a property is perceived, and they rarely need replacing over the lifetime of a home when properly maintained.
Lead times vary depending on material. Hardwood and engineered wood shutters are typically ready within 10–14 weeks from order. Waterproof composite shutters have a shorter lead time of around 5–6 weeks. We'll confirm the exact lead time at the point of quotation and keep you updated throughout.
Yes — the solid panels trap an air pocket between the shutter and the window glass, reducing heat loss in winter and heat gain in summer. For older properties with draughty sash windows in particular, the improvement in thermal comfort can be significant. Shutters also reduce external noise more effectively than most other window treatments.
Hardwood is the premium specification for dry rooms — living rooms, bedrooms, hallways. Engineered wood offers a real timber feel with improved dimensional stability, suited to rooms with moderate temperature variation. Waterproof composite is engineered for bathrooms and kitchens where moisture is present. All three are available in identical finishes — we'll always specify the correct material for each room as part of your survey.
Yes — and it is one of our specialities. We use a single continuous bay post at every internal angle rather than joining individual sections together. This means no visible joins, no misaligned frames, no compromises. We have installed shutters on square bays, angular bays, curved bays, and projecting bays throughout Lancashire.
47mm suits smaller windows and period properties. 63mm is our most popular size and works in almost any context. 76mm suits larger windows and contemporary interiors. 89mm is a bold choice for very large windows or installations where the shutter is intended to be a prominent design feature. We bring physical samples of every size to your home so you can see them in situ before deciding.
A light dusting with a dry or slightly damp cloth along each louvre is all that's required for regular maintenance. For a deeper clean, a mild soap solution works perfectly. Larger louvre sizes are measurably easier to clean. Waterproof composite shutters can be wiped down with standard household cleaning products without any risk of damage.
Where We Fit Shutters
Across Lancashire & Beyond
Ready to transform
your windows?
Book a free, no-obligation home survey. We'll bring samples of every louvre size and finish, take precise measurements, and give you honest expert guidance — with no pressure and no commitment required.
Book a Free Home Survey
