Shutter BoysUpdated
The short version: Lafayette Interior Fashions is an Indiana manufacturer of blinds, shades, shutters and draperies that sells through dealers. Its shutters are Parke, a faux wood shutter made for moisture. Ours are solid poplar, priced online for every window and fitted by you.
Who Lafayette is
Lafayette began “in 1950 … as a small venetian blind operation by Joe Morgan Sr.”, and says it is still “family owned and operated”[4]. Its products are “designed and crafted in our 250,000 square foot manufacturing facility in West Lafayette, IN”, and range “from blinds, shades, and shutters to draperies & more”[5].
It describes itself as a “wholesale manufacturer of interior fashions”, selling “to customers throughout the United States who are interior designers, decorators, and retail stores”[5]. Shoppers are pointed to a dealer locator[1], and businesses apply to become dealers through a credit application[7]. So you don’t buy Lafayette shutters from Lafayette: you buy them from a designer or a window-covering store that carries the brand.
Parke shutters, in Lafayette’s words
- Material: “a Faux Wood shutter that resist moisture”[2], “made from a composite material”[3].
- Louvers: 4.5 in for “Maximum light and view through”, 3.5 in as the “Standard plantation shutter size”, and 2.5 in for “Lesser light and view through”[3].
- Finish: a “Baked on paint finish”, and a painting process Lafayette says “will leave you a finish that won’t chip, crack, or peel”[2][3].
- Moisture: “Moisture & humidity resistant”[3].
- Shapes and colours: “available in many custom colors and shapes”[2]. The pages we read show white and off-white examples but don’t list colours or frame styles.
Side by side
| Feature | Shutter Boys | Lafayette (Parke) |
|---|---|---|
| Material | Solid American poplar | Faux wood composite |
| Louvers | 2½, 3½, 4½ in | 2.5, 3.5, 4.5 in |
| Finish | Painted, stained, or colour-matched | Baked-on paint |
| Wet rooms | Fine with ventilation; not in direct spray | Described as moisture and humidity resistant |
| How you buy | Online designer, free video or phone consult | Through a Lafayette dealer |
| Prices online | A range per window as you design | Not published |
| 36 × 48 in, basic build | $320 – $400 (US), $460 – $570 CAD (Canada) | Quoted by the dealer |
| Installation | You fit them, or an independent installer on request | Arranged by the dealer |
| Sells in | US and Canada (not Quebec yet) | Across the US; Canada not stated |
| Warranty | Stated on your quote | Published; valid when serviced by a Lafayette dealer |
Lafayette details from its own pages[3][5][6], checked October 30, 2026. Our price is before tax and shipping: flat moulding, paint stage 1, 3½ in louvers.
The warranty, and why the dealer matters
Lafayette says it “offers a comprehensive warranty for our custom made window coverings”, and adds: “This manufacturers warranty is only valid when the product is serviced or repaired by a Lafayette dealer”[6]. Its warranty document couldn’t be opened when we checked, so we can’t quote the length or the coverage for shutters. In practice, the dealer who sells you Lafayette shutters is also the one who handles any claim. Before you sign, ask the dealer for the warranty document and how long they’ve carried the brand.
Ours works differently: there’s no dealer between you and us. You order from us directly, and questions after delivery come to us too.
Where Lafayette is stronger
- Bathrooms and humid rooms. A composite shutter it describes as moisture and humidity resistant[3] is a better match for a bathroom that stays damp than painted wood. Our bathroom page says plainly where wood works and where it doesn’t.
- Someone else measures and installs. With a dealer, the fit is their responsibility, not yours.
- One supplier for the whole house. The same dealer can supply Lafayette’s blinds, shades and draperies alongside the shutters[5].
- Made in the US, in Lafayette’s Indiana plant[5].
Where we’re different
- Solid wood. Poplar is a hardwood that takes paint and stain evenly and can be sanded and repainted years later. Lafayette describes a painted finish for Parke; a stain needs real wood grain. Faux wood vs real wood
- A price before an appointment. Every window shows a range in the designer as you add it. A dealer quotes after measuring.
- Stain and colour match. Any paint colour or wood stain you name, matched for you.
- Canada. We ship across Canada except Quebec, priced in Canadian dollars. Lafayette’s pages talk about customers across the United States[5].
- Shapes. Arches, half-rounds, angled tops and circles in the same poplar. Arched and shaped windows
Faux wood or solid wood: how to decide
| Room or need | Better fit | Why |
|---|---|---|
| A bathroom that stays damp, or a window near a shower | Faux wood, such as Parke | Lafayette describes Parke as moisture and humidity resistant |
| Bedrooms, living rooms, offices | Either; solid wood if you want stain or a repaint later | Dry rooms suit both |
| You want a wood stain, not paint | Solid wood | A stain needs real grain |
| You want a professional to measure and install | A dealer (Lafayette or another brand) | We sell for DIY fitting; an installer is on request |
| You want to know the cost before anyone visits | Shutter Boys | Prices are online for every window size |
| You live in Canada | Shutter Boys | We ship there; Lafayette’s pages don’t mention Canada |
Plenty of homes do both: composite in a bathroom that stays damp, wood in the rest of the house. Choose the same louver size throughout and the two will read as one set from the street.
Questions to ask a Lafayette dealer
Dealers set their own prices and service terms, so two quotes for the same Lafayette shutter can differ. These questions make them comparable, and they’re worth asking any dealer of any brand:
- Which Lafayette shutter line is this, and what are the frame and panels made of?
- Which louver size is quoted, and does the price change for 2.5 or 4.5 in?
- Is the tilt rod at the front, or is there a hidden tilt option, and what does it add?
- Which frame style is quoted for each window, and why that one?
- What colours are available for Parke, and is a custom colour extra?
- Are measuring, installation and removal of old blinds included in the price?
- How long from order to installation, and what happens if a panel arrives damaged?
- Can I see the warranty document for shutters before I sign, and who handles a claim if you stop carrying the brand?
Write the answers on the quote. When you compare it with an online price, you’ll know which parts of the dealer’s figure are the shutter and which are the service around it.
Mixing composite and wood in one house
Plenty of homes end up with two materials, and that works well if you plan for it. Keep the louver size the same in every room so the lines match from outside. Pick the same white, or as close as the two makers allow, and look at samples side by side in daylight, since a composite white and a painted wood white can read differently. Put the composite where moisture is the problem, the wood where you want stain or a colour match, and decide the frame style room by room rather than all at once.
How to compare a dealer quote with an online one
A dealer quote usually bundles the shutters, the measuring visit and the installation into one figure. An online price is for the shutters alone. To compare them fairly:
- Ask the dealer to show the installation and any trip or measuring charge as separate lines.
- Price the same windows in our designer, with the same louver size, and add shipping and tax.
- Put a value on your own time for measuring and fitting, or get a price from an independent installer. How to install
- Compare the warranties on paper, including who you call for a claim and who pays for labour.
- Check the material line by line: composite, wood, or a mix of the two in frames and panels.
When a shade suits a window better
A sliding patio door or a very wide window is often better with a shade than a shutter. Our sister company, Shade Boys, makes them to measure: patio door blinds, zebra blinds, cellular shades, wood blinds and motorized roller shades.
Which to choose
If you want faux wood for damp rooms, a dealer who measures and installs, and one supplier for blinds, shades and draperies too, Lafayette’s dealer network is built for that. If you want solid wood in any paint or stain, the price of every window before you talk to anyone, and you’re happy to fit them yourself, in the US or Canada, that’s Shutter Boys. Our shutters are one product: solid American poplar, made to the measurements you take, priced online window by window, and fitted by you. Price your windows
The names of Lafayette Interior Fashions, Parke and their products are trademarks of their owners. Shutter Boys isn’t affiliated with Lafayette, and this page isn’t endorsed by it. What we say about Lafayette comes from its own pages, checked October 30, 2026; products and terms change, so check with a Lafayette dealer before you buy.
Common questions
Does Lafayette sell plantation shutters?
Yes. Lafayette Interior Fashions lists Parke shutters, which it calls “a Faux Wood shutter that resist moisture”, with 2.5, 3.5 and 4.5 in louvers. It sells them through dealers rather than directly.
Are Lafayette Parke shutters real wood?
No. Lafayette describes Parke as faux wood, “made from a composite material”, with a baked-on paint finish. Shutter Boys shutters are solid American poplar.
How much are Lafayette shutters?
Lafayette doesn’t publish prices; it’s a wholesale manufacturer, so the price comes from the dealer who measures your windows. Our 36 × 48 in shutter in the basic build is priced on this page from our live list.
What is the Lafayette shutter warranty?
Lafayette says it “offers a comprehensive warranty for our custom made window coverings”, and that it “is only valid when the product is serviced or repaired by a Lafayette dealer.” Ask your dealer for the written terms for shutters.
Is there an alternative to Lafayette shutters?
If you want solid wood rather than faux wood, and you’d rather price and order online and fit the shutters yourself, Shutter Boys makes made-to-measure poplar shutters for the US and Canada. If you want a dealer to measure and install, Lafayette’s dealer locator is the way to its shutters.
Is Shutter Boys connected to Lafayette?
No. They’re separate companies. This page compares the two using Lafayette’s own published pages, linked below.
Sources
- Lafayette Interior Fashions, Lafayette Interior Fashions (manufacturer’s own claim)
- Shutters, Lafayette Interior Fashions (manufacturer’s own claim)
- Parke Shutters, Lafayette Interior Fashions (manufacturer’s own claim)
- Our story, Lafayette Interior Fashions (manufacturer’s own claim)
- Learn more, Lafayette Interior Fashions (manufacturer’s own claim)
- Warranty registration, Lafayette Interior Fashions (manufacturer’s own claim)
- Become a dealer, Lafayette Interior Fashions (manufacturer’s own claim)