The Shutter Wall Offers a Fresh Take on Dividing Up a Large Room, and We Can’t Get Enough

The latest season of ‘Only Murders in the Building’ features a cool and clever shutter wall that’d add depth and dimension to any room of the house.

Just as a set design introduces the tone for a TV show, your home’s interior design sets the mood for your everyday life—after all, it’s likely where you spend most of your time. With this in mind, creating an atmosphere that reflects you and your personality is of the utmost importance, both keeping you in your element and letting guests know what to expect when they step into your space.

We’re diving into a fresh new trend—inspired by Hulu mystery series Only Murders in the Building—that you can use to set the stage for your home: Meet the versatile and in vogue shutter wall.

In the series, Mabel Mora (played by the one and only Selena Gomez) uses a wall entirely made of shutters to separate the living room and bedroom in the apartment she has finally finished renovating for her aunt. When the shutters are closed, the fixture mimics an actual wall, and when open, it allows light to filter through, creating a bright and airy space in her home.

This fresh take on a room divider is a great way to add drama to your design while creating a multifunctional space that’s customized to your ever-changing needs—and it works just as well in the real world as it does on TV.

If you’re not too sure about how to try this out-of-the-box trend, have no fear. We spoke to a design expert for all the dos and don’ts of the look. Just like Mabel, you’re well on your way to creating a dynamic and intriguing space using shutters in a unconventional way. But in your case, luckily, no crimes are necessary.

Related: How to Channel the Dramatic Design of ‘Only Murders In the Building’ In Your Own Home

What are shutter walls, and why are they so great?

Though Mabel’s wall is quite unique, shutter walls have been done before with different designs. This design trick is made of shutters (much like you’d find in outdoor window treatments or in farmhouse kitchens), and it’s used to creatively break up the space. These shutters can be stationary, where the slats just open and close, or they can be done in a bifold style, where they can be pulled completely back to connect two spaces into one cohesive room.

“It was a very successful design from season one, where, because of the open stud walls, you had a lot of depth into the bedroom, and the set was very spacious-looking,” Patrick Howe, production designer for Only Murders in the Building, told Architectural Digest while giving a tour of the show’s set. ”Even though it needed to be finished, I did not want to do a solid wall here, so I came up with this shutter system—light and airy, and it looks very elegant this way.”

This shutter-wall hack results in a flexible and practical space that can also be quite beautiful. Ashley Yeates, founder and principal designer of AYI & Associates, a full-service studio based in California, says that shutters are a true classic, offering form, function, and tone to a space.

“A shutter wall allows for both an open and closed space,” she says. “Open when shutters are turned flat as to peer through the gaps, and closed when pulled to align down creating a waterfall wall, they can serve as a light diffusor to set mood when manipulated to angels that allow spill-over light.”

The pandemic changed how people use their homes, and the open-concept living trend has fallen under some scrutiny as a result. Homeowners everywhere are calling for more multifunctional spaces, in-home privacy, and flexible-use rooms—suddenly, having the whole family share one large, rectangular room doesn't seem so practical.

At the same time, having completely closed-off spaces isn’t always functional, or aesthetically appealing. A shutter wall gives families the flexibility to have the best of both worlds, inviting in light or lending privacy with little more effort than the flip of a switch.

Shutter walls are excellent small-space solutions as well—like Mabel, you can turn a studio into a one-bedroom, or allow light to enter your entire apartment if you only have windows on one side. Who doesn’t love the illusion of a bigger home?

Related: Rethinking Your Open Concept? Designer Tricks for Creating Defined Spaces

What to Consider Before You Try a Shutter Wall

As with any trend, there are some pros and cons associated with adding a shutter wall to your home that you should know before jumping in. One of the best upsides of the shutter wall is that it allows for constant flexibility and customization—based on as little as your mood. Plus, it offers the feel of a mini renovation without the expense or commitment of putting up walls.

“For clients who aren’t sure about closing off a space, they have options,” says Yeates. “And for clients who want decadence, classic wood shutters also have the ability to add depth and richness to a room without having to bring in a construction crew.”

Although there are other temporary ways to break up a space, like screens or partition walls, Yeates says that shutter walls are unique, upscale, and personalized alternatives that prove to be long-lasting.

“Shutters are a custom design element that will always stand apart from mass-produced window treatments,” she says. “Thoughtful design stands the test of time, and this living room displays timeless elegance while functionally defining the space.”

When considering the trend, you should be aware that not all design styles are equally suited to this trend, Yeates says. A good rule of thumb is that if shutters would look great on the outside of your home, it’s likely your house is a good candidate for a shutter wall indoors.

“Shutters work well in traditional, cottage, French, and tailored homes seeking privacy, sun protection, and view,” she says. “They require a window casing or box-type frame that can be bulky and is not well suited for minimalistic, Spanish, or modern homes.”

While shutters can give some visual privacy, they won’t soundproof a room unless you’re using them along with something like glass panels—something to keep in mind when it comes to renovating an open-concept space. They would be a great solution for turning a studio into a one-bedroom in a single-occupant apartment, but they wouldn’t necessarily be ideal for turning a nook into a bedroom in a house with many people living in it.

They aren’t a space-changing solution for everyone, but shutter walls can add a unique and beautiful solution to a home, making it both more livable, and more interesting architecturally. And who knows—maybe it will set the stage for your own TV-worthy tale!

Related: How to Soundproof a Room

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