Shutters for Arched Windows: What Are Your Options?

Arched windows do not fit standard rectangular shutters, but you have three practical options: flank the arched window with rectangular shutters sized to the straight portion, order custom arched or half-round shutters that follow the window shape, or skip shutters and use decorative trim to frame the arch instead. The right choice depends on the window's proportions and the look you want.

Here's how each approach actually works.

Option 1: Flanking Rectangular Shutters

The most common and most affordable approach. You install standard rectangular shutters on either side of the window, sized to match the straight rectangular portion below the arch. The arched top of the window sits above the shutters unadorned.

Pros: Uses standard off-the-shelf shutter sizes. Costs the same as any other window pair. Widely used, so it looks familiar and correct.

Cons: The arched top of the window is left uncovered. On tall arched windows with a short arch portion, this reads well. On windows with a dominant arch, it can look incomplete.

When it works: Windows where the rectangular portion is at least 60 percent of the total height. Colonial, Georgian, and traditional homes.

Option 2: Custom Arched or Half-Round Shutters

Custom shutters cut to follow the arched top of the window. The shutter shape mirrors the window shape exactly.

Pros: Visually complete. The strongest match for the window shape. Period-authentic on high-end traditional homes.

Cons: Custom manufacturing, which means higher cost (often 2 to 3 times a standard rectangular pair) and longer lead times. Cannot be pulled from standard product lines.

When it works: High-end custom homes, restoration projects, and homes where the arched window is a signature architectural feature that deserves the visual weight.

Option 3: Decorative Trim Instead of Shutters

Sometimes the right answer is no shutters at all. Decorative trim, keystones, or accent moldings around the arch can frame the window handsomely without competing with the arched shape.

Pros: Lets the arched window be the star. Often lower cost than custom shutters. Works well on modern and transitional homes.

Cons: Loses the traditional shutter look. Not appropriate for period-style homes where shutters are expected.

Sizing Rectangular Shutters for Arched Windows

If you go with the flanking rectangular option, size the shutters to match the straight (rectangular) portion of the window, not the total height including the arch. Each shutter's width should be roughly one-quarter to one-third the width of the window opening, matching what you would do for a standard rectangular window.

See our shutter sizing guide for the full walkthrough.

Style Considerations

Not every shutter style works equally well next to an arched window.

• Board & Batten: Strong vertical lines echo the window's height. Works well flanking arched windows.
• Louvered: Traditional and neutral. Works with almost any window shape.
• Raised Panel: Formal look. Well-suited to Colonial and Georgian homes with arched Palladian-style windows.
• Horizontal Slat: Contemporary. Generally not a match for arched windows, which tend to appear on more traditional homes.

The Bottom Line

Arched windows can absolutely have exterior shutters. Rectangular shutters flanking the straight portion is the most common, affordable approach and looks right on the majority of arched windows. Custom arched shutters are a premium option for homes where the arch is a defining feature. And sometimes decorative trim alone is the best answer.

Ready to shop? Browse our exterior wood shutter collection, all sold in pairs with free shipping.