A Lifetime with Shutters

I began my journey at the age of 16, as an apprentice indentured cabinet maker to Jens Mikkelsen, a Danish craftsman who, with his wife Marion, ran a family business in the Blue Mountains, building handcrafted furniture for high-end retailers (including Freedom), and bespoke pieces of furniture and kitchens.

Open History

I was fortunate to be there when Jens and Marion introduced plantation shutters to the Australian market, at the inception of what is now Open Shutters, the market leader in the shutter industry. In those days, the shutters were completely handcrafted, with limited help from the most basic of machinery – a panel saw, a jointer / thicknesser and an overhead router. Rough-sawn timber would be machined and transformed piece by piece into the various components required for the shutters. Each hole for every blade was drilled individually, every mortise and tenon joint was checked, every shutter was handmade. I was even too small to reach some of the machines, so had my very own purpose-built step which I would take with me to each of them. Under Jen’s watchful guidance and with the help of a set of vernier callipers, I was trained to the millimetre. Actually, it was to 0.01 of a millimetre to be exact. Jens’ knowledge, guidance, and attention to detail has helped make me the tradeswoman I am today.

My experience developed from the manufacturing and installation side into the painting side of the business, as I was keen to learn all aspects of my profession and I moved into the spray painting and finishing side of the business. Shutters are one of the most difficult timber products to spray, given their moving parts. But because of my eye for detail, I quickly progressed to becoming an expert in colour matching, staining, and polishing. After Open Shutters moved to the Central Coast, I set out to help the company establish a bigger national presence, and I was there at the inception of the branch in Perth, to set up their paint shop and help train their staff before moving to Victoria to manage my own paint operation and work closely with Melbourne Plantation Shutters in their early years. I also for many years worked and helped build what was Blue Mountains Plantation Shutters with Simon Crosbie till his retirement. The Blue Mountains has always been home to me, I have been delighted for over the last 16 years to bring shutters once again to the mountains. Like I did with Jens and Marion all those years ago.

My Promise

Few in the shutter industry can claim to have my level of experience. My knowledge, keen eye for detail, and overall professionalism when it comes to shutters, you are truly in safe hands I pride myself on the finish that I can achieve on my shutters for my clients as a qualified tradeswoman with over 31 years’ experience that is truly reflected in my finish. My shutters do not look or feel like plastic, they look and feel as they should. They look and feel like timber with the beauty of the natural grain. A beautiful tactile bespoke finish that sets my shutters apart from the rest.

I also guarantee my workmanship and product as being 100% Australian owned and manufactured. I am confident that you will be delighted with your shutters, from the initial design through to installation in your home – a confidence which, like the shutters themselves, stands the test of time.

Angela Harris

Proprietor