A store-bought pair of 15-by-63-inch raised-panel vinyl shutters can start at around $70, while a pair of custom-made painted wood shutters for a 36-by-66-inch window can cost $400 to $500.

Wooden shutters from shutterland.com are 1½ inches thick, and PVC and composite shutters are 1¼ inches thick. That difference probably is not noticeable from a distance.