The Queensland afternoon sun can make any kitchen a bit unpleasant in Summer. Our kitchen faces to the west, and we've been thinking about blinds for a long time. The PVC Plantation shutters do a beautiful job of keeping us cool in the afternoons, and opening up to the light and view at the lightest touch. The installation was as simple as Michael described, and the satisfaction of DIY far outweighs the effort. The finish, as the photo shows, is just beautiful. We couldn't be happier with how our shutters have transformed our kitchen and other living areas. The hardest part of our DIY installation was getting rid of the boxes! It was the most satisfying project I've taken on in a long time, and the results are stunning.