A casual glance can confuse blinds and plantation shutters. Both have horizontal slates, both can control the amount of light and air. But blinds consist or just the horizontal slats, plantation shutters have a door-like frame to contain the slates. As such, plantation shutters give a little bit more flexibility.
Blinds do have the advantage when it comes to compactness; pull the string and the horizontal slats stack together into a small space. Modern metal blinds are even more compact than their earlier wooden counterparts. This is compact and the simplicity of the mechanism means malfunctions are unlikely.
Shutters also operate on a simple mechanism that rarely goes wrong. The frame is a simple door on hinges that folds to one side. This presumes some wall space, but little else. When first popular many generations ago these types of shutters were external, so any space they took up was outside the house; they were in no way intrusive to the people inside. Later, when used with glass windows, they became popular as indoor fixtures. Adjustments to the angle of the wooden slats allowed light and air to be easily controlled
Both shutters and blinds can have their horizontal slats on a motorized control. This is more than a gimmick. Strings are a safety hazard with young children who can easily choke. Motorized controls avoid these problems, and allow one to stand away from the window and observe the effect of opening and closing the shutters.
Plantation shutters can be used as something between a window and doorway on a balcony. One effective design for this is café shutters, which have a top and lower door that open separately. Each can have horizontal slats, but often the lower door is solid wood.
For blinds, plantations shutters or security doors talk to Sydney blinds.