For an alternative to metal house numbers, try a contemporary Perspex or stainless-steel plaque by Abode Plaques. Try SDS London or Architectural Components. For more advice, visit (opens in new tab).įront door detail The current trend is for plain, brushed stainless-steel knockers, letterplates and numbers. For added security, opt for laminated security glass. If you live in a high-crime area, investigate the benefits of a reinforced steel front door. Security specialists Banham recommends a combination of a latch lock and a deadlock (try a Banham M2002 cylinder mortice deadlock and a L2000 rim deadbolt, which are both insurance approved and to British Standard 3621). Home security ‘Ensure any lock fitted meets the British Standard five-lever mortice deadlock system – a Yale-type rim latch cylinder lock on its own is not sufficient protection,’ says The London Door Company’s Kerry Walters. It can be easily fitted to existing doors as long as it is part of an existing mains-operated smoke detection system. Royde & Tucker has created a discreet fire door system called SmoClo as an alternative to self-closing fire doors. Generally, this applies to any door that leads on to what is deemed a fire escape route. Barausse’s Panama range uses coconut shell tiles and the Tetrix range boasts teak, stainless steel and leather.įire prevention When replacing a door, inside or out, be aware of fire regulations (visit the professional section about Part B regulations at ). * Textured wood Try doors in dark grainy woods. * Invisible Curved or flat seamless doors lend continuity to a space. ‘They’re also ideal as room dividers between living and sleeping areas,’ says James Fletcher, MD of Draks. ‘They are a complete system to which you can add you own door, leaving no need to compromise on door style,’ says Padraic Healey of The David Barley Company, distributors of the sleek Eclisse range of doors in the UK. * Sliding Gone are the days of wobbly sliding doors – the new pocket doors literally disappear into the wall. Good suppliers include The Disappearing Door Company, Innerdoor and Dorma. * Glass A hot trend is for sliding and panel doors in glass with barely there fixtures and fittings. Increasingly, doors inside your home no longer block one room from another, but instead allow for flow of light and movement throughout a space. ‘My favourites are Cocoa Blush 1 or Maraschino Mocha 1 for a decadent look and Tarragon Glory 5 or Red Stallion 4 (£16.99 for 2.5l) for a more intense look.’ Midnight Blue is elegant on a white-fronted period house.įor something classic, green or grey works well go for gloss on a townhouse or matt in the countryside (Carriage Green, Studio Green and Off-Black are currently Farrow & Ball’s most popular shades.) ‘For more complex colours, deeper tones work better on front doors,’ suggests Louise Smith, colour and design manager at Dulux. ‘There is no “bending moment” when the door opens, which takes the strain off hinges, so pivot doors can be made up to 4m wide.’įor red-brick and Georgian houses, Farrow & Ball’s director Sarah Cole suggests using Black Blue (£44.99 per 2.5l) – it’s neither truly black nor blue and gives a smart look. * Pivot doors ‘Bespoke pivot doors are popular as they can be made wider than they are tall,’ says Mark Dyson of Enclosure Architects. ‘Concealed hinges and subtle stainless-steel inlays help keep the look modern but minimal.’ You would also be shooting yourself in the foot when you sell the flat one day - and the buyers surveyor points out the problem (non-compliance with a regulatory requirement), and the buyers mortgage company won't touch it.* Simplicity ‘A modern door can create a cool contrast, even on a Victorian or Edwardian home,’ says Nabil Assaf, of Urban Front. Or the other scenario - you open the door to whatever room you (or your family/guests) are in to find the fire has already cut off your escape route and you are then dependent on the door to the room you are in to hold back the fire. Remember fire doors have intumescent seals to hold back smoke as well. It could be that the only possible escape route from your flat is via the main entrance, so no matter where a fire breaks out in your flat, you are relying on the door to that room to hold back the fire so you can get to the one and only exit. Kitchens and lounges need them as the likely seat of the fire, bedrooms as they're likely to be the room where you're trapped. If it was purpose built so recently, there's likely to be good reason for every fire door.
0 Comments
Leave a Reply. |
Details
AuthorWrite something about yourself. No need to be fancy, just an overview. ArchivesCategories |