OPEN & SHUT
Shannon gives us his perspective on why we should update our thinking on windows and doors
Shannon Vos uncovers the latest trends in windows and doors, along with the latest technology
When it comes to a reno, I’m a stickler for quality. It trumps quantity every time, and a well-considered choice will last years longer than one made in haste or, shock horror, a choice left to someone who doesn’t have to live with the decision – like the builder. Making your decisions carefully will save you bucketloads down the track and this goes for every element in a build, especially windows and doors. Not enough thought goes into the best choices – how many builders and architects still specify standard aluminium windows and boring flush hollow-core doors?
WHY SPEND?
A poorly designed home decked out with all the latest furniture trends will still be a poorly designed home. Spend your hard-earned dollars on the structure and the architectural features of your build, rather than filling it with expensive stuff. These structural elements, such as windows and doors, will be very expensive to change down the track and they’ll be there long after that ‘modern’ tallboy has come and gone out of style. Making the important decisions before you start your build will open up the multiple benefits of clever design. Choices that promote passive design, including cross ventilation and winter/summer sun management, can push you closer to having a sustainable home. You can save on heating and electricity costs, and it will look much better, too.
GET OUT OF THAT ’80s RUT
Why are we still building homes with cheap aluminium windows, old timber sash windows, and doors barely tall enough for your average lanky designer? There is a mountain of new products. Europeans have been using ‘tilt and turn’ hinges for decades (turn the door handle one way to open as a standard door, the other way to tilt open like a window), but they have yet to make an impression on the local market. Stegbar (stegbar.com.au) has a huge range of modern window systems that will impress even the savviest of designers – there’s even a slimmer take on the timber sash bi-fold window (pictured opposite). Sashless windows, such as those from Aneeta (aneetawindows.com.au), are the must-have to replace the ‘century ago’ sash mechanism. They offer minimalistic design, increasing the amount of light and ventilation. Pivot-hinged doors do away with the exposed hinge barrels we’re all used to seeing in our passageways. They can withstand heavy loads, handy for that solid oak door or even one cast from concrete.
GO BIG
Big is beautiful, yeah? Oversized doors and windows make a statement; they add to a space and bring a certain level of sophistication into any room. A large door, one that extends all the way to the ceiling for instance, will create more airflow in a home and open a space right up, giving an illusion that the ceiling is higher than normal. Big windows are a must in any build these days and innovative design has given us the ability to increase our window sizes with double and triple glazing ensuring that we keep cool in the summer months and toasty warm when winter comes knocking. Nothing makes as big an impact as a gigantic window looking over the sea or a forest lake (or even a backyard terrace). We all love the outdoors and it would be un-Australian not to bring the outside in via a beautiful vista; if you have any view at all, make the most of it.