Interior design advice
Whatever you’re looking for – bifolds, sliding or steel-framed glazed doors – we’ve asked the experts to share their insider tips
How to open up your home to the garden
Opening up your home with glazing tops many people’s renovation wish lists. Advances in technology are providing ever more beautiful possibilities, while steel-framed glazing is experiencing a major revival. Whether you’re planning bifolds or sliding doors, where do you start making your home connect with your garden? We’ve asked our favourite experts…
CAN BIFOLD/SLIDING DOORS AFFECT THE VALUE OF MY PROPERTY?
‘Both involve a reasonable investment (think thousands), but the money should be recouped on the home’s value immediately after installation,’ says Emily Evans, presenter and property expert. ‘Pinning an exact price is hard, but they’ll certainly boost your home’s wow factor and selling prospects tremendously.’
WHAT’S THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN FOLDING AND SLIDING DOORS?
‘Bifolds stack to allow a completely clear structural opening,’ explains Shannon Normoyle of IQ Glass. ‘With sliding doors (unless there is space for a pocket door configuration), at least one pane width blocks the way. Bifolding doors also tend to have slightly thicker sightlines.’
WHAT MATERIAL
AND COLOUR SHOULD I CHOOSE?
‘There’s plenty of choice,’ says Rebecca Hunt of Suna Interior Design, ‘from slimline steel to aluminium, wood or UPVC.’ Emily would avoid wooden ones: ‘In my opinion they are a nightmare to
“To allow bifold doors to open and stack back on themselves, you will need to leave up to 1m of space clear, either in the room patio” or outside on the
REBECCA HUNT, SUNA INTERIOR DESIGN
maintain. Go for wood effect UPVC or aluminium – the go-to material at the moment, due to its designer look, modern feel, durability and thermal efficiency. They are likely to last longer than either wooden or UPVC frames, although the latter are often cheaper.’ When it comes to colour, ‘you may want a contrast,’ says Shannon, ‘such as black frames against white walls.’
BLACK METAL FRAMES SEEM TO BE HAVING A MOMENT – BUT WILL I REGRET THEM IN 10 YEARS’ TIME?
‘The current aspiration is for slimline black steel-framed glazed doors, synonymous with Crittall, which has been making beautiful steelframed doors and windows for more than 150 years,’ says Rebecca. ‘But these skinny-framed good looks come at a price, so you may need to consider other options to fit with your budget.’ ‘Black is here to stay though,’ adds Emily.
UPVC – IS THERE A STYLISH WAY TO DO IT?
‘I’d always stay away from white,’ says Emily, ‘and choose a woodeffect UPVC, which looks a lot more expensive.’ Rebecca adds,
‘It can be more cost-effective, but generally has chunkier frames to support the weight of the glass. A darker colour helps emphasise the glazing rather than the frame and is a step away from the UPVC of old.’
WHAT’S THE BEST CHOICE FOR A PERIOD PROPERTY?
‘Modern extensions on older homes can take a variety of glazed doors,’ says Rebecca. ‘Skinny dark-framed ones generally work in all kinds of environments, but here the panelled styling of steelframed doors works particularly well. Also consider wood-framed doors and French doors rather than bifold or sliding, which are eminently contemporary.’ Emily thinks engineered timber doors are the classic choice: ‘They have
more dimensional stability than solid timber,’ she says.
DO LISTED BUILDINGS HAVE SPECIAL REQUIREMENTS?
‘If your home is a listed building, you will need to speak to your local conservation officer before proceeding,’ says Emily. ‘Adding any sort of double glazing on a grade-listed property is difficult.’ However, some planners prefer ultra-modern glazing, says Shannon: ‘A fully-glazed extension, for example, clearly differentiates between the new and old elements.’
WHAT ABOUT AN ULTRA-MODERN HOME?
‘I’d always go for sliding doors,’ says Shannon. Rebecca agrees: ‘They look less cumbersome than some bifolds when open and can offer greater flexibility.’ ‘If it’s for a double-height extension, then I love a sliding door system – IQ Glass makes doors that can be as tall as 6m, which really add a wow factor,’ says Shannon. ‘For a single-storey extension with enough space for corner-opening doors, bifolds are a great choice as they can be stacked, creating a large indoor-outdoor area.’
“I love seeing glazing bars incorporated into the door design – whether it’s a steel or system” aluminium steel-look SHANNON NORMOYLE, IQ GLASS
WHAT STYLE SHOULD I CHOOSE FOR A MID-CENTURY HOME?
‘Mid-century architecture often focused on maximising light, including wall-to-wall windows,’ says Shannon, ‘and sliding door panes tend to be available in larger sizes and generally have a slimmer sightline than bifolds.’ For Rebecca, it’s the steel-framed look: ‘The Crittall name is synonymous with mid-century properties,’ she says. ‘But the company doesn’t make bifolds or concertinas.’
I’VE AN 1980S/1990S PROPERTY – WHAT STYLE WORKS BEST?
‘Wide expanses of glass bring in maximum light and minimum obstruction between house and garden,’ says Rebecca. ‘Opening up the rear wall brings these kinds of properties up to date. And the choice of material is perhaps wider, unless there is a specific architectural style you need to adhere to.’ Shannon adds, ‘These homes can seem dark and dull in places – try slim aluminium-framed doors to increase their perceived size.’
HOW CAN I ACHIEVE A SEAMLESS TRANSITION BETWEEN INDOORS AND OUT?
‘Go for minimal framing and flush thresholds,’ says Shannon. ‘It’s crucial to consider both the interior and the exterior design,’ says Rebecca. ‘The link between the two will be defined not only by the window you choose, but also by the fixtures and finishes. Try and keep the levels the same, and where possible, use similar materials on the floor internally and externally.’
WHAT’S THE BEST WAY TO DRESS FOLDING/SLIDING DOORS? SHOULD I DRESS THEM AT ALL?
‘If privacy is an issue, or the doors are in a bedroom or living room, then curtains are a good option to soften the look,’ advises Rebecca. ‘If you have bifolds installed, consider how they will stack – if internally, then to allow space for this your curtains will either have to be pulled right back from the window or drawn to one side. I would avoid any kind of vertical or panel window dressings as they tend to look too “officey” and take a bit of a battering from people walking past/into them constantly.’
“I hate seeing a lovely large open space with a great garden view that has a sliding door bifolds” – open it all up with
EMILY EVANS, PROPERTY EXPERT