We are all familiar with the single front door and for most homes it’s the norm, but double front doors are gaining in popularity for a number of reasons.
Where once we may never have given the front door too much thought (a front door’s a front door right?). Now there’s so much choice out there. Why settle for a boring entrance when you can have something to match the fabulousness of the interior? If you have a stunning home, single doors just don’t cut it!
Sure, the front door is just a way to come in and out of a house, but it is very much the portal through which you experience the rest of a property, it also plays a very important part of a home’s kerb appeal and is pretty much integral to its security.
Plus, it’s a bit of a giveaway and almost always reveals more about the people behind the door than you might at first think. So, you have to ask yourself, how do you want people to sum you up.
“The people who live at the house with the scruffy blue door”?
Yes. We do describe people in terms of the appearance of their home. And you only have to take a look at the variety of front door on any given street to see why. The colour, the letter box, doorbell and even house name all have a personal significance.
When you think about it, even in some parts of the world there are houses without windows, you rarely see them without doors. Front doors are extremely important. They keep us safe inside and keep other people out. They also have a fascinating history.
Ancient Egyptians understood that and used slabs of wood fitted with hinges to keep out strangers. They weren’t doors as we know them with locks and security chains, but they sent out a message that the person inside the domicile wanted privacy.
The earliest set of doors in Europe is believed to be Chepstow Castle and date back to the 12th century. They were double doors measuring 8ft 5in (2.5m) by 11ft 7in (3.5m) and yet saw off everyone from marauding Welsh princes to Oliver Cromwell.
And Medieval and Tudor doors had such an important status that they were used to ward off evil spirits.
From the Victorian era, doors came into prominence as more people acquired their own homes and they loved to put a house name on their doors – a practice which has come back in vogue especially for properties in rural areas.
But it wasn’t until the post WWI building boom that many ordinary families finally got heir own front door and with it the possibilities of making it their own in terms of colour, materials and fixtures like door knockers and letterboxes. Fast forward to the 21st century and front doors are more important and more of a style statement than ever before. The message is, if you are going to get a new front door, be bold and choose a style that is sure to earn compliments from visitors and passers-by.
What are double front doors?
Basically, double front doors are exactly as they sound. They two doors covering the entrance of your home. The two doors ramp up the work of one door. They make the entrance wider, grander and more attention-seeking. Of course, you don’t always have to open both doors every time you enter the building. You can have one door fixed or locked and just use the single door for everyday comings and goings. However, if you’re hosting a party, or taking delivery of bulky furniture then you can fling open those double front doors.
What are the advantages of double front doors?
1. They are a status symbol
Front doors were in the past a sign that a home had lots of rooms. They were in fact an indicator of wealth and they still are very much a status symbol. Take our Model 222 www.valeantosirondoors.co.uk/collections/double-doors/products/valeantos-iron-door-model-222 or stunning Antonella www.valeantosirondoors.co.uk/collections/double-doors/products/valeantos-iron-door-antonella-exclusive-front-door or indeed any of our incredible wrought iron designs and you’ll see how beautiful and unique they are. As unique as our customers themselves.
2. More harmonious
If you have a home with multiple rooms and a big entrance hall, it seems out of proportion to have one small door leading into all that space.
3. Greater kerb appeal
Beautiful double doors are going to ramp up the kerb appeal of your home in the time it takes to install them. There’s something so appealing about their symmetry. And it’s not just us. The Georgians built beautiful houses around rules of order and classical symmetry. A single door throws everything off kilter whereas double front doors are much more appealing to our sense of balance.
4. Draw the eye
Double doors will most certainly provide a focal point for the viewer and draw the eye while accentuating all other architectural features of your home. Basically, they provide a visual contrast to the rest of the house, something which isn’t as clear if you just have a single-entry door.
5. Add value
Double front doors will give your home a more prosperous look and also help to increase the value of the property if you decide to sell.
6. Better access
It stands to reason that double doors give you enhanced access. It may be that you’re juggling toddlers, a pushchair and bags as you wrestle everything into the home, in which case double front doors make everything much, much easier. And if you are taking delivery of a new sofa, bed or white goods, the removals people will thank you for opening both doors as wide as they will go.
7. You can open one or two
For every day, you can slip in and out of the home through one of your double doors, but for special occasions your double doors will ramp up the wow factor of your property for guests.
8. You can choose different shapes
What would suit the look of your property? Would it be a standard rectangular shape, such as the Valeanto's Luxor and model 225, or arched such as model 265 and model 27.
You can opt for left or right swing action, different sizes and finishes such as the elegant dark bronze Portofino or in black and gold model 310 as well as doors in their beautiful wrought iron hue like our Antonella model.
https://valeantosirondoors.co.uk/collections/double-doors/products/valeantos-iron-door-antonella-front-door
9. They can include transoms
These accent windows at the top of the door are also a very attractive design feature that can up the ante when it comes to adding value to the house.
10. Add more natural light
Our designs have the addition of glass and can include sidelites which are glass panels mounted on each side of the door to allow more natural light into the home.
To sum up
Six reasons to install double doors
- They complement the unique style of your home
- Add value if you decide to sell
- Perfect for moving in furniture and bulky items
- Allow more natural light to flood into your living space
- Boost the curb appeal of the home
- Add to the grandeur of a building’s façade
Are double front doors more expensive?
Well yes. We can’t pretend that double front doors are cheap. A single front door can cost a few hundred pounds whereas for double front doors you can easily add an extra zero. A double front door is a design statement. And when you take a look at the exquisite craftsman ship involved in the creation of our wrought iron double entrance door, you’ll see why most people also consider them a work of art. The reason why they are more expensive is indeed evident. These aren’t mass produced but are created bespoke, in whatever artistic style you wish. From traditional to more modernist designs you can have a door that’s a perfect match for the architecture of your home. They are crafted out of luxurious materials to fit any entrance and they are designed with longevity in mind. A Valeanto wrought iron door is built to last.
Are double doors worth it?
If you live in a beautiful home and value the stunning looks of the property then double doors are they way to get that message across. Could there be anything more wonderful than to have two sensational doors opening out onto your entrance hall? Double doors say “this house is special” like nothing else. A single front door is simply functional, whereas a double door is a unique style statement.
Money spent on stylistic features such as a stunning pair of wrought iron double doors is always well spent. These doors are low maintenance so will never let the side down when it comes to looks and will also provide your home with an extra layer of security.
They’ll increase the value of your property and be practical in ways that single doors can never be.
If you love your home and want to make it look its very best then, double entrance doors are definitely worth it!
Thinking about investing in one of our beautiful double front doors? We have many different designs as well as the models mentioned here. Just follow the link to find the perfect double door for your property.