With a climate like ours, it’s no wonder that Western Australians are big fans of the indoor/outdoor flow and our best homes are designed to open-up to the garden with ease.
Crucial to achieving the seamless transition between house and patio is the retractable door – open it and your living space extends right into your yard, and the fresh air circulates right in.
Close your doors and you can retreat into a secure room, conserving heat and keeping out any chills, while still allowing plenty of light in. There are many ways to achieve the perfect retractable doors – popular options are sliding doors and French doors. While there are a few notable differences between French doors and sliding doors, they do share many similarities, but which is best?
French Doors
French doors are a style that was developed over hundreds of years in Europe, when an increase in the availability and affordability of glass meant that windows could be enlarged, filling rooms with light and air.
These glass-based doors became known as the French style. Panes of glass are set in a wooden door frame, which opens outwards on hinges. French doors create a large opening for maximizing your ventilation and space when open and creating that seamless flow between outside and inside.
French doors are a design focus and point of interest within a room, adding classic glamour and vintage European style your living space. Frames are a prominent feature of French doors and can come in a range of woods, natural, varnished or painted, or aluminium in a variety of colours.
Traditionally, French doors have had a reputation as draughty and hard to maintain. While it is true that wear and tear on the hinges may require some maintenance, modern techniques have refined both the finish and the versatility of the product so modern French doors are now highly robust.
Sliding Doors
Sliding doors usually consist of a fixed glass door and a moveable one that slides behind it, creating an opening of half the width. They are the classic Aussie solution, simple to use and requiring no clearance to operate.
Sliding doors can incorporate far greater quantities of glass and can open out over a much larger space so they’re suitable for bigger rooms. With one door tucking behind the other, there is no need for clearance on either side of the glass. This makes them ideal for openings onto balconies or small patios where space is at a premium.
The large glass panels in sliding doors allow unobstructed views of the outside, and maximise light entering the room, allowing the view to be the focus rather than the door itself.
Do What Feels Right
So, when it comes down to it, it’s really a matter of taste.
Whatever your choice, Door Stop has a solution. We offer an installation service making it easy to get your new doors from our showroom, into your home. Visit our Joondalup or Osborne Park showroom today to find out more.
