Seamless Spaces
Today's Patio Doors
by Jeff Williams
Gentle breezes. Bountiful sunlight. Playful children. Scenic views.
Americans crave more time outside. Whether their homes are on the water, in the woods or in the suburbs, the outdoors beckons. Anything that gets them out of the house, away from the office and separates them from the busyness of life is welcomed.
Ever-expanding backyard terraces, outdoor fireplaces, quaint front porches, elaborate outdoor kitchens with deluxe grills, beautiful patio doors that stretch to unheard-of widths, more and larger windows-these various design requests for homes you are building or remodeling reflect homeowners' passion for the outdoors.
Most homeowners want to bring the outdoors in. The traditional great room, with its expanse of glass, is now becoming a room in which a wall opens up completely to the outdoors, pushing the envelope of what really defines an exterior wall. And where there once were multiple windows in the great room, now there are often doors.
And why not? Windows, walls and even furniture often restrict the flow of people moving throughout the house space and restrict the ability to socialize among large groups of people. When creating a home for outdoor entertaining, consider opening up an interior living space to the exterior with a new style of patio door. The patio doors you choose may vary from project to project but most have the ability to differentiate your homes with distinctive openings.
Exciting Options
Patio door manufacturers have responded to the outdoor living trend by introducing many new styles, sizes and decorative options. Doors are available for openings from 3 feet, 6 inches to 50 feet wide. Styles for the larger openings include pocket patio doors, which have panels that slide behind one another as they move across the track and then are concealed in a wall cavity. Other options are telescoping patio doors with panels that also slide one behind the next as they open, and bi-fold, accordion-style patio doors that open one hinged panel at a time and stack the panels side by side as they open.
Pocket and telescoping patio doors can be installed in bi-parting or lineal configurations. Select manufacturers may offer styles that can be installed in 90-degree configurations to accommodate corner installations. Any of these doors are ideal for great rooms that open to a backyard terrace, wrap-around deck or a pool area. Homeowners will appreciate the ability to move freely between the indoors and out and to enjoy the views.
These doors are convenient, operate smoothly and enhance the appearance and functionality of a room. They are as much a part of the interior design as flooring, paint colors and window treatments. With different hardwood choices and prefinished options available for the frames and trim, you can match the door to crown moulding, built-in shelving, a fireplace mantel or any other wood in a particular room.
And patio doors no longer belong only in the great room or dining area. Today, homeowners frequently request patio doors in rooms throughout the home-master suites, master baths and family rooms-anyplace they want fresh air, outdoor views or personal moments of relaxation. These smaller openings may call for two-panel sliders or hinged patio doors; picture patio doors with sliding panels on both sides of a fixed panel; or radius-top hinged doors. Frosted, textured, tinted and specialty glass can be used in the doors for baths or bedrooms to maintain privacy.
From the outside, patio doors are often the centerpiece of a home's backyard entertainment center. Virtually endless choices of paint or anodized aluminum-clad colors ensure that the wood doors complement windows and other exterior trim or siding. Grilles in standard or custom patterns can accentuate a home's architectural style, whether colonial, prairie style or contemporary.
The presence of large patio doors in your homes may cause some buyers to question the home's energy efficiency. You can put them at ease. Today's patio doors are much more energy efficient than models in years past. Manufacturers offer high performance glass that considerably reduces solar heat gain and U-factors. Particularly in warmer climates, glass that minimizes solar heat gain as much as possible will have substantial payoffs in utility bills and protection of interiors from UV fading.
Patio doors are much more than a passageway in today's homes. They are functional, attractive and encourage a more relaxing way of life. With the styles and options available today, patio doors can be a smart approach to differentiating your homes in a way that that homeowners will appreciate.
Jeff Williams is Corporate Manager of Marketing and Communications for Weather Shield Windows & Doors.
Infolink:
Weather Shield Windows & Doors
weathershield.com
