We all know how popular bi-fold doors are becoming. Since their introduction to the market and their use in programs like Grand Designs, customers are moving away from traditional French doors and sliding patios and going for this option.
But now, one of our favourite Twitter pals, @LegacyWindows, has come up with possible the next stage in moving doors, the Panoramic Doors. These have have been in use in America, more specifically California, by their American partners Panoramic Doors USA for over two years and have proved a massive success by all accounts.
The doors are available in a choice of PVCu and aluminium. Rather than me explain in text how these things work and operate, the best thing to do would be to watch these videos:
PVCu:
Aluminium: [youtube_video id=”-LGJ3kujIGc”]
Personally, I think they are quite funky! A bi-fold opens up in one leaf. It’s either open or closed, with the option one opening leaf on the other side. These however can all be opened and moved across in any way you want, meaning it’s neater if you only want the doors partially opened. They appear easy to use and will appeal to the same people that bought into the ‘Grand Designs’ idea.
According to the Legacy Windows website:
You will see that the way the door functions is clearly different, and as all the hardware is concealed, it has very clean sight lines, and is therefore sleek and exceptionally pleasing to the eye. Unfortunately the video can only pay partial testimony to the design and engineering excellence of the Panoramic Door: in the flesh it is even better!
There are many other benefits and features of this product that gives the Panoramic Door its immense customer appeal. With it’s innovative design and engineering excellence, it breaks free from the restrictions imposed on homeowners and designers by conventional patio and bi-folding doors. It delivers more scope, functionality and freedom to make choices you want about your living space, uninhibited by the operational and spacial limitations of its predecessors.
What I would say is that this may be a test of patience. The British public aren’t always the quickest to jump onto new and innovative things like this. Take keyless entry doors for example. The technology for residential homes has been available for a good two years now, yet still very few people have it on their doors.
However, with this being tried and tested in the sunny states for two years, and with the weather being as nice as it has been here for the last week or so, consumers may go for this quite quickly. The key here is to get the public aware as quick and as widely as possible – as it is with every new product.
You can contact Legacy on Twitter by clicking the link at the top of the page or via their website by clicking the link half way down.
One of the major advantages of bifold doors is that these doors allow complete access to an area, contrary to sliding doors. In fact, some of the most common applications of such doors include separating rooms and hiding small spaces such as laundry space or office nooks.
The video demo has been very helpful to me as I am considering a set of folding doors for my planned extension later this year. The video clearly shows the operation and advantages for this type of system compared to conventional sliding doors. I have been recommended IDSystems (http://www.i-d-systems.co.uk for ref).