Responding to homeowner trends
By Ben Brocklesby, director at Origin
Homeowner trends are constantly evolving. In recent years, there has been more demand for slimmer sightlines. Prior to that, it was bi-fold doors making their stamp on the market.
The latest trend is being driven by a change in the way we live inside our homes. Even after the pandemic, the lines between home and work continued to blur with the rise of home working. As a result, homeowners are increasingly falling out of love with open plan living. Instead, they are looking to create separate zones within their home which can perform different functions. This is where internal glazing has become an invaluable solution.
Adding glass doors or screens to a space is a great way to create a zonal feel without compromising on the amount of light that enters and flows through a home.
However, sectioning off a home is a challenge that many homeowners have never done before, so they will come to an installer for the solution.
Rooms need intelligent zoning to ensure they become functional spaces. There are several glazing options broaden the application of glazed doors. Frosted or reeded glass are great options for those looking to block out the clutter of a utility room for example, without compromising the natural light.
The Origin OI-30 internal door has several configurations including single and French doors and fixed screens or it can be coupled with a corner post to create a whole new room.
Installing a corner configuration to an existing open plan room will create a new separate space, like an office or a playroom, without the need for walls, meaning homeowners won’t suffer from dark, pokey rooms. Similarly, open plan kitchen living spaces, or even long hallways, can be divided with a French door with added fixed frames to fill the larger aperture.
Internal glazing can also replace existing walls in small rooms to create a brighter space, whilst still blocking out the noise from children and pets during the workday.
The OI-30 also gives the homeowner the option of how many glazing bars are used, enabling them to create the look they want – from modern to traditional. Plus, there are a variety of hardware options too. This means homeowners can create a more rustic feel by using heritage hardware and multiple glazing bars, or a modern look by using fewer glazing bars and simple hardware options.
Under the new regulations for the Future Homes Standard, homes will have to be more thermally efficient, which could be a tall order for window and door manufacturers and may result in windows having to become smaller to reduce the U-Values. If this were to happen, internal glazing will ensure that while the light coming into a house reduces, it is spread evenly throughout the space, meaning the impact is not felt as much as it would be in a totally closed plan property.
As homeowners seek advice on how to zone their homes, know that there are options out there to suit every style and that pecifying products doesn’t need to be daunting for the homeowner or the installer.
