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The Importance of Front Door Furniture

The importance of front door furniture to the overall look and feel of a build can be underestimated. We all know that investing in a high-quality front door is essential not just for the security of your home, but for creating the right impression for you and your guests. But having the right furniture for the door is just as important. When the furniture mismatches the look and feel of the door and the home itself, it stands out in ways that people may not be able to verbalise.

Your front door is likely to be one of the most expensive fixtures in your home. It’s essential to plan it well, choosing a front door that will look well for years after you install it. It needs to function efficiently, provide excellent security, high levels of insulation, and of course, be aesthetically pleasing. 

The Importance of Front Door Furniture: Choosing a Finish

Having an excellent piece of ironmongery to complement this investment can enhance the look and feel of the space as well as the security.  These should also be weather hardened to provide lasting strength, protection, and aesthetics for years after they’ve been installed. 

Whether you’re looking for front door knobs or door lettering, choosing furniture that matches the look and feel of the door and the home itself is essential for creating an impact. 

importance of front door furniture

If you decide to have a door knocker, we have a variety of options available, from Art Deco, “Doctor’s Door” and traditional Lion’s Head styles.  We also have incredibly unique looking finishes, such as the Regency door finished with Pewter which really highlights the importance of front door furniture for creating an effect.

An aged bronze finish can provide an ageless look suitable for a more traditional or a gothic appearance. You can attain a more modern feel using polished or satin chrome. For brighter colours and shades, polished bronze can often make for excellent contrast. And Antique Pewter can often work with various styles thanks to its somewhat neutral finish. 

In terms of security, you can back up the existing locking mechanism with a deadbolt system or door chain. In addition to improving security, these can also help to enhance the appearance of your space. Another element in this category of safety and style is the door peep, which is available in our four main finishes to match your door, your home.

If you have a query about one of our products, styles or finishes or are simply looking for advice or information, contact us today.

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Sliding Internal Doors

sliding internal doors

Sliding Internal Doors make for beautiful barn conversions, and can give an authentic accent to period homes and offices. The system we use is produced by the renowned From the Anvil and are hand-made by a blacksmith. From the Anvil specialise in traditional ironmongery, and the results are as gorgeous as they are unique. This provides a beautiful, classic look on your sliding wooden doors. The handcrafted steel straps are left exposed down the front of the door, providing an old-fashioned look to your space. The sliding door kit we use can support doors weighing up to 80kg, and the hangers run smoothly along the bar track.

Sliding Internal Doors: What Are the Specifications?

From the Anvil’s internal door kit is available for a two-metre sliding door kit, or three-metre sliding track. Both the two-metre and three-metre track are suitable for a door with a width of at least 50 centimetres. The maximum door with for the two-metre track is one-metre, whereas the three-metre track requires a max door width of one and a half metres.  For both kits, the door thickness has an allowable range between 3.6 centimetres to 4.6 centimetres. And the maximum door weight is 80 kilograms. The 3-metre track costs €389.35 and the 2-metre track is available for €315.65.

If you’re choosing sliding internal doors, consider that this is something you will use and see every day. It might seem like a ‘small detail’, but the correct choice of finish can completely transform and elevate the appearance of your home interior. With handcrafted iron finishes, you will accentuate the look, function and feel of the space.

Advantage of Sliding Internal Doors

Compared with a regular door, you’re going to ‘save’ corner space where a regular door would hinge. The downside, of course, is that the area alongside the walls will need to free for the doors to retract. This can limit where you place radiators, fixtures or wall hangings, but this can be avoided by using a sliding pocket door kit as the wall retracts into the wall itself. Other things to consider are that sliding internal doors may not provide a complete seal if heating is a concern or when you anticipate noise issues.

If you have any further questions about sliding doors or would like advice on your project, feel free to contact us today.

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Front Door Knob: Which One Should You Choose?

Front Door Knob: Which One Should You Choose?

Which front door knob should you choose? It’s a question we often hear. Small things can often make a big impact on the look and feel of your living space. When you have large panels that are otherwise uniform in shape or finish, the furniture is often the things to make it stand out. This is absolutely the case when it comes to front door knobs. While we have a vast collection, today we look at three beautiful designs that can make a visual impact.

Brockworth Front Door Knobs

Brockworth offers a classically ornate yet timeless design for your front door that adds a level of quality to the finish. Available in Aged Brass, Aged Bronze, Polished Chrome or Polished Nickel, there’s a finish for most front doors. The Aged brass finish, somewhat reminiscent of a chess piece, manages to provide an accent of class to most doors. These are unsprung solid mortice knobs with fine beading to the handle and rose. These are designed for Mortice only and are not suitable for rim locks. These allow for different door thicknesses with an 8mm x 140mm adjustable spindle. We recommend that the centre of the knob be at least three inches from the door’s edge. For maximum efficiency, we recommend four or five-inch heavy-duty latches.

Mushroom Door Knob Set

front door knobs mushroom

The mushroom door knob set is suitable for both Mortice and Rim doors, making them a suitable option for both traditional and modern front doors. Their versatility is furthered by compatibility

with most thumbturns, latches and heavy-duty locks. Salt tested to 480 hours, the aged bronze finish is forged from solid unlacquered bronze (with at least eighty-five percent copper). A gorgeous matt and rich finish is attained through our ageing process. The ageing process at first darkens the surface, but as it oxidizes over time the copper undertones become apparent.

The ‘Flower Mortice’ Front Door Knob Set

This finish offers far more contrast and flourish than most of our designs. Intended to be striking, we finish this unique look with a natural, smooth feel. We include all fixings and screws and both roses come attached.

If you have something else in mind,  view our full collection or contact us today.

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The Advantages of Pocket Door Kits

advantages of pocket door kits

The advantages of pocket door kits are, like most door furniture, also complimented with their own share of disadvantages. We look at the best aspects as well as a few caveats.

The Advantages of Pocket Door Kits Compared With Regular Doors

Without spending too much time on the obvious, the greatest gain with a pocket door kit is that it immediately “clears” space. No longer do you require room-space for the door to hinge. This can create an incredibly beautiful, simple, minimalist feel. This is perfect in situations when you have little space, or you have particular features you wish to place on a wall.

advantages of pocket door kits

The downside is that, with a pocket door kit, you’re going to need to install the system. This has to be done in a stud wall, which means it’s going to be messier, more difficult and more expensive to retrofit. But in situations when a living space will genuinely benefit from a cleaner, more open appearance, it can often be well worth the cost.

It’s also worth noting that a regular door will be easier to seal. If you’re looking for airtightness in your home, it’s very difficult to get a seal and most designs do not allow for it. 

Advantages of Pocket Door Kits Versus Internal Sliding Doors

Sliding doors are nothing new, and the Internal Sliding Door is the pocket door’s older relative. Our own style comes in a ‘barn’ finish which creates a rustic finish to your living space. 

A pocket door kit will allow for a much tighter seal on a door, which improves sound dampening and insulation. This is because it goes directly across the door opening. In contract, an internal sliding door is railed on the outside of the entrance and rests in front of the opening, creating a large opening which will let in sound and air in plenty.

A pocket door will also not cover walls compared with an internal sliding door. This means you can use those walls for hanging furniture, decor, or utilities on the adjacent walls without issue. 

We hope this answers any questions you may have. If you have any further queries or you’d like to know more about our range, feel free to contact us today.

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Internal Sliding Doors

internal sliding doors

Internal sliding doors are a tasteful option when you don’t want or don’t have floor space. With the right furniture, sliding doors can open up a room and enhance the appearance of the space. They’re easy to install using our internal sliding door kit, and they usually require minimal maintenance. 

About Our Internal Sliding Door Kit

internal sliding doors

Our sliding door kit comes with a 2m track in a traditional black finish. To create a traditional, rustic appearance, the expose the steel straps along the front of the door.  The hangers are crafted to look beautiful while running smoothly across the track. As with any fixture, the structure of the wall will have to take the weight of the sliding door system as well as the door itself. The kit is built to handle internal doors that weight up to 80kg and is supplied with all necessary fixings. As our rails come in traditional black, we recommend coupling them with black or beeswax door hinges, available under ‘related products’ in our kit. Our kits should be easy to install and will arrive within 2 business days. 

Internal Sliding Doors Versus Pocket DoorsBoth will enhance the open layout of your space and free up floor space typically be taken up by a standard hinged door. The clearest difference between the two is that you can completely hide pocket doors when open. This means that they don’t block the walls, but of course, you can only install these into stud walls, making them more difficult to retrofit. Using a pocket door kit, you’re also able to install a far more versatile range of doors.

The downsides of internal sliding doors compared with pocket doors is that they will cover the walls when open. This makes them unsuitable in a windowed area or where there’s a radiator or other fixtures. And of course, they may occasionally come off the rail. Though this is easy to correct. Neither versions offer a perfect seal to the door, making them unsuitable in situations when you need to reduce noise. If you need further clarity, have questions, or you’d simply like to discuss your installation or idea with us, you can contact us on sales@wedressdoors.ie. We’ll be happy to help.

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Front Door Furniture

front door furniture

When it comes to front door furniture, the main things to keep in mind are the style, finish and the practicality. At We Dress Doors, we will often handcraft our furnishings if it helps add something unique to the finish. When appropriate, the front door furniture we produce is water and salt tested. Below we will outline some of our key items, and you may also like to view our full range of front door hardware.

Front Door Furniture: Numerals and Lettering

We provide numerals and lettering in many different finishes. Two popular choices are aged bronze letterings and aged bronze numerals.

Aged Bronze finish gives a simplistic, heavy effect. These were produced using unlacquered bronze with at least 85% copper. The matt finish is produced using a process designed to age and darken the metal. As it ages, the finish will oxidize and produce a warm copper undertone that can be very appealing.

We also produce a similar simplistic design for polished bronze lettering and polished bronze numerals.

As with the aged bronze effect, this finish is salt-tested to 480 hours and manufactured from solid unlacquered bronze. And again it also contains a minimum of 85% copper. For the bright polished effect, the metal is aged and then repolished. Because of the aged effect in the detailed areas and the bright surface where it has been polished, you get a beautiful contrast.

Front Door Furniture: Knockers

We have a full selection of door knockers that will work beautifully with most modern and classic designs. For example, the beautiful Beeswax Pear Shaped Door Knocker. Each one is unique, handcrafted over an anvil by a master forger. The blacksmith draws the knocker from a single steel bar and bends and shapes it using a hammer and furnace. Each piece will have its own individual look and feel. To preserve this front door furniture in any climate, the process includes the use of anti-corrosive beeswax and the knocker is salt tested to 480 hours.

We hope this gives you some idea of the items we have on offer. But as many of our pieces are unique, we encourage you to view the full selection to see which may be best suited for your front door. If you have any specific queries relating to an item, please feel free to email us directly at sales@wedressdoors.ie

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Pocket Door Kits

ermetika pocket door kit

Pocket door kits allow you to increase the function and utility of your space. At We Dress Doors, we provide the finest quality Ermetika pocket door kits. In addition to high-quality construction, these pocket doors are visually stunning. The pocket door kit allows you to install it either to open/close from the left or the right side, depending on the room layout.

Pocket Door Kits: Installation

By installing the kit into your cavity wall or wall frame, this setup creates a sleek finish that is minimalistic. The doors become completely concealed within the cavity wall when opened. Many different door types can be used with the pocket door kit.

If you wish to use these as a room divider, you can also install two together for a flexible, open plan layout without the obstruction of a hinged door.

Pocket Door Edge Pull Handles

When you use an edge pull handle, your pocket door kit is retracted so that this is the only piece of door furniture visible will be the handle. This will be accessible from the side of the entrance frame. So that it remains sleek and unobtrusive, the handle itself is also fully retractable so that it is completely flush with your door frame. To extract and use the handle, you use a finger to retrieve it. While small and unobtrusive, these are very robust and attractive pieces of hardware.

Pocket Door Flush Handles

We also stock flush handles which can be ordered with your pocket door kit. The advantage of the flush handle is that it does not need to be retracted in order to be used. These use a ‘hollowed out’ cavity to provide a firm grip. This is suitable for those who prefer the convenience of an always-available handle. This will require a little bit of DIY to install.

For those who wish to maintain a flush, minimalist appearance at all times then the pocket door retractable handle may be the preferred option. These flush handles dimensions come in various sizes to accommodate most doors.

Locks for Your Pocket Door Kit

If you wish to install a pocket door in a space that requires privacy, such as a bathroom or bedroom, a locking mechanism can also be installed. We provide two versions of the same locking mechanism. Each includes a hook lock, a turn & release, a strike plate and a finger pull.

If you have any further questions about pocket doors or our range of door furniture, feel free to contact us today.

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Cupboard Handles Or Knobs?

cupboard handles or knobs

On occasion, we’re asked, “Should I choose cupboard handles or knobs? What’s more appropriate? Should we go with cupboard knobs if it’s in the kitchen since? What about cabinet handles in the bedroom?” While there’s no definite answer and, of course, it all comes down to taste and the finish you’re after, if you’re having difficulty deciding then there are a few pointers to consider that can help.

Cupboard Handles

The advantage of using cupboard handles is that they’re just easier to grasp when you’re going about your day. If you plan to use the cabinet frequently and it’s expected to be a highly functional piece that gets touched day after day, it makes sense to consider a handle rather than a knob.

For example, handles are often graspable even when your hands are full (you can just use a couple of fingers to grasp it). If you expect to have heavier items in the cabinet then a handle makes sense.

One potential disadvantage worth considering when choosing a handle is that depending on the handle-type and its placement in your home, it may be at risk (depending on its shape) of snagging clothing as you pass. So please take this into consideration.

We provide cupboard handles in traditional handmade styles, as well as handles with a sleek, modern finish.

Cupboard Knobs

One advantage of using cupboard knobs is that they can appear a little daintier and unobtrusive. Depending on the style you’re after, this can support the look of your space. One potential trade-off is that, in general, a cupboard knob will not give you as much to grip. It’s perfect for storing lighter things such as clothing, but if you plan to use a cupboard to store heavier items it may be difficult with a cupboard knob.

When choosing a style, keep in mind the overall look you’re after. For example, these beeswax hammered knobs, which are handcrafted by our blacksmiths, offer an ornate yet modern appearance. Whereas these ‘flower’ style black cupboard handle with a removable base, offer a more classic look suitable for painted cupboards in the kitchen, bathroom or bedroom.

Kitchen Cabinet Handles

We provide kitchen cabinet handles in multiple designs and different styles that make them suitable for both modern and traditionally styled kitchens. For a handle that is closer to a knob, we have the ‘Natural Smooth Cabinet Handle’, which allows a little more grip than a regular knob though is less obtrusive than some handles.

Many of our pull handles come in different sizes so that the same style may be used for an entrance but the same design in a smaller size can be used as a kitchen cabinet handle. For example, the Pewter Regency Pull Handle. As with most of our door furniture, this piece is handcrafted by our blacksmiths.

We hope that this gives you some sense of when to use a cabinet knob and when to use a handle. If you have more specific questions that were not answered here, please don’t hesitate to contact us today on 01-4536633

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Front Door Knobs: What Are My Options?

Front Door Knobs: What Are My Options?

“What Are My Options” – this very question, when asked, can open up a Pandora’s box of choice for the discerning customer.

Certainly when the subject is front door knobs the customer will be spoilt for choice when it comes to the variety of door knob options available across a whole range of styles and finishes that are on offer at We Dress Doors.

One might think that the choice of front door knobs is not a big consideration, but please be advised that it is indeed a very big decision – as the term “First Impressions” springs to mind.

The front door knob is one of the first things that visitors to your home will observe, and in its own way, it will tell a lot about you from a design and style perspective, and also give some idea of the interior style cues that may be on show within the house.

With the design concept mindset you will have a decision to make about the shape, style and colour of your door knob.

Door knobs come in a variety of shapes that include rounded models; octagonal knobs and even art deco models.

Then comes the decision around the preferred finish – again there are lots of finishes to choose from including traditional beeswax finish, traditional black – both matt and gloss looks. Of course, brass features prominently in the selection of door knobs available – but even in this regard customers can choose from aged brass, high-gloss brass finish and the more traditional brass look – again the choice will be dictated by the styling cues of the property coupled with personal preferences.

Bronze is another popular choice in door knobs – and indeed harks back to ancient times and in this way can give them a timeless look and feel. As with the brass finish, bronze door knobs are typically available as an aged look style or with the more contemporary antique look.

Interestingly, pewter, though much older as a metal, is proving very popular with contemporary and modern house styles – most likely because it compliments modern design really nicely, and helps to make an initial design statement from the time visitors first arrive at your front door.

In a similar way, polished chrome door knobs are proving popular in the modern context also – they are particularly popular when used in properties that are typically open plan in their design, and properties that incorporate a host of modern design cues and fittings.

At We Dress Doors, we are delighted to offer one of the largest selections of door knobs in Ireland, and we are always happy to give advice to customers who may need some direction.

The most important thing for customers to do is to take their time when making the decision about the front door knob as this small but significant purchase will tell a lot about your home, and indeed about your own individual tastes and styling ideas.

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How To Choose Cabinet & Cupboard Handles & Knobs

How To Choose Cabinet & Cupboard Handles & Knobs

Choosing cabinet handles and knobs can be overwhelming — there are so many different choices depending on what style you’re looking for. But the right cupboard knob or handle can really add to the finish of your cabinet or cupboard, and therefore your living space. One of the most important and first steps to make when designing your space is choosing the cabinets. If you’re not decorating from scratch, you can still make some easy improvements using the right finish. Switching out the handles and knobs can really change the feeling of your space.  Once you choose your cabinet style and colour, then it’s time to choose your finish.

Invest In Handles & Knobs: They Are The Things You’ll Touch Every Day

Spend your money on the things you interact with physically. Handles and knobs will be used again and again by you, guests, or perhaps children who aren’t going to be as careful. You don’t want your handles becoming worn or coming loose after a few weeks. You will be looking at it and touching the handles every single day. Coupled with this, you want the handles and knobs to look beautiful. One small change can change the tone of your entire space.

Consider Livability

In addition to being durable and beautiful, consider how things are affected by contact. For example, a chrome handle may look beautiful while clean, but certain chrome finishes can be easily smudged and left with handprints, so in some placements and in some households, chrome handles might not be ideal.

In terms of practicality, if you have a cupboard door containing heavier items, such as a pot drawer, would you want a regular sized handle, or would a longer bar work better since you may require two free hands to comfortably pull it?

Consider The Style Of Your Cupboards & Cabinets

Tone matters. For example, if your cabinet has a rustic barnyard look, then a handle in gold may contradict its style. Something simpler may be in order. As another example, if you have a cabinet with a lighter, whiter tone,  a similarly toned handle or knob may blend in too much. On the other hand, something in higher contrast such as black may offer an appealing contrast that appears as a more intentional design choice. An ornate knob may look beautiful in your ensuite, but may appear gaudy in your kitchen. A round or square knob may be associated with a more modern look. Or long tubular handles may leave a great visual impact in a modern kitchen space, but look out of place in a traditional style.

We hope that this gives you some ideas. Though if you have any further questions or would like to make an inquiry, please don’t hesitate to contact us on 01-4536633.