Posted on: April 3, 2023

What Are French Doors?

Now that the cold weather finally seems to be ending, it’s time to start thinking about all those home improvement projects we’ve been putting off over the winter. As spring arrives, you’ll want to find ways to let extra light into your home and brighten it up. Having a good view of your garden coming to life is very appealing too. 

Here at Panoramic Windows, spring always makes us think about French doors. These classic installations are perfect for making your home feel closer to nature, and there’s something very fresh and vibrant about them. But what exactly are French doors? And what can they add to your home? Let’s take a closer look. 

The Origins Of French Doors

Despite what their name might suggest, there are still some doubts over whether French doors actually originated from France, or whether they were just popularised there. During the renaissance period, they were all the rage with France’s upper classes and were widely used to lead onto patios or balconies. The design soon spread throughout Europe and the name ‘French doors’ has stuck ever since. 

However, there is some dispute among architecture historians over where French doors first appeared. The French army had been deployed to Italy for several conflicts (which are now known as the Italian wars) and the soldiers were exposed to local building styles. The Italians were fond of two-pane windows that opened from the centre, some of which were so large they could even function as doors. When they returned from their campaigns, they took the designs with them and soon, French doors were cropping up all over France.  

The sticking point in the debate is at what point those large windows truly evolved into doors. Did the French genuinely adapt an established window style into something new, or did they just pinch the idea from the Italians? We’ll leave the final decision up to the professional historians, but they’ve been called French doors for centuries so that’s the name we’ll use. 

Classic Designs

Since those early days, the basic design of French doors have remained more or less the same. They consist of two doors that join in the centre and open outwards. They also feature large glazing areas and while this generally makes them unsuitable for use at the front of a house, they are perfect for leading into gardens and patios.

Because they have so much glass in them, French doors are just the thing for making a home seem bright and airy. When the sun hits them it can give your home a warm, welcoming vibe and they have a certain understated sophistication about them. And just in case you were wondering, no, all that glass does not make them a weak point for burglars to take advantage of. Modern French doors are fitted with double glazing as standard and include cutting-edge security systems. They’ll keep your home safe and you can rely on them for years to come. 

With all this in mind, you can see why we’re so enthusiastic about French doors. If you want to seize all that extra daylight we’re now getting, they are an excellent way to do it. And here at Panoramic Windows, we can help you design and install them.

So, if you’re interested in new French doors, why not get in touch? You can email us at [email protected] or call 01179 560 321. One of our experts will be in contact and while you’re waiting, why not get a free online quote? It’s the first step towards a new set of doors that will take your home to the next level. 

Categories: Updates