Renovating and modernising a property is an exciting journey. Whether you're looking to give your family home a facelift and expand your space, or you're a developer looking to add value and appeal to your property portfolio - with so much available on the market, it can sometimes be a daunting prospect to make sure you choose the best glazing systems for your desired look & budget.
Over the last year, the home improvement sector has seen a 'race for space', with tens of thousands of households looking to either move homes, or transform their home space to allow for modern working and making the most of time spent indoors. With this, a huge demand has risen for stylish and practical glazing systems which not only look great - but add value and appeal to your home for years to come.
We're sharing our top 5 contemporary home glazing-upgrade ideas to inspire you and talking through the benefits of each - with expert top tips and considerations from our Founder, Nic.
ALUMINIUM SLIDING DOORS
There's little out there which offers more 'wow' factor than our Cor Vision Plus 2000 Sliding Doors. A new, upgraded alternative to bi-folding doors, Sliding Doors can transform any home into the most modern of abodes. Compared to bi-folding doors, sliding doors offer considerably larger glass panels. As a result, your room benefits from more light and a clean, panoramic view with reduced profiles and thinner aluminium sightlines.
Sliding doors come with slim frames and reduced mullions, which give your home a sleek appearance and create the illusion of sliding walls. These doors come with the option of 2 to 6 panels, meaning they can be made for a variety of spaces and sizes and can even be installed into the walls for an invisible outer-frame finish.
Sliding doors come with thermally insulated profiles which provide outstanding energy efficiency, along with a range of security benefits including advanced toughened safety glass, high-security locking mechanisms and cylinders, and high security glazing to prevent glass removal. These doors are also meet and exceed PAS 24 regulations and are tested against extreme weather conditions - meaning they keep the cold out, and the warm in! We'd recommend these doors for those looking for a truly contemporary, open bright space - and they work especially well in kitchen/dining areas providing a panoramic garden view. Teamed up with a roof lantern - we think these doors are the 'definition' of contemporary living!
GABLE & APEX WINDOWS
These, mostly sloping windows, are an eye-catching feature of the facade and even as part of contemporary architecture are the icing on the cake to any building. They compliment either the front or rear of any property - allowing natural light to flood into the space and create a central focus. Depending on the size and specification - gable & apex windows can be manufactured in either uPVC or Aluminium, but usually we'd recommend aluminium to ensure maximum durability and to enhanced the contemporary aesthetic.
Gable windows can be used in a variety of ways - including above a traditional uPVC conservatory, above a set of bi-folding/sliding doors - or they can be a complete feature of their own. Like most advanced glazing products, our gable windows are bespoke made to measure giving a wide range of possibilities, dimensions and angles to help you achieve your desired style. Our aluminium gable systems come in a range of standard colours and powder-coatings, and feature toughened safety glass as standard.
ROOF LANTERNS & SKYLIGHTS
Yet another way to enhance the natural light in your home is to add contemporary roof lanterns or skypods. Not only are these a way of creating more light, but they also make a stylish internal/external feature within the space.
There are a few different options when it comes to choosing a roof lantern for your home. Each option makes a striking feature - but the final choice mainly comes down to aesthetic preferences or, sometimes, a certain type of lantern is required for the pitch/elevation of the roof you're having it installed on. We can advise you on your options - however we've listed our three favourite lantern styles below to get you inspired;
CONTEMPORARY ROOF LANTERN (WITH FRAME)
2. PYRAMID FRAMELESS LANTERN
3. FLAT ROOF LIGHT
BI-FOLDING DOORS
Bi-folding doors are a great, cost-effective solution to giving your home a wow-factor upgrade. Bi-folding doors have the unique functionality of an easy slide & stacking system - creating a smooth, effortless opening whereby the doors fold back in a stacking motion, allowing your space to open up entirely. They are designed to cover large openings, but can be made to suit any space - with configurations ranging from 2-9 panes.
Bi-folding doors offer incredible thermal performance and come complete with toughened thermal safety glass - guaranteeing to keep the cold weather where it belongs, outside! Then, in the summer months, these doors stack together to allow the warm air into your home and give you a perfect al-fresco dining area for all of the family to enjoy. Bi-folding doors are also surprisingly cost-effective, with prices starting at as little as £1,250 + VAT for supply & installation.
To further inspire you, here's a small gallery of some of our recently installed Bifolding Doors by Definition Double Glazing Ltd throughout Surrey:
ALUMINIUM FLUSH CASEMENT WINDOWS
Flush casement windows have seen a huge increase in demand in the last year or two, due to their traditional looks and design features which replicate the authentic 1950's timber window style. Commonly installed on traditional and character properties as an energy efficient alternative to their timber ancestors - flush casement windows can also be used to create a seamless contemporary look on the most new & modern of properties.
Flush casement windows come in either uPVC or aluminium - but to achieve the most up-to-the-minute look, aluminium frames are the way to go. Aluminium flush casement windows come with a sleek, slim-line frame allowing for maximum glass area and a clear view. On a flush casement window, the sash lays flat with the outer frame, giving the windows a seamless appearance and creating neat, symmetrical sight-lines. Traditional window frames (non-flush sash) also come with slim profile options, however, the sash protrudes slightly from the outer casement - so whilst both options look great, it's down to personal preference as to which best suits your vision.
Whatever contemporary glazing you're looking for - Definition Double Glazing Ltd can help. We carry a wide range of systems to fit every design configuration and budget and pride ourselves on offering unlimited free advice and a no-obligation quotation.
Definition Double Glazing Ltd is a family-run double-glazing business based in Chertsey, Surrey. Covering Weybridge, Walton, Woking, Staines, Guildford, Addlestone, Virginia-Water and all surrounding areas, we are happy to provide honest, trustworthy advice and expert workmanship for all double-glazing solutions and requirements.
For more information or to enquire on any new double-glazing requirements, call us on 01932 489108 or email enquiries@definitiondoubleglazing.co.uk for a free home design consultation.