Doors & Windows
A contemporary front door for a coastal cottage
After more than a decade of home renovations , presenter , author and DIY interiors vlogger Georgina Burnett returned to Folkestone to renovate her tenth property ; a charming seaside home nestled within Kent ’ s Heritage Coast .
Georgina ’ s latest project - a terraced cottage just a five-minute walk from the sea front - brings her back to the town that she bought her first ever property .
“ When we first saw the cottage , we knew it had potential straight away ,” explains Georgina . “ As well as being in a great location , we could see that it didn ’ t need a full-blown renovation like some of our other projects , just a little bit of a refresh to make it an idyllic coastal getaway .”
While most of the interior could be improved using a lick of paint , Georgina knew it was important that the front and back doors of the property were replaced .
“ Kerb appeal is so important . I wanted a colour that stood out but wasn ’ t out of place , so I chose Albany ’ s Freshfield masonry paint to refresh the render and the same for the window ledges . Giving the façade a much-needed face lift made a huge difference , but it also made the original , now dated white PVC front door , stand out like a sore thumb .”
Georgina opted for an Anthracite Grey door from Solidor ’ s Flint Cottage range , paired with gold door hardware .
“ When choosing my door , the most important thing for me was ensuring that the door was in keeping with the rest of the property , both inside and out .
“ I felt it would be jarring to have an ultra-modern front door , so I chose the “ Flint 2 , also known as the Ancona ” as the vertical , timber-effect panel design ensures the door works with the overall feel of the cottage . I added an oblong satin glazed panel to let in natural light while maintaining an element of privacy .”
The door has a solid timber core encapsulated within a highly durable plastic edge banding and two thermo plastic door skins . Made from the same durable plastic as Lego , the entire skin is made from a solid colour , meaning that any scratches or knocks are more discreet . With a hidden edge banding too , there are no gaps in colour , providing a well-rounded and complete colour finish .
“ In properties like this , where the entrance takes you straight into living space , the door needs to be cohesive with the rest of the design . I used Solidor ’ s door designer to find the style and colour that would work well in the space .
“ I love the level of control that Solidor offers when it comes to the design of every detail like the colour of the hardware and the style of glazing . The profile of the front door is significantly narrower than a standard door , but this wasn ’ t an issue as Solidor manufacture bespoke doors and could match the non-standard specification .”
Georgina also chose a Solidor for the backdoor , which opens on to a narrow patio area and leads to a sloping garden ..
“ The back of the cottage is an L-shape , so when you ’ re going into the garden you have to be careful you aren ’ t opening the door into anyone . This was something that heavily influenced my door design .
“ I didn ’ t want an entirely glass door , so chose the Amalfi from Solidor ’ s Italia collection as it has a slim vertical glazed panel that spans most of the height of the door . As well as being practical , it capitalises on the sunlight that floods the south-facing garden . I also chose to have the door open inward , again to minimise the risk of someone getting hurt by an opening door .”
Georgina ’ s doors were fitted in July 2022 by Solidor approved installer TradeFit4U .
“ I ’ m so pleased with how both doors look and they really are the finishing touch to the cottage . The house is so much quieter now , I can ’ t hear the seagulls or any cars going past ; it has made such a difference compared to the old door .
“ We had a Solidor installed in a home I built and was working on a few years ago now , and , even without any maintenance , it looks as good now as it did then . It was a no-brainer for me to choose another Solidor for this project and I ’ d choose them again in the future .”
www . solidor . co . uk
24 NOVEMBER 2022 CLEARVIEW-UK . COM