Industry News
Pocket Doors – The Home Project Extension
Home improvement is on the rise in 2021 , with thousands of pounds expected to be spent on projects both big and small . David Newton of Brio explains why Pocket Doors can be a suitable extension for such projects and how to correctly choose and apply them .
» AN ETERNITY HAS SEEMINGLY passed since the pandemic struck , sidetracking plans and keeping many of us inside our homes in the process . Though , throughout this time , people have found solace in various activities , from getting fit and improving skills to spending more time on household jobs such as DIY and gardening .
If one thing ’ s for sure , plenty of homeowners have found themselves spending more time at home . And with most of that time being spent inside , it ’ s no surprise that those DIY projects have multiplied in their numbers and even evolved into larger scale home improvement projects .
In fact , according to 2020 reports , the average UK homeowner spent £ 4,035.70 on home renovations in the first lockdown alone . And on the 4th January 2021 , it was announced that the construction sector should continue to operate amidst the latest set of lockdown restrictions . This has been the ‘ green light ’ needed for this year ’ s home improvement projects , with predictions now showing households are expected to increase on last year ’ s spend , to a new average of £ 6,351 .
Creative Concepts So , with home improvement spend increasing and creativity truly unleashed , what can we expect to see from these newfound projects ? Well , over the years , open plan spaces have often found themselves at the forefront of home improvement plans . Typically , the removal of partition walls in rooms has offered homeowners a larger , lighter , more social feel to their rooms , and is commonly effective in living room and kitchen spaces .
However , with the changes our modern homes are facing - think the requirements of hybrid workers and their home office spaces - are we likely to see a swing away from open plan living ? It could be that more people choose to opt for what ’ s known as a ‘ broken-plan ’ style - a new alternative to open-plan living . With this , adopters can reap the benefits of open plan spaces while still being able to create distinct areas or rooms that can offer that additional privacy when necessary .
To make this style work , broken plan designs often make use of what we know as ‘ pocket doors ’, an aesthetic , yet functional alternative to knocking through walls - and a huge space-saver when compared to traditional hinged doors . Instead of opening outwards or inwards , internal pocket doors are designed to simply glide into a cavity that ’ s made into the adjacent wall . This gives users an
option that ’ s hidden and doesn ’ t impede on access in smaller or tighter spaces , thus maximising floor space .
Space-saving Potential
Pocket doors are growing in popularity and much of their growth can be linked to their space-saving credentials . In fact , pocket doors can create around 8 % more space in a room by reducing into their cavity walls and disappearing completely when open - creating that contemporary , streamlined look that so many modern homeowners are searching for .
However , their rise in popularity has previously left homeowners with a headache when choosing the correct hardware for their project . Today , there are different variations of pocket door kits , of which can be installed as a single door or in pairs ( known as bi-parting ). The choice is usually dependent on the size of the opening in question and it ’ s
Sources : https :// www . ons . gov . uk / economy / nationalaccounts / satelliteaccounts / bulletins / coronavirusandhowpeoplespenttheirtimeunderrestrictions / 28marchto26april2020 https :// www . money . co . uk / guides / renovation-nation https :// assets . publishing . service . gov . uk / government / uploads / system / uploads / attachment _ data / file / 951441 / letter-business-secretary-to-construction-sector-january-2021 . pdf
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MAR / APR 2021
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