San Francisco Bay Area Home Improvement Guide

Big Doors

Big doors open new possibilities for indoor-outdoor living.

By Nathan Cregeur

There’s no place like home, especially when your home is a true reflection of the life you love. A 21st century lifestyle is defined less by walls and a roof and more about how the space you move in can shift and blend to suit your needs. It’s no surprise that integrating living spaces is a big trend these days, but the ways homeowners can make their mark are changing dramatically.

Windows and doors have played a significant role in connecting spaces before, but as technology has refined, their role has gotten bigger and better. The emphasis, in this case, is on the “big.”

From the simple act of letting light into a room to the emergence of energy-efficient options, windows and doors have changed quite a bit over the centuries. This latest evolution uses big doors to not only provide light and protection from the elements when closed; but to open up your home to outdoor living spaces when open. This flexibility can double or even triple in size on a beautiful day as the wall opens to connect indoors and out.

There are not merely oversized patio doors. Big doors can span a distance anywhere from 20 to 40 feet, literally becoming a wall when closed. Opened wide, and the amount of livable space expands without any square footage being added. Even when closed, the expanded view offered through a wall of windows changes the conversation about what defines your home.

One example of this type of door is the new MultiGlide Door from Andersen. Ideal for home designs that emphasize large expanses of glass in a contemporary or traditional panel style, MultiGlide doors are custom-crafted for each project – from sill styles to hardware, even the energy efficiency of the glass.

Big doors mean that patios, conversation pits, and outdoor kitchens are no longer separated by solid walls. Exploding the open concept, big doors help promote the flow between interior and exterior spaces in a completely intuitive way. Doors can even be curved to follow a wall’s lines or wrap around a corner.

A concept as big as these doors requires skills and advice from the professionals. Design and engineering considerations for homes new and old mean bringing in the field experts to make sure the process is one a homeowner can enjoy from start to finish.

Much like homeowners blend different parts of their lives into a common whole, what big doors add – not separate – to a space is a meditation on the ripple effect a single decision can have on an entire structure. Taking the time to design it right means you get to enjoy more of what you love about your home for as long as you live there, expanding your home’s story from a postcard view to a panoramic vista. Isn’t it time to redefine your living room?