Bright delight: a dream green door

UF: What inspired the front door area and especially the colour?

CB: We chose a green front door for the simple reason that it’s my favourite colour.  We came across Urban Front online and saw a yellow door, which intrigued me. After our first meeting, I discovered we could have our door in pretty much any colour we wanted. From that moment on, I was set on green. We worked through all the shades against the design of the house and decided on this statement colour. It creates a bold opener to our house design and always gets the conversation started.

UF: Tell us about the wooden architectural glazing. 

CB: The hardwood window that surrounds the front door was designed by me. I drew up the plans and had a master craftsman/carpenter build it for me. This design was again intended to be a focal point of the house, letting in as much light to the north side as possible. Wood was chosen over aluminium and other materials for its natural properties and overall feel, working with the exterior cladding and interior wooden features. The use of timber also softens what is quite a big architectural statement - aluminium would have just looked too commercial and hard.

UF: Is there anything special about the build that jumps out to you?

CB: When you embark on a major project, there is always so much work that goes into everything before you see the fruits of your labour and vision. When the construction of the window started, and the new green front door was put in place, the front of the house instantly took on its new character.

UF: What's your vision for the front garden and did you find it easy to do?

CB: When we took on the property, the house and garden required major work: a real project. With a background in construction, the works on the house were completed and overseen by myself. For the past 13 years, I have run a garden design and construction company. It’s where my real passion lies. We have managed to complete some immediate landscaping around the house, but much is still to be done. The house will eventually be submerged into its natural surroundings where all hard landscaping will be balanced and softened by abundant new planting and new trees.