How stable doors have evolved
There has always been something about a stable door. They are charming in their appearance, are highly functional, and add an element of beauty to the homes and buildings they feature on.
From historic roots to modern day living, stable doors have evolved far beyond their original, intended use, to become a key feature of properties of all ages and styles across the country, and wider world. Today we will take a deeper look into this beautiful style of entrance door.
What is a stable door?
Stable doors are believed to have originated in the Netherlands during the 17th century, as a key feature in numerous farmhouses, modest holdings and perhaps unsurprisingly, stables, across the country. Over the years and centuries following, they spread further across Europe, and into the UK and Republic of Ireland. With their Dutch origins, they are sometimes, albeit not very often, referred to as Dutch doors, and other times as half doors or double hung doors.
They are a single entrance door that is divided horizontally, so the upper sash can open independently to the lower sash, or together in a traditional door manner. These were, and still are ideal for farms and farm buildings, allowing the upper sash of the door to open, yet keeping smaller, roaming livestock such as poultry and pigs, out of the house.
What are the benefits of a stable door?
This unique and highly functional style of door provide many benefits to the homes they are installed in. Below, are a few of these key benefits:
Ideal for homes with young children and/or pets – Having a door where you can choose to only open the upper sash is ideal for homes with either young children, or pets, or both! This allows you to open the door to guests, or for a breeze without the risk of little feet escaping the home.
Superior Ventilation – Stable doors are often selected as the door at the rear or side of a property, and usually in the kitchen or utility room for example. With an opening upper sash, this allows for superior ventilation into the room which can be ideal for getting more of a breeze into the home, or for drying laundry / ventilating the kitchen while cooking for example, without having a full door wide open.
Security – A stable door, especially from the Timber Windows range, still features multi-point locking systems and naturally strong, engineered timber, providing peace of mind that this style of door is just as secure as our other entrance door offerings. Opening the upper sash only can also present a security benefit when answering the door to a visitor, as opposed to opening the full door, even slightly.
Character – Stable doors as mentioned above, have something about them, and are beautiful in their appearance. Even though they are often selected as a rear or side door to a property, they add beauty and style to the homes they are installed in, and can often add more character when compared to a single entrance door (providing it complements the property’s architecture and style).
Versatility in design – Stable doors have evolved beyond being a farmhouse style door. You can now find stable doors on property styles from numerous eras, and even new build homes. With the Timber Windows range, all our entrance door styles are available as stable doors, giving you the ability to choose the exact right style for your home and way of living. Through colour, glass and ironmongery choices, a stable door can appear more modern and seamlessly fit into a more contemporary styled home, if desired.
How stable doors can work with multiple property styles
Stable doors combined with modern manufacturing techniques and customisation capabilities mean that they are still a door for traditional farmhouses and cottages, yet so much more. More and more homeowners are seeming to opt for a stable door option for their home, due to the functionality benefits that they bring, which is especially important for homeowners with pets and families.
While a stable door is steeped in history, the ability to achieve different looks through door styles, colours, glass and hardware mean that they can be an option for almost any style of home providing the look works with that individual property’s architecture and appearance. As our customers, Mr & Mrs Boyens comment about their traditional Cotswolds home “The stable door is both enjoyable to use and a practical addition to the laundry room”, opting for a stable door as part of their home renovation was both a practical, and aesthetic choice that has benefitted the home and their day to day living. You can read more about their story here.
The Timber Windows range of stable doors
Stable doors have evolved over the years. While still a feature in numerous farmhouses and cottages, you can now find them all across the country on homes of all ages and styles. They are a beautiful, functional and practical option that can give them the edge over a single entrance door, in the right setting.
As mentioned above, with our range of entrance doors, all styles are also available in a stable door configuration, giving you unmatched choice and the ability to choose the most authentic new doors for your home. Our stable doors not only improve functionality, they also provide a boost in kerb appeal and character, and even provide a talking point for neighbours and friends.
Certain styles from our range are more traditionally suited as stable doors, such as the Stratfield, Bardwell, Staverton and Thorncliffe style doors. When you think of a stable door, the chances are that the image in your head will resemble one of these styles. However, depending on the property style, one of our other styles may be the most appropriate. Please pick up a free copy of our door portfolio and/or Choices brochure from one of our showrooms, or request it via our contact page here, to see our full list of door styles available, and see photos from installations across the country in homes of all shapes, sizes and eras.
All of our doors are manufactured in engineered timber, feature high performing, insulating glass, and have multi-point locking systems as standard, ensuring that your new stable door is secure, high performing, and a beautiful new addition to your home and way of living. Please visit your local showroom, where you can see one of our stable doors first hand and try one out for yourself.