Why are Crittal windows and doors popular ?

[LadyEloise1]

Just wondering why Crittal doors and windows are popular.
I just think the horizontal lines spoil a view out.

I like them (although I don’t have them!). I like that it feels like a dozen picture frames and views of the same landscape, so visually interesting. There is also something a bit nostalgic and comforting about them. I think best in a period property. A huge floor to ceiling single pane feels very modern to me better suited to new build.

I like them but they are a bit ubiquitous now, that's social media for you!

I’m with you, I don’t like looking through bars. I think it depends on whether you prefer an enclosed effect and intend the doors to be a feature, or if you want to look at the garden and want the doors to disappear. I prefer the latter and so we have sliding doors. Our neighbour has Crittall - it looks very nice from outside, probably more stylish/on trend than ours, but when inside I just want to open the doors as it feels so shut in by comparison.

They won't be popular for long! They look so awful on properties that were not designed for them. It makes me sad that people haven't learned from the avocado bathroom suites and hardboarding over panelled doors mistakes from the past.

That said, I now crave a turquoise bathroom! But as I live in a Victorian house I won't do it. I will when I move to the lovely 1960s property of my dreams.

I have them and love them but it's a 1930s house so feels in keeping.

They give character to our extention which would otherwise be a big white box plus they are very tall and make ceilings feel even higher which I like.

I think bifolds are chunky and naff

But agree crittal is now so ubiquitous and worry about how it'll age.

@LindorDoubleChoc I know what you mean, I'm on a Facebook group for people restoring Victorian properties and people keep removing 70s and 80s home improvement clichés and installing on trend features that they think are more authentic but will look just as dated in the end, lots of morrocan tiles, fake panelling, F&B Downpipe or navy walls, plantation shutters, herringbone oak floors, feature walls of garish vaguely Morris paper and Crittal doors, worst of all TV above the fireplace! Don't get me wrong sometimes it looks great if people have a good eye for design but often looks very harsh and samey. I'm being much more boring and neutral but it's more forgiving when it comes to mixing old and new.

Crittal went out of fashion because the glass used to become loose and they were draughty. That's not an issue now as I understand it. The black frames is new ish - I've seen them in original art deco properties and they were always painted white. There's a real trend (that will date) for black or very dark interior doors and woodwork, bannisters, etc, taps, showers, shower screens and that's all an extension of having white uPVC spray painted dark grey or black.

Real Crittal is expensive so it's a status symbol too.

Instagram!

Same with that awful mdf "panelling" glued to the wall.

Black woodwork and mdf panelling are the avocado bathroom suite or striped wallpaper with a dado height border of the 2020s.

We all think we choose what we like regardless of fashion... but the reality is, even the “timeless choices” will look dated in 20 years.

Crittal doors look great in the right (vaguely Art Deco) house. But in a few years time they’ll start to look a bit silly in some properties. But lots of things do.

I am the proud owner of original Crittal and like it very much. Although it was white and I did paint it black which is potentially sacrilege 😬

I pulled out ancient 1930s crittal and replaced with new crittal doors. Our house is art deco 1920s/30s though so it works well and anything else might look weird.

I’m less keen on chunky uPVC/aluminium crittal style as you can get a lot of frame and less window. But the cost difference is enormous so I do get why people go for them.

Every look goes out of fashion. My friend put in gloss floor tiles across her entire downstairs 4 years ago and now it has dated. But who cares? They’re lovely and look good still.

All that panelling that people put everywhere will be passé very soon too. Still looks fab though.

You only live once so fill it with things that bring you joy.

Oh god yes the cost difference!

We were looking at getting crittal for the back doors as we were removing the non original french doors.

20k + for actual crittal, about 7k for aluminium fake crittal. I really hate the look. Well I don’t. I think it would suit a modern house where aluminium or upvc would look good. But it wouldn’t suit our traditional house with original wood sashes and original crittal windows.

So we went for full glazed hardwood doors instead. So still modernish but it felt ok.

Every look goes out of fashion. My friend put in gloss floor tiles across her entire downstairs 4 years ago and now it has dated. But who cares? They’re lovely and look good still.

Exactly this, if we all worried decor would date none of us would decorate ever and where is the joy in that? Honestly everything is dated within 5 minutes of it appearing on instagram according to the the mumsnet massive anyway 🤷🏻‍♀️

We have just bought a 1930's art deco home which has original crittol windows and bifold doors. They're in need of replacement and we are so torn about what to do with them as they're very expensive to replace! They're a strange shade of sage green/blue but it suits the house.

Exactly this, if we all worried decor would date none of us would decorate ever and where is the joy in that? Honestly everything is dated within 5 minutes of it appearing on instagram according to the the mumsnet massive anyway 🤷🏻‍♀️

I blame Instagram for everything looking dated so quickly. Does anyone really decorate more often than every 5 years? I'm more of an every 10 years kind of person because I hate painting.

Yep they do seem to change decor constantly and once they’ve exhausted their current house they move and start again, currently every house is beige and white and accessorised with either faux olive trees or faux eucalyptus looks nice but every YouTube video does look the same!

I love them. We're getting them in our 1930s house, they will look amazing and will really suit the house. But I wouldn't get them in a newer house.

We compromised @insectinfestation

We replaced the windows with slimline aluminium and the huge crittal French doors with steel.

I tried to go with Crittal but they were too snooty and implied I couldn’t afford it! I went with FabCo who were a joy to work with.

I love the sound of your sage green/blue!

Omg do not rip them out!!!

Get them restored.

www.tecglass.co.uk/products/crittall-windows/

They are popular because they are expensive and thus a status symbol.

They’re not that easy to do if the crittal has been painted multiple times or has started to corrode. We looked into it for months!
They’re also hard to get to the right efficiency level if needed for building control.

A bugbear of mine on home makeover shows is using crittal style windows on Victorian houses and the presenters saying it is in any way authentic to the house. Same goes for the large scale herringbone flooring.

Agree @speedygreedy

Agree. It’s also a bit like the faux panelling/beading on walls that’s been doing the rounds. I just feel it looks a bit off when done in anything other than a period property