Bifold doors in old houses?

[Pannacotta]

We had an architect round to look at our kitchen renovation plans, and he thought we should put in a long run of folding doors, leading out onto our courtyard, which is at a lower level.

There wouldn't be another window in the kitchen and we would lose lots of wall space, which seems quite impractical to me.

Also we have steps down into our courtyard (we can't raise the level of it as we are close to the neighbour's garden) so I can't really see how they would work leading out onto steps down.

I also have a feeling that bifold doors might look out of place in our quirky victorian house, am wondering if they are a bit of a style fad which might soon pass...

Have any of you put them in period/town kitchens and if so how do you find them?

TIA

You could look at some episodes of whatever that programme was on Channel 4 with George Whatsit - he put bifold doors in literally every house he put in.

I know you're worried about not having enough storage space and workspace in your kitchen if you lose walls - why don't you go to talk to some really good kitchen designers to see what your options are, and then you might have a better idea of whether you must keep all your walls, or whether you can lose one of them.

Don't let this put you off, but because George Whatsit put bifold doors in absolutely every house he does, DH and I find them hilarious, and were in fits of laughter when we found DSiL was putting them in her house. But she loves them and they do look very nice. We just keep imagining George Whatsit going to more and more unsuitable houses and putting in bifold doors.

You're right, a good kitchen desginer would be helpful, not sure who to ask! Any recommendtions for local-ish companies? Is your kitchen new? I know I have seen you posting about your worktops...

Have to admit that George Clake has managed to put me off bifold doors and its odd how they seem to be a very common trademark among architects.

My feeling is that large, simple french doors plus a sash window to one side would look and work better but I am open to other options.

They do let loads of light in and are great for that indoor outdoor look but I think any large expanse of glass is great IF you are looking out onto something lovely.i always have lived in victorian terraces and the gardens are always quite small and nothing special so I have never used them myself.prefer french doors in a period house unless as I say garden spectacular.I haev seen tehm recently ina bungalow where they looked out onto a garage wall seemed a real waste of money.They are the in thing though in the last 7 or 10 yrs and people love them but buy the best you can afford as cheap ones are fraught with faults and it is hassle if they are out of action and your only 'exit' iyswim.

noddy I totally agree.
We have quite a nice view of trees in neighouring gardens but the courtyard outside the kitchen is quite small and close to an old brick wall.
The main garden is a good size but is off the living room.
My preference is for french doors but suppose I want to be sure thats the best way.

Ahem. I've just remembered we're going to have bifold doors in our new studio conversion, but that doesn't really count. For a kitchen, I think you'd need the German style 'tip and tilt' ones which open from the top as well as folding back, so you can have them open without being 'open' to allow children out.

I think that Noddy's right - does your courtyard look lovely?

DPiLs have them in their period house, and the garden is truly spectacular, but the doors themselves don't look suited to the house - but frankly, you don't look at anything in the room except the garden.

We had a brilliant kitchen designer who did our first kitchen (about a year before we moved), who upped and went to live in Spain. I couldn't recommend the second kitchen designers nearly as much.

The courtyard is ok, not lovely at the moment but I do have plans for it and will add some LED solar fairly lights and have planted lots of climbers for summer and winter flowers.
There is very little planting space as the boundary wall is only around 2m from our house wall, so it is hard to do much with it.

We will change the paving and plant up some pots, we just cant do this until the ktichen renovation is done as there will be some buiding work whatever we do.

Perhaps I should post a pic of the courtyard in the gardening topic for suggestions..

I like bifold doors but am also one of those who cannot look at them without thinking of George wotsisname putting them in every house. It doesn't sound like you're that keen on them and it's a lot of money to spend for a statement piece if it's the wrong statement iyswim. French doors and wide windows would look fab, esp if it gives you more room for cupboards.

You can get a similar look for a lot less with 2 sets of sliding patio doors side by side They look esp good in solid wood or flint grey upvc and much less to go wrong plus easier to open one if you just want a bit of air

If we dont put in bifold doors then we will only have room for one set of doors as we'd keep part of the wall for a window (and sink unit below).
I need to measure up and also get some designers round. Shame your contact has left the country Grendel!

Bifold doors look great in a modern house but please don't put them in a Victorian house. I know they're very trendy at the moment but they'll look wrong.

I think bifold doors look great in photos etc but are not actually that practical in this country - how often is the weather good enough to have them fully open?

Our house probably originally had French doors leading out to the garden from the back living room but had been replaced with sliding doors by the time we bought it - when we had to replace them we went for sliding doors again rather than bifold. Bifold doors would have had more frames thus obscuring the view of the garden more than sliding doors.

Good point Decor, the weather is not the most reliable in this country!
I think we will probably go for french doors.

Does anyone have any recommendations for good quality wooden patio doors?
I have looked at Jeldwen and Jewsons on line (I think), or we could get them made by a local joinery company.

I think you're right..I'd look at Jewson etc but try and get them made if you can - sometimes the quotes can be comparable to off the peg and you can get an exact copy of originals by checking what other houses in the street have got.

We have Scandinavian wooden bifolds in our kitchen extension to a Victorian house - I must admit they look nice but were ruinously expensive and actually a bit of a PITA to use. Either open or shut and not much good in between so we don't really use them all that much.

Thankfully we kept (copies of the original) French windows leading off the sitting room so I can still just open a door to let the kids out on days when I don't want the whole wall of the house open ( ie most days in this country..)

Try www.kandd.org/

This is a joinery company which does made to measure windows and doors or anything wooden.

Our whole house has just been fitted with new solid timber doors and windows.

Our back room as a 7 bifold door fitted to the back and also french doors to the side and sash windows to most of the rooms facing the back and bay windows to the side.

This company also put in solid oak flooring tto the complete downstairs and 1st floor and also a solid oak staircase to all 3 floors.

Lots of friends who have visited our new house has all commented on all the timber work so well recommended.

Thanks, and I will check out your link darlings.
I did just find some doors on line made by La Porte which are oak and seem very well priced, does anyone have any experience of them?
We will be changing the wall where they'll go do we won't need them made to measure, although I like the idea of supporting a local joinery company.

We have aluminium folding sliding doors in our kitchen made by a German co, Solarlux. They were expensive but worth every penny. They have a single door opening, which is great for everyday use and as for never opening them, not true! We are in sunny Kent and have had them open loads this Spring and Summer.

But - I wouldn't have them if the terrace wasn't flush , and I wouldn't get doors that weren't completely flush with the floor, as a lot of the pleasure of having them open is just being able to wander in and out without thinking or looking for obstacles - the DC regularly scooter in and out.

We got aluminium as we are very exposed and lovely as timber looks it would have lasted 5 mins. Our architect also recommended another row of them in our living space but we have a big picture window instead as there is a drop to the terrace there so not much point.

I also love the way they look at night with the reflections. I know they may date, but don't care, our whole house is contemporary so we bit the bullet.

Your oak French windows sound lovely too.

Here in Italy, because space is a premium, they often have them. They look great, done well, and they function well, is built properly and planned properly