Mad for not considering bifolds in new extension?

[Miskate]

We're having a double storey extension adjacent to our 3 bed detached. The ground floor extension will be a very large living room and downstairs loo. Initially we were considering bifolds from the living room to the garden, but now the foundation has been poured and we have to finally make up our minds, we're not sure!

We already have French doors into the garden on the other side of our house in our current living room, which is by the kitchen and will be used as a dining room once extension finished.

Now we're thinking about getting very large, picture windows instead of the bifolds in the new bit, because

1. We already have access to the garden through the French doors on the other side of the house.

1. The new living room will have one wall less to put furniture against if there are bifolds.

1. Don't think we'll use bifolds much as we live in Wales (!)

Are we mental? Has anyone done this in the last ten years?

Like Mummyshark, we live in the southeast. We have west-facing bifold doors, and have them open all the time between May and September. We aren't overlooked, so don't have blinds/curtains. We love them, but we are quite outdoorsy, and often open them through the winter on sunny days.

We're in the midst of an extension and eschewed bifolds even though the builder assumed we'd want them. They take up way too much wall space and it's cold enough in winter without the back wall feeling like a big hole. We're having sliding doors and no regrets.

I would always have what is architecturally right for the property. What looks right from outside is what is best. French doors are not huge and you can usually not use all walls. Most people don’t have furniture under picture windows for example. It’s fairly easy to accommodate and live with French doors. Bifolds are fashionable but don’t work on every house.

For those that had French patio doors fitted, were they wood or aluminium?

I think they're a bit of a fad, tbh. Your idea of a picture window sounds much more practical, but make sure you have some ventilation in that room, though.

We went for bifolds and love them, have them open most days from spring to autumn, love the feeling of continuity with the garden. But they are off our kitchen diner, I'm not sure I'd want them in a living room, not very practical

We've not got bifolds so can't comment but we have 3 french doors and a normal door opening out to the garden and it does make a difference to how the house and garden interact so I'd say go for doors out to the garden even if you think you won't use them, you'll surprise yourselves.

Haha! Ours are UPVC. Already in when we moved in.

I did open one of mine for half an hour, this afternoon. Despite no warm weather, all week, it got uncomfortably muggy here, this afternoon, so, when a breeze picked up, I opened one while I made dinner to get some of the cooler air circulating. For no longer than necessary, though, because it really has been a cold wind, this evening, doors were slamming and the flies were getting on my tits.

On the right property, for the right people bifolds are great....

One thing I would suggest is making sure the top of your windows is high enough that you could easily convert to some type of door if you change your mind in the future.i.e. you'd keep the lintel and just remove the bricks below the window.

Thanks for all the messages. Today was block work day and we decided on two very large picture windows and I'm pleased with the decision.

The room is very large (6m x6m) so I think doors would have got lost, but the windows give a nice view onto the terrace. We'll be able to open them for ventilation, and they'll balance nicely with the upstairs windows which will be in the same position.

Great to get this feedback though