Renovation - can't decide on windows and now have doubts about door!

[Stevie77]

Massively overthinking this first world problem, I know.

We're having significant building work done on the house and need a number of new windows at the back (ground and first floor) and back doors out of the kitchen/diner. The opening is 3m wide x 2.3m high, as it was designed for aluminium crittall doors.

Long story short, we're having a rethink. One of the reasons is it turns out our builder has never fitted aluminium doors and windows and isn't confident doing it. Our supplier is supply only. Their recommended fitter's quote was very high. We have another contact, but not managed to get hold of him yet.

Another reason is blinds. The house is fairly overlooked at the back, so have to have blinds. The previous owner had perfect-fit type blinds, and they were really good and very convenient, not having to lift blinds to let the dog out. Crittall doors are a bit of an issue with blinds, as each panel would have a separate blind fitted😖. Does anyone have crittall external doors with blinds and can share a photo or say what blinds they have?

To reduce the cost of fitting, we're looking into getting upvc flush casement black windows. They would match the doors on the outside, but on the inside would be white. One minute I'm thinking it could look crap, another I'm thinking it would be fine as the doors would be the focal point. The other windows are about 1m ish away. I can't find any photos of black crittall style doors, with nearby windows that are white.

Basically, we're going round and round on this and really need to make a decision and I kind of need a sounding board.

Also, is anyone here part of a renovation/build FB group they can recommend? I saw a really good one for DIY Kitchens mentioned, and it's been incredibly useful.

🙏

No one? I know it’s a bit of a tale…

I think the residence flush casement windows look lovely. If they’re all matching in colour outside and in, I think it will look fine. They look more elegant than standard upvc. Lots of people seem to have crittal doors I doubt all of their windows are also aluminium as it’s v expensive!

Yeah, that's just it though - the colour won't match on the inside, because upvc only comes in white and the whole look of crittall is that it's black😵.

We have flush casement windows and you could choose what colour you wanted inside so it may not be the case they have to be white.

Yes you can choose the interior colour of flush casement, they don’t have to be white. I have seen white windows with black doors - image attached. It’s definitely a look that needs planning and depends on the external look of house. I don’t think everything has to be exactly matching but within same style / similar sight lines etc.

Maybe it was that to have black inside it'd have the wood grain effect, which I don't like. Haven't managed to find anyone that manufactures black, smooth uPVC windows, only with wood grain effect. Wood grain effect is fine on the outside, as it's not very noticeable, but in a room it would be.

It's more the internal look that concerns me - black doors, and the windows being white within the same space. On the outside, it'd all be black.

If only our builder could fit aluminium!