French door stress!

[CozzieG]

Help!
We're having a kitchen extension and the plan was to have French doors into the garden. This will be great as we don't currently have access into the garden. We are having anthracite UPVC windows externally and white internally. The builder has suggested just having one door to let in more light than double French doors with a fixed panel next to it, or this panel could be a smaller door instead of two equal doors. I'm not sure a small door is needed.
Anyhow, my husband has suggested anthracite external and white inside to match the windows but I feel this might look ugly. It's not helping that I'm not that keen on anthracite and wanted matt black but didn't really push it and all of a sudden the windows appeared with wood grain too that I hadn't expected! I'd had dreams of a heritage black aluminium door but seem to have ran into issues with sourcing this (we need triple glazed as that's what our plans stipulate) and the ones we've found will cost silly amounts! I then saw heritage flush UPVC doors but they don't stock them locally in the same brand. Now I just feel stressed lol. Can anyone tell me if they've done anything similar or have any advice on colours etc. I am generally freaking out that my lovely new kitchen will have an ugly white UPVC door to ruin every day lol.

Look at Heritage Aluminium

White UPVC is completely standard, how would it ruin your kitchen? I think it would look weird for the window frames to be white and the door to not be white, plus anthracite indoors would drain the light (and will date badly). You can paint UPVC fwiw if you can’t get the combination you want ready made.

I don’t understand why one door and a panel or two unevenly sized doors would let in more light than French doors either, have you got a mock-up? The only part that would block light is the frames but all three of those options would have roughly the same amount of frame.

I think I'm just losing the plot!! So many decisions and living in chaos must be taking it's toll. I think white UPVC just wasn't in my mind and felt old fashioned but you're probably right and it's just quite standard. I think it's probably the chunky UPVC frame that is worrying me. Our builder has sent some photos of what they've done before and I see what they're suggesting. The gap is 1450mm so we'd have 2 quite small doors with the frame in the middle. Or they're suggested a 950mm door and a 500mm door/long window in the corner. I quite like this idea, I think I'm just overwhelmed. Your comment has helped me!!

I seem to have tried but failed with this. They can't do triple glazed or it costs £4k etc. Plus the heritage bars block the view of the garden too. I might just park the dream and get over it ;-)

you are confusing me OP! You want double French doors, slim or one large, maximum light and dark frames with triple glazing.That's not difficult to source. Is cost the key aspect in the post? what am I missing?!
Do you have an architect plan, perhaps that will help us guide you.
What's your 'dream' that you refer to? (because I don't believe its UPVC!)

Our French doors are 1253mm wide and the frame doesn’t block the light although it is a south facing room - is your kitchen generally dark? 500mm would be fine for a window panel but too narrow to be a usable door really.

I prefer Aluminium because it has a slimmer profile and is more rigid (and a burglar can't cut through it with a breadknife)

You say the gap is 1450mm

A typical internal door is about 760mm wide, and a typical from door about 810mm. So depending on your frame width, you could have two reasonable sized doors. I prefer having two hinged doors opening out into the garden ( you need bolts to and bottom of each) which will give you a wide opening. Such double doors are often only 600mm wide each, sometimes even less, which can be awkwardly narrow unless you open both.

Our old doors - 150cm wide - were sliding patio doors. If we'd replaced them with two doors they would have been too narrow. So we have one door and a panel, however the top (about 1/3) of the panel is a window. This allows us to have fresh air into the room without opening the door.

@CozzieG You need 2 doors for that space . One door just looks like a back door. It’s not French doors at all. Why upvc? Why triple glazed? I’m surprised you must have triple glazed. Also - definitely same colour in and out !

Kloeber doors might suit you. We have 2 sets from them and they are good. Building materials are not cheap!

Our doors are 1450. We have two equal doors - ie French doors. They are oak and open in the way. My one regret is that I didn’t get the window panel (above the doors) to open. It’s the only window in our kitchen so the only way to get air in, is by opening the doors. If you have no other windows, I would recommend. Also I would try to get the smallest frame possible for max light.

My neighbours have upvc anthracite outside and white inside (to fit their decor). They look good.

That's really helpful. I didn't want sliding patio doors as the opening felt too small. Having a top opening for the side panel is an interesting idea. Are you happy with this set up rather than having 2 equal sized French door or the panel being a small door you use occasionally?

This is reassuring too so thank you. I like the idea of a way of getting air in without opening the doors. Yours doors are the same as ours, could you see the merit in one bigger door or are 2 useful?

Purely for visualisation @CozzieG , 3 sites, here, here and here

We had plans drawn up which said triple glazed. We didn't really see this level of detail but the builder has stuck to the plans. I think it's due to glass calculations around our house.
The two door, one door question was thrown at me today to muddle my mind
The builder thinks it will make a more useable door compared to two squashed ones. I'd prefer aluminium but the company the builder deals with are having supply issues with them apart from super expensive ones.

Ha, ha, I've been confusing myself tbh! In my head I wanted one of those gorgeous heritage aluminium doors but keep hitting problems. The last thing I wanted was white UPVC but maybe it's not a nightmare. I just hate the idea of it being white outside when open and all the windows being anthracite. It doesn't help that I keep looking at the anthracite windows waiting to be fitted and wishing they were a nice matt black! I think they'll look better when out of the packaging though!

@CozzieG I like two doors in that space, it really isn’t an issue (unless you are very overweight) and it fits the Victorian style of our house. Less intrusive when they are open, than one large door. I have them opening in because I worried about wind catching an open door. Though I can see the merit of one large door to let in more light. Which direction does it face?

I just hate the idea of it being white outside when open and all the windows being anthracite

But the windows will be white outside when open too!

Our doors are that width and we open both in the summer. We have 2 sets in the kitchen in oak. Only using one is fine unless you are a bit chubby! One door will look like a back door. It’s not the same as French doors. It’s very utilitarian. I have that configuration in my laundry room but it’s not a social room. My kitchen is. Honestly go with 2 doors. Look at Kloeber for inspo.

I’d definitely stick with two doors for aesthetics but look at other window companies specifically for the doors. If you don’t want UPVC white doors then don’t let your builder persuade you!

These make sense to
me.

Really pleased with the result, normal sized door and top opening window in the side panel. :)

@sbplanetYea that’s exactly like my laundry room but it’s not opening to the extent French doors do and it’s really a standard back door with an adjacent window. We open our French doors up and use the garden space as dining. It’s easier having wide openings and not standard back door size.

What is the width of your French doors they look wider than 150cm?

Ive not posted mine. The pix are Kloeber but my kitchen opening is 150 with 2 doors so close to OP’s space. Laundry is 125 so one door and window. 145 is enough room for 2 doors. It’s really about the look you want and whether you want both the doors open - we love ours open! Brings the garden in and definitely a bonus when there’s a summer breeze.