Building a Georgian period-style home is an exciting endeavor, but it can be a challenging one when trying to find the perfect grand entrance door. Most of the contemporary mass-produced doors available on the common market seem monotonously drab, structurally flimsy, and characteristically lacking. It seems almost impossible to find an entrance door that properly replicates the warmth, graciousness, and traditional flair of a solid timber Georgian door. Skilled craftsmen from a bespoke joinery can create and install such a gem, as well as taking care to match the custom door and windows accordingly to achieve the symmetrical balance and modest elegance inherent in Georgian architecture.
Because the grand entry door creates the first impression of a home, it should be carefully selected to accurately represent the period style and to reflect highly upon the homeowners' understanding of the coordinating elements of Georgian construction. While Georgian doors share a common theme, enough variations of the theme exist to satisfy all homebuilders' personal preferences. Interesting examples of several different, yet similar, Georgian doors at a glance are found on the famous poster of "The Doors of Dublin," a colorful collage of thirty-six wonderful Georgian doorways photographed in and around Fitzwilliam Square. All have either a semi-circular or a semi-elliptical fanlight window above the door and sturdy pilasters, corbels, and architraves, yet each has its own unique design of glazing bars and individual color choices. Henrietta Street also features some of the oldest and largest Georgian dwellings in Dublin, and many fine examples are found in Merrion Square and North Great George's Street.
With the earliest houses in dating back to the early 1700s, Fitzwilliam Square spans the entire Georgian period from the ascension of King George I and was the last Georgian square to be completed in Dublin in 1830, shortly before the death of King George IV. London at the time was also experiencing rapid growth, and much of inner London's construction is Georgian architecture, with the traditional features of sash windows rectangular in shape and proportionately placed according to the Golden Mean, and distinct entrance doors with paneled fields, bright, brass door furniture, and decorative knockers.
Often called "the most famous front door in the world," No. 10 Downing Street features a fine Georgian grand entrance door to the official residence of the prime minister of the United Kingdom. Located in the city of Westminster in London, the building is almost three hundred years old and has come close to being demolished several times, but staunch conservationists, architecture enthusiasts, and heritage foundations have managed to convince successful governments over the years to preserve and maintain the historically significant structure. The original entrance door was narrow, six-paneled, and made of strong black oak; a modest semi-circular fanlight window rests above the door, a handsome black iron knocker in the shape of a lion's head is centered between the door panels, and a central brass knob and brass letter box decorate the lower half. Margaret Thatcher has fond memories of the residence and its features, and she once stated, "All Prime Ministers are intensely aware that, as tenants and stewards of No. 10 Downing Street, they have in their charge one of the most precious jewels in the nation's heritage. "
While other grand entrance doors may not become quite as famous as No.10 Downing Street, it can be beautifully designed, strongly constructed, and historically accurate. Working with a bespoke joinery and its expert craftsmen who are experienced with Georgian period architecture, coordination of door and window styles and their symmetrical placement, specialist fittings, and strong attention to detail will ensure that a custom grand entrance door makes the perfect first, and lasting, impression upon all its visitors.