Interior Steel Frame Doors

We are excited to present our new line of our Interior Steel Frame Doors.

Incredibly slim and lightweight design will bring true elegance to your interiors.

The highest quality galvanized steel and the 2mm steel profiles make it possible to produce exceptionally thin door frames without compromising durability.

Interior steel doors are a perfect fit for modern interiors. They also add character to loft-style apartments. Their minimalism will enhance the design of your living room, kitchen, or study.

We also have a new range of ultra slim steel windows, which you can learn more about here.

Six Reasons To Invest In High Quality Windows and Doors

Choosing high quality windows and doors for your home can be a time-consuming business. Ideally, it will be something you only do once every few decades. This is why it’s important to do it right. With so many factors such as glazing, frame materials, soundproofing, and security to take into consideration, it can be difficult to know that you are choosing windows and doors which not only look good, but perform well.

As window and door technology continues to become more innovative and efficient, more choices means more opportunities to get windows and doors which look and perform exactly as you want them to. Here at Open Architectural Windows and Doors, we don’t believe you should have to sacrifice aesthetics in favour of functionality and performance, or vice versa. So, we’ve put together a list of the top aspects you should consider when investing in high-quality windows and doors.

1. Holistic Design Approach

Every time we look out through a window, we’re also looking at the window itself. It is also worth noting out that not only are windows the way we look out at the world, they’re also how the world looks in and sees us. Modern or Traditional, your windows and doors should be made to complement your idea of a perfect home.

Furthermore, an under-appreciated fact of high quality windows and doors is the beauty they add to your home. If you’ve gone to all the trouble of creating your ideal home, why not choose windows and doors which add to the beauty of your home? Standard, run-of-the-mill windows often look out of place on elegantly designed and decorated homes. We believe that windows and doors should be one of the most important parts of your interior and exterior design plans.

2. Thermally Efficient, High Quality Windows and Doors Windows Save Money

One of the primary benefits of having well-constructed, airtight windows is that they retain more heat and keep the temperature in your home more evenly regulated. This is very important in the colder months of the year. Thermally efficient, airtight windows will prevent heat loss, meaning you can consistently save money on your energy bills. On the other hand, efficient windows also ensure that your air-conditioning unit can operate effectively and efficiently.

1. Glazing bead.

2. Structural thermal break.

3. Fitting groove.

4. Internal and external rebate.

5. Internal rebate seal.

Well-made, thermally broken windows should have a minimum of double-glazing, although triple-glazed windows will be even more efficient. Consider windows which have been filled with argon gas. Argon gas is denser than air which means that it can significantly reduce heat loss. Similarly, consider windows with Low-E (Low-Emissivity) coatings. This extra layer will increase the thermal efficiency of your windows.

3. Environmentally Friendly

On average, 40% of homeowners’ energy bills are spent heating and cooling their homes. As you already know, thermally-broken windows dramatically reduce heat loss. By reducing unnecessary heat loss and cutting down on your energy bills, you can in turn significantly decrease carbon dioxide emissions. If cutting down on your home energy bills and being more environmentally-friendly is a concern for you, consider investing in passive house certified windows. For more on passive house windows, see our article on them.

Furthermore, with well-constructed, high quality windows and doors, you can also expect less problems and maintenance issues over time. This can cut down the use of any extra materials you might have to invest in to help fix your windows or doors.

4. Safety and Security

Having the safest and most secure windows can drastically reduce your exposure to burglaries. In addition to being distressing, burglaries can result in financial and irreplaceable losses. Good security is an investment you do not want to cut corners on. Thanks to advances in technology, windows and doors are becoming more and more safe and secure.

Components such as multi-locking points, anti-burglary fittings, and anti-breakthrough glass have become more popular choices amongst homeowners seeking to protect their homes and families. Unfortunately, many older windows lack many of these features and, as a result, most burglaries are opportunistic.

Burglars know they only have to be lucky once. Don’t give them an opportunity. Consider investing in up-to date, high quality windows and doors. By reducing the possibility, you are greatly reducing the probability.

5. Comfort and Control

An often overlooked quality of good windows is the comfort and control they offer. Badly designed, or even slightly defective windows, can create annoying, and, oftentimes, immutable problems for your home. Areas which are particularly cold in a room, near windows or doors, are known as ‘cold spots’. These are caused by low-quality windows and poor workmanship. The installation process is a crucial part of ensuring that your windows or doors are completely airtight. It should only be undertaken by professionals.

Not only is it important that windows offer airtightness, but also operable sections that allow for you to control the degree of airflow into your home. As discussed, temperature fluctuations can be unpleasant and uncomfortable. It is important that you invest in windows which help you achieve the maximum level of comfort in your home.

6. Noise-Reduction

Sound Transmission Class (STC) ratings are the measure by which we determine how something—in this case a window or a door—stops the flow of sound. When choosing windows or doors for your home, it is important to do so with an understanding of what STC rating you will need. To do this, you will need to take several things into consideration.

For people whose homes are within earshot of traffic, car horns, low-flying airplanes, sirens, construction noise, or even loud neighbors, your home will be subject to much low-frequency (i.e. loud noises from a distance). Many windows are unable to withstand such low-frequency noise. If that’s the case, then your window might only let it unwanted noise, but could also cause vibrations, too. In this instance, you would need a lower STC rating.

For some people, proper soundproofing can mean the difference in being able to sleep comfortably, even live properly, in their own home. When choosing windows, it is important to discuss your needs with whomever is designing and installing your windows. Moreover, you should consider windows which have additional coatings and layers. This will ensure optimum sound-proofing.

Contact Us Today

Finally, it is worth pointing out that, in addition to saving you money by cutting down on your energy bills, high quality windows are also an investment in your future. Beautiful windows create a strong first impression and can make your property more attractive. There is much to consider when choosing windows and doors for your home. With some careful consideration, you can find the right windows and doors for your home.

Introducing: Open AWD’s Ultra Slim Sliding Door Systems

One of the eternal problems within modern architecture has been the quest for slimmer and slimmer sight lines. For a variety of reasons, ultra slim profiles are not always possible to achieve, particularly in sliding door systems. One of the main reasons is that the slimmer the frame, the less overall structural integrity the door will have. This issue becomes even more important when you take operable parts into consideration.

So, after much researching, testing, and modeling, Open Architectural Windows and Doors is very excited to announce the launch of our latest range of state-of-the-art sliding door systems. We will be offering two ultra-slim wood-aluminum and aluminum sliding doors, the OPEN m40 and the OPEN s26a. All of our windows and doors are sourced from first-rate European manufacturers.

Both systems have been designed with some of the slimmest profiles possible to achieve with sliding door systems—1” aluminum, and 1¾” for wood-aluminum. As a result of this, your sliding door will be completely flush with the wall. No lip, no threshold, just slim, elegant sight lines.

Both systems have been tested in Europe and testing is currently underway in the US.

OPEN M40

Our new and elegant sliding door system, the OPEN m40, is comprised of cladded wood-aluminum. Its beautiful 1¾” wooden frame contains a robust, supporting internal aluminum frame. The wooden exterior provides all of the natural beauty of wood while aluminum offers additional strength and durability. As a result of this, the aluminum cladding will ensure that the door needs little or no maintenance and will be watertight and perfect for all seasons.

Other Highlights Include:

Elegant selection of woods and finishes to choose from.
Sound Transmission Class rating of 43.
Glass is tempered and finished with a low-e heat retention coating.
Offers excellent security and fire resistance.
Three weather gasket planes with continuous, one-piece full-perimeter weather gaskets.

OPEN A26A

Our other new aluminum sliding door system, Open S-26a, has an exceptionally slim visible section of just 25mm. This minimalist system is particularly well suited to oversized panels (up to 12ft x 10ft). The Open S-26a also has exceptional thermal and acoustic performance ratings. The reinforced, stainless steel rolling area allows for a smoother and easier sliding movement.

Other Highlights Include:

Sound Transmission Class rating of 43.
Glass is tempered and finished with a low-e heat retention coating.
Offers excellent security and fire resistance.
Possible to join corner sashes at 90º without a mullion.
Available in standard RAL powder coating and in wood-effect.

Overview

No Threshold

Our advanced new systems have eradicated the need for thresholds, ensuring elegant sight lines all round. This means that your home can blend seamlessly into your patio.

Innovative Locking System

Our concealed locking system means that there will be no bulky and unnecessary fittings visible on your sliding door. The locking systems have a corrosion resistant coating.

Flush With The Wall

With our new innovative system, our OPEN-m40 model boasts an exposed sash section of only 40mm. This ultra slim profile ensures that it can remain completely flush with the wall.

Slimmer Profile, More Glass and More Light

A slimmer profile means more glass on display. More glass means more light and a brighter home. Furthermore, we are also offering oversize sliding doors with glass panels up to 12ft x 10ft. With our new models we can achieve up to 94% glass surface level.

U-Value and STC

Our new systems boast a U-value of 0.16 up to 0.23 BTU/h∙ft²∙°F.

The systems have an impressive Sound Transmission Class (STC) rating of 43. This means that the windows will be exceptionally resistant to external sounds, minimizing sound pollution.

Unique Finishes and Maximum Comfort

The OPEN-m40 will be available in a variety of different woods. The OPEN-s26a is available in all standard RAL varieties of custom colors.

Open AWD can fit your new sliding doors with the most thermally efficient double or triple glazing available. So, not only will you cut down on energy bills, you will also ensures an optimal level of comfort inside your home.

Find Out More

If you would like to find out more about our new sliding doors, contact us today. Someone from our team would be happy to discuss your options further with you.

Designing the Perfect Entry Door

Deciding on an entry door for your home can be one of the most important choices you have to make for your home. Although some people might think of doors as simply functional components of a home, they are much more than that. Doors are an integral part of any home’s exterior. The first thing people notice as they enter your home, doors greatly contribute to a first impression and the overall feeling of a space.

With so many different materials and styles to choose from, it can be hard to know you’re choosing the right one. You will need to consider the type of door, the materials, what you need it to do, whether it is safe and secure, and that it will perform well. The ideal door for your home, then, will be a perfect marriage of functionality and aesthetics, carefully tailored to your unique needs. If you’ve gone to all the trouble of designing and decorating your perfect home, why settle for a less than perfect door.

Choosing The Right Material For Your Entry Door

The materials you choose for your front door will greatly determine how safe, secure, weather-resistant, and durable your door will be. Choosing the material is a crucial step when considering purchasing a door for your home. Doors make a dramatic difference to the appearance of your home and, more importantly, how you feel about the way it looks. We’ll first look at some of the different materials you can choose for your door and figure out which might be the perfect fit for your home.

Wood Doors

There is a reason the popularity of wooden doors has remained undimmed for thousands of years. They are the most traditional and timeless choice and their beauty is often unsurpassed. Apart from being aesthetically pleasing, advances in technology now mean that wooden doors are now as efficient and durable as more contemporary materials such as aluminum, composites, and other materials.

Ornate accents are often added to wooden entry doors in order to complement or add a flourish to the facade. Although there is a level of upkeep in wooden entry doors, finished and treated properly, they can last a lifetime. Wooden entry doors are perfect if you would like to make a statement.

Some of our most popular choices include:

Oak
Teak
Mahogany
Birch
Fir
Maple
Cherry
Ash
Scandinavian Pine

Steel Doors

Beloved for their versatility and strength, steel doors are the sturdiest, most fire-resistant, most secure, and most long lasting doors available on the market. In addition to this, steel doors offer exceptional thermal performance thanks to their thermal break. This means that they both retain the heat and keep the cold out, allowing you to keep the heat in your home at the optimal level for comfort.

Another major factor in steel’s increasing popularity is its strength. Unlike with the most popular and widely used material (wood), it is possible to have exceptionally thin sight-lines with steel doors. Steel’s natural strength means that it can be both exceptionally slim and robust. The combination of slimness and added security is simply not possible in wooden doors.

Finally, with steel, you also have a significantly higher degree of customizability. You can choose from different frame thicknesses, high-performance glass, improved weather-stripping, as well as a range of factory-applied finishes. It is precisely for these reasons that steel doors have become an increasingly popular choice for homeowners searching to add a modern or contemporary flourish to their exterior facade.

Here at Open AWD, we are happy to provide you with the following steel doors:

Galvanized Steel
Stainless Steel
Corten Steel

Cladded Doors

An increasingly popular choice, cladded doors give you and your home the best of both worlds. Our cladded doors are available in a wide variety of different materials such as bronze, copper, and aluminum. With cladded doors, the wooden door frame is supported by a robust frame, designed with a metal of your choice. The wooden interior provides all of the natural beauty of wood while, on the exterior, a weather-resistant metal offers additional strength and durability. Cladding ensures that the door needs little or no maintenance and will be watertight and perfect for all seasons. Cladding is also a popular choice for sliding doors.

As pictured here, copper-clad is an exceptionally elegant choice. This style means that all of copper’s natural beauty is visible on the exterior for everyone to see, and the natural warmth of wood is present on the interior. Copper, much like bronze, is a metal which ages very gracefully. This means that the facade on your building will take on a beautiful bluish-green patina which only gets more beautiful over time. This, combined with the fact it is resistant to saltwater, makes it a perfect choice for those with an oceanfront property.

Our most popular cladded doors:

Aluminum-clad
Wood-clad
Copper-clad

Putting The Finishing Touches on Your Entry Door

As the revered modernist architect, Ludwig Mies van der Rohe, once said, “God is in the details.” It’s the little things which seem at once simple, but are in fact ornate and beautiful, which separate a good entry door from a great one. Once you’ve chosen your material, you must then begin considering the finer elements. These include decorative accents, handles, and additional safety and security features.

Accents

Now that you’ve chosen the type of your material, you must consider how you would like your door to look. Entry doors are a perfect place to add a few finishing touches such as bespoke accents. here are a wide range of elegant accents which you can add to your door.

Details such as accents on doors say a lot about a home and its owners. Accents are a great place to add a flourish which complements the rest of your facade. They are, for instance, your only opportunity to add a decorative glass element to your facade.

Our team would be delighted to talk through your ideas with you, show you examples, and help you create the perfect entry door for your home.

Door Handles

After accents, doors handles and door knobs are components which must be carefully considered. It is important to choose a handle or a knob that will match, or at least complement, the aesthetics of your entry door and facade.

While handles are certainly a much more popular choice, knobs are popular amongst those with classic-looking, wooden entry doors. Bronze, copper, and brass remain the most popular choices for door knobs. Also, it is a little known fact that these metals contain antimicrobial properties. This means that they can actually help kill any germs which may be on your handle in a few hours.

If you’re looking for something more modern, steel handles might be a better fit. There are an endless variety of steel door handles available depending on the style of your home. You can learn more about the types of handles, knobs, and knockers we use here. Whatever your needs, we’ve got a huge selection to choose from.

Increased Safety and Security

A great entry door amounts to very little if it is not safe and secure. If you have gone to the trouble of installing a beautiful new entry door, you must ensure that it can keep intruders out.

There are a number of things to consider here. For example, the material you choose for your door will have an impact on the safety and security of your home. Metal doors, in general, are of course stronger than wooden or composite doors.

If you opt to have glass in your entry door, make sure to discuss your options to have the glazing reinforced so that it can withstand any attempted break-ins. Glass, while being beautiful, provides intruders with an easier entry point into your home. There are a number of ways to increase the security of your home via your entry door.

Most importantly, an entry door should have a good, multipoint locking system. This means that the top, middle, and bottom of the door can be locked with the turn of a key or the push of a button. Here at Open AWD, we use expertly designed multipoint locking systems from our European manufacturers.

Additional features such as security sets, extra secure hinges, and other anti-burglary fittings can be installed. Each of these additional features will increase the overall Resistance Class (RC) Rating of your entry door.

Locking systems are an equally important component of choosing the right entry door. It is important to consider which type of locking system would be most beneficial for your needs. For many, this will mean a traditional lock and key. For others, however, electronic lock (also known as keyless entry) might suit their needs better.

Contact Us

To discuss your options with one of our project managers, give us a call today or drop us an email. Whatever your needs, OPEN AWD has the right entry door for you.

Landmark Windows and Doors: Everything You Need To Know About NYC’s Landmark Preservation Commission

As anyone who has ever spent some time in New York can tell you, the city is constantly changing. From one year to the next, companies come and go, old buildings fall and new ones rise. Each city block tells a thousand stories, and each year, the cityscape continues to evolve. This is because change is a crucial part of what makes New York one of the most innovative and remarkable cities in the world.

It’s a simple fact that constantly-changing cities risk losing some of their identity. This is particularly true in a city such as New York, whose identity is bound up in its buildings. Thankfully, there are laws in place which regulate the renovation or restoration of buildings which have been designated landmark status. The authority is known as the Landmark Preservation Commission (LPC). If you’re considering doing renovation work to a property which falls under the jurisdiction of the LPC, it’s very important to understand their guidelines. This is a short guide to understanding them.

A Brief History of the New York Landmark Preservation Movement

The New York City Landmark Preservation Commission was established in 1965 at the urging of then mayor, Robert F. Wagner. Mayor Wagner wanted a system in place to stop the destruction of culturally, historically, or architecturally significant buildings. Though similar movements stretched back as far as the nineteenth century, it was only after the demolition of the original Pennsylvania Station (in order to make way for Madison Square Garden) that a series of laws were put in place to ensure that the rich, storied history of New York and its architecture could be preserved for future generations.

The establishment of the LPC was widely seen as one of the most important steps in creating a framework for promoting the unique architecture you still see in New York City. The city’s architecture is one of its most important assets. Tourists from around the world come just to see it.

Image: Pennsylvania Station (circa 1910s) courtesy of Wikipedia

What Falls Under The Remit Of The NYC LPC?

It might surprise you to learn that, according to the Landmarks Preservation Commission, there are over “37,000 landmark properties in New York City. Most of which are located in 149 historic districts and historic district extensions in all five boroughs.” This includes entire historic districts, (e.g. South Street Seaport District), interior landmarks (e.g. The Rose Reading Room at the New York Public Library), and scenic landmarks (e.g. Central Park).

A quick look at the map should give you a sense of just how many landmarks there are in the city.

For a full list of the landmarks, and to see if your property falls within a historic district, you can explore the interactive map here.

Image: Map of NYC Landmarks courtesy of LPC

Stipulations Regarding Landmark Windows and Doors

Properties and districts which fall under the remit of the Landmarks Preservation Commission are subject to stringent guidelines. Because of the rules and regulations, landmark windows and door projects can be some of the most time-consuming and laborious projects.

As a result of this, very few contractors are actually prepared, or even equipped, to carry out the work needed on landmark windows and doors. Between permits, paperwork, and red-tape involved, it can be easy to become overwhelmed and for the project to lose momentum.

However, with careful planning, and by only employing contractors who know what they’re doing, you can easily complete your project with everything up-to-code. Violations of Landmark Laws can come with heavy fines for property owners.

How Good Window and Doors Contractors Navigate Landmark Projects

Landmark restoration projects are delicate and time-consuming tasks. These buildings were designated landmark for a reason–often because of their beauty. A good contractor will seek to preserve the craftsmanship of the past and not only restore it, but update it with all of today’s technologies and materials.

Experience

The single-most important quality, before anything else, is experience. If a contractor doesn’t know how to their due diligence, doesn’t understand the building code, or how to navigate the city’s labyrinthine permit process, then your project might run into some major problems.

Research

A great deal of research needs to be done on each landmark restoration project before work can begin. For example, you will first need to look up the original plans for the building. Researching the original design will give you a better sense of what the building, and often the entire district, originally looked like.

Architectural Adjustments

Working with an architect, you can then have drawings of any proposed work drawn up. You should indicate any and all changes you propose to make to the facade or interior.

Submitting Your Proposal

Before you can begin your work, the Landmarks Preservation Commission stipulates that you must first submit all architectural plans to them for approval. The LPC allows for a margin of error of roughly 5% with regards to the details. This means that they require you to stick very closely to the building’s original plans.

Improving Upon The Past

Once the LPC approves your project, work can begin. It is very important to use all available modern construction technologies to improve upon the the existing landmark windows and doors. This includes, but is not limited to:

Using high-quality materials for restoring brick or plaster work.
Ensuring that any facades of new windows and doors are absolutely airtight, waterproof, soundproof, and wind-resistant.
Using innovative and thermally efficient insulation.
Making use of well-designed modern locking systems.

Our Work - Projects

300 East 5th Street, Manhattan’s East Village

Open Architectural Windows and Doors have worked on multiple landmark restoration projects. The most recent of which are 300 East. 5th Street, in Manhattan’s East Village, and a property on Vanderbilt Avenue in Brooklyn.

To give you a sense of what work on a designated landmark building entails, here is a short run through of the restoration process of 300 East 5th, in Manhattan’s East Village. In 2019, Open AWD, working alongside the architect, replaced the entire facade. This included windows, doors, and all of the ornate brickwork and cornices. The previous owner had carelessly covered over all of it with inexpensive siding and concrete. As you can see from the picture below, they had turned it into a mess. They had effectively removed all evidence of the building’s former beauty. Having been built in 1874, the building had, over time, grown uglier and had come to look severely dated. All installation work was carried out by trained and licensed specialists.

You can see a ‘before’ and ‘after’ picture’ below.

Vanderbilt Avene, Fort Greene, Brooklyn

This Queen-Anne style carriage house on Vanderbilt Avenue in the Fort Greene neighborhood in Brooklyn was one of the most stunning and unique landmark restoration projects we got to be a part of. Built originally to house horses and coachmen, the building later became the Brooklyn Veterinary Hospital before being transformed into the bespoke home you see today. We used simulated double-hung windows and designed an oversized, arched entry door with fixed panels. Because we used triple-glazed windows, we opted for heavy-duty German hinges to ensure that the doors could take all of the weight. The sash can hold up to 650 lbs per sash.

We also recreated a stunning ocular window on the building’s first floor and designed striking, arched steel doors on the rear elevation. All installation work was carried out by trained and licensed specialists.

Greene Street, SoHo, Manhattan

We were also delighted to be a part of another landmark windows and doors project on Greene Street. Greene Street is located in in SoHo’s Cast Iron District in Lower Manhattan.

John B Snook, one of New York City’s most esteemed architects, originally designed the building over a century and a half ago. 10 Greene Street features typical, double-hung windows, and three classic, solid wooden doors on its first floor.

We redesigned and replaced each of the building’s 39 windows with more modern and efficient windows. We used custom-made brickmold to help us stay closer to the building’s historic look. Similarly, we carefully reproduced the design on the classic wooden doors on the first floor. All installation work was carried out by trained and licensed specialists.

Click on the images below to enlarge and see some of the details and drawings.

Contact Us Today

Even if you don’t own a landmark designated property, we can still help you. Some people hire contractors with extensive landmark restoration experience. This is particularly true where accents or ornamental work are concerned. We have worked brownstone buildings, for example, which aren’t landmark. They do, however, require much of the same attention to detail as landmark properties.

Open AWD has worked with many homeowners and architects who wanted to achieve a certain look. There are a variety of different options we can provide that would help lend a distinguished look to your home. If you would like to learn more about landmark restoration projects, call us on 929-202-2558 or email us here. We’d be delighted to discuss your ideas with you.

Interior Steel Doors and Partitions: Why More People Are Choosing Them

With all of the work that goes into ensuring you get the perfect windows and doors to suit your home’s exterior, it can be easy to overlook your home’s interior. Although ultra-slim profile windows and doors will help bring light into your home, without the right interior doors, that light won’t be distributed evenly throughout your home. This is where interior steel doors and partitions come in. Not only will they brighten it up even further, interior doors and partitions offer additional privacy as well as a greater sense of space within your home.

Whether it’s to add a modern element to a more traditional home, or to add an industrial finish to a more modern style of home, interior steel doors and partitions can be a great way to transform the feel of your home’s interior. This article will give you some helpful tips on what to look out for when it comes to considering interior doors and partitions for your home.

The Beauty of Interior Steel Doors

Aesthetically, slimline interior steel doors and partitions, which feature large glass panels and minimal sight lines, offer unrivalled potential for your home’s interior.

As a result of this, they have seen a massive increase in popularity in recent years and it’s not difficult to see why. Steel-framed interior doors and partitions are an exceptionally versatile way of doing more with less in your home.

Steel’s strength means that slimmer and sleeker frames and sight lines can be achieved easier than with wood for example. Smaller frames mean more glass on display. More glass means more light, which means a brighter home that looks and feels more spacious.

This not only suits modern homes, but also homes with industrial or even mid-century looks.

Hinged, Sliding, Bi-Fold, or Partition?

Interior Steel Doors

An ideal way to maximize space and light within your home, our sleek interior Steel Door will open any space up. Interior steel doors look at home in every environment. Whether it’s to separate the living room from the kitchen; to seal off and display your walk-in wardrobe; or even just to bring some much-needed light into a room.

These doors are available as hinged, sliding, or as bi-fold (sliding-folding). Each has their own unique benefits and appeal based on your tastes and the amount of space available in your home. Sliding doors are an excellent choice where space makes a hinged door difficult to open.

Assembly brackets can be built into the wall, ensuring that the door can be seamlessly incorporated into any living space. Perfect for both classic and contemporary homes, our slimline, powder-coated steel-framed interior doors create privacy without sacrificing any natural light.

Our doors are custom-designed to suit your home’s aesthetic or specific needs and and can be finished in any standard RAL colour.

Perfect for a walk-in wardrobe or simply to brighten up and connect spaces. Click to enlarge

Partitions

Our custom-made, ultra-slim interior steel room partitions are the ideal way to separate spaces within your home. Furthermore, whether it’s to add light into a hallway or a room, or simply to add a sense of privacy into a bathroom, interior steel partitions enhance every environment.

Custom-Made Is Better Made

Everyone knows that custom-made is better made. Open Architectural Windows and Doors work with each client to design doors and partitions which reflect their unique tastes. We don’t believe you should have to settle for a cookie-cutter approach to interior doors and partitions. We value your tastes and our goal is to help you create doors and partitions which reflect that. Available in a variety of metals, our doors and partitions are completely customizable. This includes everything from the style of door, down to the type of metal, glass, muntin, and handle.

Muntins

Metals

Available in Bronze, Stainless Steel, Brushed Steel, Polished Steel, and Corten. Learn more about our most popular types below. Pictured below, from left to right: Powder-Coated Steel, Stainless Steel, Corten, and Bronze.

Handles

We offer a vast selection of sleek and elegant door handles for your interior door. Custom-made to suit your interior. We also offer a variety of locking systems. Below is simply a selection of some of our handles. Click to enlarge.

Additional Concerns

There are certain styles, and colors that will be more suitable for certain rooms and home. For example, rooms in which children play, or the risk of falling is greater (bathrooms and showers), it is important to choose doors or partitions with child-friendly (safety) glass. Similarly, with regards to wine cellars or cabinets, where room temperature is a concern. We can help you find the right door or partition for your home.

Recent Interior Steel Door Projects

Below you can see a selection of photos of recent custom profiles designed for our clients. As you can see, each unit has exceptionally slim sight lines. Elegant and sleek, our custom-made interior steel doors and partitions can be tailored to suit any environment.

Click to enlarge

Another recent custom profile, a shop drawing, and a rendering. Click to enlarge.

Find the Right Interior Doors and Partitions for Your Home

We know that no two people have the same tastes which is why all of our interior steel doors and partitions are customizable. From the style of door, to the frame material, everybody wants to find the find right one for their homes. For more information about steel in general, you can read our article on steel windows here.

OPEN Architectural Windows and Doors: Making your architectural plans a reality.

How To Choose The Right Windows For A Coastal Property

Cladded Windows And Doors: Everything You Need To Know

It’s easy to understand why more and more homeowners and architects favor slim profile windows and doors. However, windows which combine functionality and style with elegant, slim profiles aren’t always the easiest to find. This is particularly true for those who prefer wooden windows and doors. With its natural beauty, wood can provide a specific look or warmth, particularly inside the home, that materials such as metal or vinyl simply cannot. To solve this problem, cladded windows were developed to provide all of the natural beauty of wood with the strength and durability of metals such as aluminum, copper, and bronze.

If properly maintained, wood can last for decades, if not centuries, but it will need regular maintenance. Going between the extremes of harsh winters and hot summers, wear and tear becomes evident on wooden windows. This is why if you’re looking for truly ultra-slim wooden windows that will last, you should consider the benefits cladded windows can offer.

What Exactly Are Cladded Windows?

Cladded windows are, without a doubt, one of the most important innovations in the history of windows. Cladded windows are wooden windows which have been fitted with a metal, or occasionally vinyl covering on their exterior. The covering, or cladding as it is known, provides an additional degree of thermal insulation and weather resistance for the windows.

Cladding effectively protects the wooden windows from the elements and maximizes their longevity. Essentially, this means that you get to have all of the benefits of a durable material such as aluminum (or copper or bronze) on your home’s exterior as well as being able to enjoy the look and feel of wooden windows inside your home.

To achieve maximum longevity with our cladded windows, we use extruded aluminum which is welded onto the frame prior to powder-coating. This allows for a uniform, flush, and exceptionally slim and durable window profile. This is in contrast to roll-form aluminum which is much cheaper but significantly less robust.

What Are The Benefits of Cladded Windows?

Ultra-Slim Profiles

Perhaps the most sought after benefit of cladding is how it can be used to create exceptionally slim and completely flush profiles on windows and doors.

Take our own sliding door system, for example. The OPEN m40, is comprised of cladded wood-aluminum. Its beautiful 1¾” wooden frame contains a robust, supporting internal aluminum frame. The wooden exterior provides all of the natural beauty of wood while aluminum offers additional strength and durability.

As a result of this, the aluminum cladding will ensure that the door needs little or no maintenance and will be watertight and perfect for all seasons.

To learn more about it, read our article on it here.

Cladded Windows Are More Efficient

Wooden windows already have a relatively high level of thermal insulation. However, alu-clad windows have a thermal break between the wood and the aluminum. This means they are significantly more thermally effective. The layer of cladding will help stop any unnecessary drafts or ‘cold spots’ within the home. As a result of this, your home will be more energy efficient. Cladded windows will often have a lower U-Value which means optimal comfort for you and your home. Another aspect of their efficiency is the peace of mind that comes with knowing that you won’t need to constantly maintain cladded windows.

Below you can take an in-depth look at a recent alu-clad project we worked on in Tribeca in Manhattan. Open Architectural Windows and Doors supplied hundreds of windows and doors for this new build project. The oversized, cladded windows and slim profiles offer unbroken views of the city. In keeping with the aesthetic of the neighborhood, Open AWD supplied oversized arch-top windows for the top floors of the complex.

Improved Durability

Cladded windows are some of the most durable windows available to buy. Whether it’s a simple residential project, or a larger, more high-value project, cladded windows have an almost unmatched longevity. They are an investment in your home’s future. By investing in them, you are ensuring that your home’s exterior won’t depreciate as quickly as it would with standard wooden windows.

As we mentioned above, wood requires more-or-less annual, if not seasonal, upkeep. This often includes staining, sealing, or re-painting. This is particularly true in harsher climates. But this is simply not the case with cladded window, which need no maintenance because they are weather-resistant. The fact that the materials we use (aluminum, bronze, and copper) are completely non-porous (unlike wood) the windows suffer significantly less wear and tear over time.

Pictured: Alu-clad custom window and curtain wall system. Click to enlarge.

Improved Aesthetic Possibilities

Aesthetically, cladded windows have a major advantage over standard wood and even standard aluminum windows. Cladded windows are custom-made to suit each home.

This means you get the best of both worlds. The look and feel of wooden windows within your home’s interior, as well as a robust, high-value metal to suit your home’s exterior.

Whether your home’s facade is brick, concrete, wood, or siding, cladded windows can be made to complement any exterior. They can be made to a wide range of different shapes and sizes.

Pictured: copper-clad windows at The Fitzroy, Manhattan.

Case Study: The Fitzroy, Manhattan

Below, you can see some pictures from a project Open Architectural Windows and Doors worked on two years ago in Chelsea in Manhattan.

The striking copper-clad oak windows bring the building’s façade to life. It added a distinguished look to the building’s exterior and complemented the unique terra-cotta brickwork.

This large-scale project boasts over 200 custom copper clad windows, and numerous other copper finishes. The beautiful copper-clad windows are a perfect marriage of functionality and style. The double and triple glazed glass and superior installation ensures that the windows are soundproofed from the busy exterior, and allow for energy efficient heating and cooling.

As you can see from the picture, copper-clad window age gracefully over time as their patina becomes more and more pronounced.

To learn more about this project, click here.

Pictured below: Copper-plated bronze clad windows and doors at The Fitzroy. Click to enlarge.

Contact Us Today

If you would like to learn more about cladded windows, please contact us today at 929-202-2558 or send us an email us here to set up your free consultation.

We know that no two people have the same tastes which is why all of our cladded windows are completely customizable.

OPEN Architectural Windows and Doors: Making your architectural plans a reality.

How Minimalism Changed Window and Door Aesthetics

From the slimline smartphone you carry in your pocket, to almost any recently made item you have in your home, the minimalist aesthetic has become so ingrained in what we expect of the products we buy and the spaces we interact with, that you may not have even noticed it. No other aesthetic has done more to make people conscious of how they choose to furnish, decorate, and live in their homes. And nowhere is the minimalist aesthetic more prominent now than in modern windows and doors which emphasize slim profiles and narrow sight lines.

Regardless of whatever style of home you live in, windows and doors do a lot to complement or enhance the aesthetic. As more and more homeowners opt for modern-style homes, window and door manufacturers are moving away from windows and doors with thicker profiles. The move away from this towards clean, straight lines, reflects a trend–a growing interest in homeowners and architects towards the simplicity of minimalism.

For the past few centuries, window and door technology remained largely unchanged due to the limits of the material most often used in them–wood. As advances in technology came with the twentieth century, steel, and then, much later, metals such as aluminum, created new possibilities for windows and doors. Not only in functionality, but also in aesthetics–most notably, the possibility of slimmer profiles. Favored by architects for its strength, durability and its sleek beauty, steel, in particular, became synonymous with modern, elegant homes.

For much of the last fifty year, minimalism was once only popular amongst architects designing modern and contemporary homes. Over the past decade, however, homeowners have also begun embracing it. This is a trend that we here at Open Architectural Windows and Doors have noticed. The idea that windows and doors were simply functional is quickly changing. Most homeowners, now, accept and are excited by the idea that windows and doors can actually complement their home’s aesthetics.

Here at OPEN AWD, we try to reflect the aesthetics of minimalism in our windows and doors. Here are some of the most notable benefits the minimalist aesthetic has had on windows and doors.

Emphasize Views, Not Hardware

You don’t need large, oversized windows to be able to enjoy the views from your home (although they certainly help). Even smaller windows which have slimmer frames can provide your home with great views. To put it simply, less window frame means more glass. More glass on display means more views.

Advances in window technology–specifically in the strength of materials such as steel and glass–mean that unobstructed views are now easier to achieve. It is our firm belief that windows should emphasise views, not hardware.

A seriously under-appreciated feature of having windows with slimmer profiles is the additional light it brings into your home.

Not only does light change the feel of a space, it can dramatically transform the overall feeling within a home. Slimline windows reduce the need for artificial light. Rooms with more natural light give the appearance of being bigger spaces.

This gets right to the heart of the minimalist aesthetic of doing more with less. This is to say nothing of the many health benefits of getting enough natural light.

Open Up Your Home

In addition to brightening up your home, and allowing you to enjoy the views outside, minimalist aesthetics has made it easier than ever to open up, or brighten, your home’s interior. This is possible in a number of ways, but most obviously with interior doors. For a long time, when people thought of interior doors, they thought of solid wooden doors–occasionally with a slim glass panel.

Recently, though, architects and homeowners have begun embracing the possibilities offered by interior steel doors. Minimalism is about thoughtful and economical design. It favors emphasizing clean lines, symmetry, and formal simplicity. Slimline interior steel doors, which open up spaces and simultaneously create a sense of privacy within the home, are a perfect example of doing more with less.

Do More With Less With Our New Super Slim Sliding Door System

Our new slimline system is the epitome of doing more with less. Available in a combination of fixed, sliding, hinged, frameless, and curtain wall, this system promises unparalleled sight lines.

Its 1 inch, thermally broken middle posts means that you can now enjoy thoroughly unobstructed views. Individual units are 12ft x 10ft. Additional custom-made oversized units also available. This means that you can construct exactly the kind of facade you want and be in control of your view.

In addition to being flush with the wall, fully submerged thresholds means that drainage systems can be integrated and completely concealed.

To learn more about it, you can watch the video here.

Contact Us Today

If you would like to find out more about our products, contact us today. Someone from our team would be happy to set up a free consultation for you.

Open Architectural Windows and Doors: Proudly supplying custom window and door solutions for over a decade.

Anti-Burglary Windows and Doors: Why More People Are Choosing Them

Whether it’s the family home, or your small business, it is very important that you make sure your premises are adequately secure. In addition to being distressing, burglaries on your home or business can be incalculably expensive.

Thankfully, advances in fenestration technology have made windows and doors safer and more secure than ever. Having the best possible anti-burglary windows and doors can drastically reduce your exposure to burglaries. Good security is an investment you do not want to cut corners on.

All of these features have been rigorously tested to ensure they uphold the highest US and European safety standards. In this article, we take a look at some of the most popular and effective safety and security features.

What Are Anti-Burglary Windows and Doors?

Anti-burglary windows are windows which have been designed in accordance with the German industry-standard DIN EN 1627 scale. The scale is a six-point rating system which determines a window’s ability to withstand burglary.

A window’s ability to withstand is known as its Resistance Class (RC). The scale measures from RC1 through RC6. Simply put, the higher the RC number, the more resistance and protection the window offers against any potential burglar.

Here at OPEN AWD, we have been providing window and door units for over a decade. We have noticed a steady increase from home and business owners in the interest over the security of their property. We have always endeavored to provide our clients with as much safety and security as advances in technology have allowed. Recent advances in the industry, however, have brought about dramatic improvements in the security of windows and doors.

In addition to providing you with the most contemporary, elegant, and heat-efficient windows and doors that the industry has to offer, we are happy to announce that we will also be to provide some of the safest and most secure windows and doors available. Working alongside manufacturers in Europe, we have able to offer anti-burglary windows.

How Do Anti-Burglary Windows and Doors Work?

Shockproof and Breakthrough Resistance

Anti-burglary windows contain extra layers of polycarbonate glazing on the exterior panels as well as in between each layer of glazing. These layers, which are tear-proof, increase the window’s shockproof and breakthrough resistance.

Unlike most traditional glass, this tempered and glazed glass will not shatter into pieces. Instead, it simply absorb and withstand concentrated blunt force. It can withstand this for considerable time before it begins to show cracks.

As a result, burglars will need to spend a considerable amount of time with heavy-duty tools trying to break-in—all of which cause noise and unwanted attention. Crucially, though, the glass does not shatter which means that making an opening big enough so that they could then gain entry into the house will be significantly more difficult.

Burglar-resistant glass and constructions can of course be fabricated for use in doors, e.g. patio doors to ensure that every potential entry into your home can be made more secure.

To see what we mean in action, take a look at this video or click on the picture.

Anti-Burglary Fittings

Strong glass is not the only additional safety precaution or feature of these windows. These windows will be fitted with extra steel-mounted frame fittings and locking points in the internal corners. More fittings and locking points makes it significantly more difficult to force open a window.

All of these features will make almost any traditional attempt at breaking into your home—with a crowbar, for example—completely useless. These features can be very discretely integrated into the unit. This means that your windows and doors can maintain their slim sight-lines. The multi-locking point system also has the added bonus of making the window more airtight.

Pictured inset: high security door. Click to enlarge.

Through our manufacturers, we can also provide anti-burglary fittings, such as pads. These prevent drilling. If you choose a higher RC rating for your windows—say, RC3 or above—burglars will need more advanced hardware.

Examples of these would be high-performance power-tools such as sabre saws or grinders to successfully break into your home.

Burglary, Opportunism, and Improving Your Home’s Security

A greatly underestimated truth of home burglaries is how opportunistic they are. Burglars are professional opportunists who know an opportunity as soon as they see one. We have this idea of burglars craftily breaking into our homes during the night. However, in reality, burglars are much more likely to gain entry into our homes during the hours of work, between 9am and 4pm.

Similarly, most burglars will not carry tools with them, as tools make a quick getaway less likely. Burglars depend upon old or faulty locking points in windows and doors. What might surprise most people to learn is that human error plays a major role in most burglaries. An unlocked door, or a window which has not been closed properly is a perfect opportunity and a quick win for a burglar.

Remember: burglars only have to be lucky once. Don’t give them an opportunity. Even with the most secure windows, no home is completely safe. By reducing the possibility, you are greatly reducing the probability.

Contact Us

While your overall satisfaction with our product is incredibly important to us, so is your safety. Here at OPEN, we don’t believe that you need to compromise functionality, safety, and security in order to have stylish or aesthetically pleasing windows.

If you are interested in anti-burglary windows, please contact us at 929-202-2558 or email us here and someone from our team would be happy to talk you through your options.

OPEN Architectural Windows and Doors: Making your architectural plans a reality.

Skylights: How One Window Can Transform Your Space

Here at Open Architectural Windows and Doors, providing our customers with premium quality windows and doors has always been our top priority. As a result of this, we are always trying to improve the range of products we offer to our customers. Over the years, we have designed custom-made skylight units for some of the many unique projects we worked on. After many requests from architects, contractors, and homeowners, we have decided to make skylights available to all of our customers.

There are many reasons why skylights are beloved by architects and homeowners alike. Not only do skylights receive up to three times more sunlight than windows, skylights can drastically improve the aesthetics of a space, reducing the need for artificial light. Skylights offer views of the sky, impressive both during the day and at night. They completely redefine the aesthetics of a space and contribute positively to the resale value of a property. But, when it comes to skylights, it’s important to choose the right size and style for your home. We’ve put together a short read on how to know what type of skylight would be best for you and your home, as well as some points on why they’re so well-liked.

The Unique Advantages of Skylights

It’s a simple fact that not every room in a house will be designed to receive maximum sunlight. Perhaps your home or apartment is north-facing and receives very little sunlight. Skylights are a great way to add additional light into your home by capitalizing on overhead sunlight. Even if your home does get sunlight, inserting a skylight into the roof of a house can still significantly brighten up any space.

Skylights come in various shapes and sizes and are available for both pitched and flat roofs. Choosing the right one will depend on your space and how much light you would like to bring in. They’re almost one of the most ‘green’ ways to bring in natural light.

Skylights can be an excellent addition to landmark homes. Because they are governed by stricter guidelines, landmark homes can greatly benefit from skylights which can easily be custom-made to suit any unique property. Skylights can completely re-frame a space and give it a new lease of life.

The standard skylight, which is usually a single-operable window unit, is the kind most commonly seen in houses through the US and Europe. These come in fixed and operable varieties. That being said, skylights can be custom-made to suit your space and needs. For example, Open AWD designed this oversized, walkable skylight for a luxury apartment in Tribeca, Manhattan.

Walkable skylights are also popular. They are made out of laminated and tempered glass, meaning that they can withstand considerable weight loads. You can find out more about this and your other options below.

Completely Customizable Skylights

At Open AWD, all of our windows and doors are custom-made to suit our customers’ needs. The same goes for our skylights. Whether it’s to be the extravagant centre-piece of your living room, or simply to brighten up a hallway or a converted attic space, we can provide you with the skylight for your needs.

There is also the option to have manual or remote-controlled, room-darkening or light-filtering blinds available for these types of models. This gives you complete control over how much sunlight can enter the home. Because heat travels upwards, this is perfect in summer, when sometimes you can open a skylight to allow warm heat to escape. With the blinds pulled down, you can minimize excess radiant solar heat entering the home. Low-E (low-emissivity) coatings can be added to the windows to decrease the amount of sunlight and glare that can enter a room. This is particularly helpful during the warmer months.

Motorized versions of our skylights are also available.

The Benefits of Natural Light

There are many known benefits of natural light. The most obvious of these benefits is that you can fill your home with natural light, which has a more pleasant effect than artificial light. Because they are incorporated overhead into the roof of your home, skylights will naturally allow more light into a room throughout the day than standard windows. This is particularly helpful in the colder months, when there is less available light. Skylights help you to maximize any room’s exposure to sunlight.

Another less obvious benefit of increased amounts of natural light is its health benefits. Decreased exposure to natural light corresponds with lower levels of vitamin D. Vitamin D is one of the most common deficiencies that can be counteracted by getting enough sunlight.

This is particularly important during the winter when it gets dark quicker. Studies have shown that more natural light can increase the amount of serotonin in the body and combat Seasonal Affective Disorder. Skylights are another way to bring light into your home and decrease the amount of artificial lighting.

Energy Costs

Although it may seem negligible, skylights can positively impact your energy costs. Because they face upwards, skylights can get up to three times more direct sunlight than standard windows. The heat which enters a home via its windows and doors is known as solar radiation. It is either transmitted directly and/or absorbed, before being released as heat inside a home.

Even just one skylight in one of the main rooms of the house–the living room, kitchen, or master bedroom–can almost significantly cut down on the use of artificial lighting in those spaces. This means you can lower the thermostat and enjoy all of the benefits of natural light.

The amount of radiant heat you will need your windows to take in or keep out will largely depend on your house’s relation to the sun. South-facing windows will bring in a lot of sunlight in the winter months, significantly warming up a space. On the other hand, they might take in too much heat during the summer months. In those instances, blinds can be used to reduce the amount of sunlight and heat which enter the home.

Skylight Case Studies

We have designed several skylights–some of which were walkable skylights–for various high-value projects. Take, for example, The Fitzroy in Manhattan’s fashionable Chelsea neighborhood. The development contains fourteen bespoke apartments, for which we designed a series of custom-made, bronze copper-clad windows and doors. For 10 Greene, located in SoHo, we designed a unique, walkable skylight on the roof using tempered and laminated glass. All of these were installed by a licensed and certified installation team. You can see progress pictures of these below.

Skylights which we designed for The Fitzroy in Chelsea, Manhattan. Learn more about the process here.

Two skylights which we designed for 10 Greene in SoHo’s Cast Iron District in Manhattan. Learn more about the process here.

Contact Us Today

If you are interested in learning more about skylights, and which type might be best for your project, contact us today for a free consultation. Call us at 929-203-4989, or email us at info@openawd.com and someone from our team would be happy to discuss this with you.

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2. Thermally Efficient, High Quality Windows and Doors Windows Save Money

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OPEN M40

OPEN A26A

Overview

No Threshold

Innovative Locking System

Flush With The Wall

Slimmer Profile, More Glass and More Light

U-Value and STC

Unique Finishes and Maximum Comfort

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Choosing The Right Material For Your Entry Door

Wood Doors

Steel Doors

Cladded Doors

Putting The Finishing Touches on Your Entry Door

Accents

Door Handles

Increased Safety and Security

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A Brief History of the New York Landmark Preservation Movement

What Falls Under The Remit Of The NYC LPC?

Stipulations Regarding Landmark Windows and Doors

How Good Window and Doors Contractors Navigate Landmark Projects

Experience

Research

Architectural Adjustments

Submitting Your Proposal

Improving Upon The Past

Our Work - Projects

300 East 5th Street, Manhattan’s East Village

Vanderbilt Avene, Fort Greene, Brooklyn

Greene Street, SoHo, Manhattan

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The Beauty of Interior Steel Doors

Hinged, Sliding, Bi-Fold, or Partition?

Interior Steel Doors

Partitions

Custom-Made Is Better Made

Muntins

Metals

Handles

Additional Concerns

Recent Interior Steel Door Projects

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Another recent custom profile, a shop drawing, and a rendering. Click to enlarge.

Find the Right Interior Doors and Partitions for Your Home

What Exactly Are Cladded Windows?

What Are The Benefits of Cladded Windows?

Ultra-Slim Profiles

Cladded Windows Are More Efficient

Improved Durability

Pictured: Alu-clad custom window and curtain wall system. Click to enlarge.

Improved Aesthetic Possibilities

Case Study: The Fitzroy, Manhattan

Pictured below: Copper-plated bronze clad windows and doors at The Fitzroy. Click to enlarge.

Contact Us Today

Emphasize Views, Not Hardware

Open Up Your Home

Do More With Less With Our New Super Slim Sliding Door System

Contact Us Today

What Are Anti-Burglary Windows and Doors?

How Do Anti-Burglary Windows and Doors Work?

Shockproof and Breakthrough Resistance

Anti-Burglary Fittings

Burglary, Opportunism, and Improving Your Home’s Security

Contact Us

The Unique Advantages of Skylights

Completely Customizable Skylights

The Benefits of Natural Light

Energy Costs

Skylight Case Studies