Whatever you might have heard about this style of patio door, the popularity bifold door ideas have enjoyed in recent years is definitely not over just yet. And, when you consider the many benefits they can offer homeowners, it isn't hard to see why.
"Engineered to make entire walls disappear, bifold doors create the ultimate indoor-outdoor living experience, making them a top choice for the side and back of homes," enthuses Katie Brekke, once an engineer at Andersen Windows and Doors and now senior business manager.
While bifolds might now sometimes get bypassed by homeowners whose eyes have been caught by other patio door ideas, such as slimline sliding and timeless French doors, they still very much have a place in connecting indoors with out — as our round-up of some of the best shows.
1. Open Up Your Home Entirely With Corner Bifolds
Bifold doors that open up the whole corner of a house make maximum impact.
The number one reason why people choose to fit bifold doors, as opposed to sliding or French doors, is the way in which they make it possible to open up whole walls of the house, effectively turning indoor spaces into outdoor areas.
"With bifolding doors you can open the entire interior of the room to the garden or patio area," picks up architect Graham Ford of Graham Ford Architects. "In the summer this maximizes the flow between inside and outside and helps make the garden feel part of the house — like an external room."
This is often the deciding factor for those weighing up bifold doors vs sliding doors, as Edward Stobart, technical sales manager at IDSystems explains. "The more often you are likely to use the doors, the more bifolds tend to come into play — because their ability to connect inside and out is their main selling point," he explains. "If you are likely to use them less often then sliding doors come into their own because there is more glass and less frame in your view."
Twin sets of bifolds that move away from one another to open up the whole corner of the house are particularly stunning.
Graham is the founder of Graham Ford Architects and has over 22 years experience working on residential, academic, sustainable and commercial projects including the London 2012 Olympic Games. He's the author of "The Total Environment Masterplan" and has lectured at the University of Manchester, Reading and Portsmouth.
A long serving member of the IDSystems team, for the past 20 years Edward has advised and supported self-builders and renovators to identify the most suitable glazing options for their project. He has recently finished a complete renovation and remodel of his own home, transforming a tired 1960s house into a stylish modern family home.. His expertise ensures that each project is equipped with cutting-edge, bespoke glazing designs that enhance both functionality and aesthetics.
2. Enjoy Maximum Light and Air With a Through-View
By opening up the back of a house, you have the opportunity to create a view right through the layout.
If you adore the concept of wholly open plan kitchen extensions, allowing one space to freely flow into the other, using bifold doors is the perfect way to create a 'through view'.
The scene that greets you when you step through the front door of a property is often not given enough thought, yet this is arguably one of the most crucial perspectives to curate.
Within this scheme, designed by Graham Ford Architects, on entering the front door the eye is drawn right through to the rear of the house which opens out through bifolds to the terrace beyond. The view from the garden, back into the house, is equally as free-flowing.
3. Open up Your Bedroom to a Morning Coffee Spot
Bifolds work just as well in bedrooms as they do in living rooms and kitchens.
Often much thought goes into creating a connection between the 'public facing' rooms of a house, such as the kitchen diner or living room, and the garden. The private spaces, on the other hand, can often get a little neglected in terms of views and easy-to-access outdoor spaces.
Not so within this fresh, airy bedroom scheme designed by Tineke Triggs where the decision to install simple bifolds has presented the owners with an opportunity to incorporate some balcony ideas and give access to a small raised area with treetop views.
"What I love about bifold doors is that they don’t have to be oversized to make an impact," says Katie Brekke. "More homeowners are opting for smaller or moderate-sized bifold doors and still reaping the benefits of narrow sightlines and a strong connection to the outdoors."
Katie Brekke began her journey at Andersen in 2005 as an engineer and has had a diverse career. She has an in-depth knowledge of doors, windows and glazing systems.
4. Shelter Your Bifolds With an Overhang
Some form of shelter above bifolds that enjoy plenty of sunshine can help prevent overheating.
There is no denying the ability enormous expanses of glazing have in adding considerable wow to a property, but they are not without drawbacks — one being overheating.
There are a couple of approaches you can take in order to avoid this becoming an issue. Solar control glass is one, often used for glass box extensions, but from an architecturally interesting perspective, building a cantilevered overhang or using a brise soleil can be better.
This project features not one, but two sets of bifold doors. The orientation of one set has been taken into consideration, hence the addition of an overhang, complete with lighting.
5. Build in a Level Threshold for a Seamless Transition
A level threshold needs to be carefully designed to ensure a weathertight seal.
Installing bifold doors with a level threshold makes it possible to create a visually seamless transition between inside and out.
In the case of bifolds, the threshold is the track the doors slide along when operated. In order to create a flush finish, a 'non-weathered' threshold needs to be chosen, although if your's is an exposed site, you might be better off with a 'weathered threshold'. These feature a small lip on one side that the seal on the base of the doors fits up to to create a weathertight finish.
If you then use the same flooring, inside and out, you end up with a space that appears to flow, uninterrupted into your well-planned patio ideas.
6. Combine Them With Skylights in a Side Extension
Bifold doors work best combined with other forms of windows rather than as the sole source of natural light.
The layout of windows, doors and any fixed glazing needs to be considered as a whole, rather than on an individual basis if you want natural light to enter each spot in the right way at the right time — a consideration for anyone interested in the concept of daylighting.
While bifold doors are a fantastic way to bring in lots of extra light and open up a space to the garden, they often work best when combined with other types of windows.
This project, by Otta Design, involved extending out to the side of the house to create a kitchen diner. A small set of bifolds leads out from the kitchen area, while the dining zone is lit from above through a bank of roof lights.
7. Frame a View to be Enjoyed in Comfort
Think through how the doors will work with your lifestyle — a flexible approach is usually best.
The concept of making a whole wall of your house disappear to allow your indoor spaces to merge with your outdoor areas is undoubtedly appealing — yet it isn't always a practical one.
A double set of bifolds that open away from one another, as in this scheme, designed by Tineke Triggs, is one solution that makes it possible to have just a single side open. Alternatively, many configurations of bifolds feature an entry door that operates like a regular hinged door — perfect when using them within living room ideas.
"In the UK you can probably take advantage of a patio and ‘outdoor room’ for about four months of the year," points out Graham Ford. "A set of bifolding doors has a ‘pass’ door integrated with the system. This door opens like a hinged door and makes it easy to pass through the bifolding door arrangement at all times of the year without opening up the whole thing."
8. Don't Discount Bifolds for a Period Home
Frame color plays a huge role in how well bifold doors fit in with the exterior of period homes.
Those remodelling or extending a period home can feel a little restricted to classic door options when trying to create something that looks in-keeping with the original building. This then leads them to opt for the more classic French door ideas over bifolds or sliding.
However, there is no reason why these types of patio door should be reserved for modern home extension ideas, providing thought is given to their size and design.
The elegant proportions of this well-matched flat roofed extension have been fully considered when it comes to the choice of bifold doors, with the taupe finish blending beautifully with the London stock bricks.
9. Avoid Sacrificing Wall Space With Bifold Windows
In some cases, it can make more sense to install a bifold window rather than a full door.
For all their plus points, bifold doors are not the right choice for everyone. In some cases, there just isn't the available space for a whole wall of glazing. And, in some kitchens, sacrificing an entire wall that could be used for storage, just won't make sense.
That doesn't mean you have to give up your dreams of a wall that can be opened up to the outdoors though — a bifold window could just hold the answer.
Delve Architects designed this extension and utilised a large bifold window which has been fitted with a window seat to form the perfect spot to perch and while away the hours.
10. Take The Leg Work Out of Outdoor Cooking
A level threshold and double bifolds are the perfect way to connect an outdoor kitchen with your indoor spaces.
With the right outdoor kitchen ideas, you can turn your garden into the ultimate entertaining space — but the design of an exterior cooking space needs to be carefully considered if it is to work smoothly.
You not only need to create a clear pathway between your indoor and outdoor kitchens in order to transport essentials between the two, but you also need easy and quick access in and out should the weather take a turn for the worse.
The ground floor of this striking modern home opens out to a stylish outdoor kitchen diner through a set of bifolds, with a level threshold and an access door, to form the perfect indoor-outdoor set-up.
11. Make Use of Bifolds for Smaller Patio Doors
Bifolds are usually a better option for smaller openings than sliding doors.
If you are working on small addition ideas, sliding doors may not be the best option — bifold or French doors make far more sense in most cases.
"Typically bifold doors are best suited to openings under 5m where the connection between inside and out is key," explains Edward Stobart. “At that size, giving up a proportion of the opening to a fixed frame with sliding doors has more of an impact on the connection between home and garden — whereas the ability to completely open up bifold doors and extend your living space out onto the patio is a hugely popular concept. Their ability to fold to one end to maximise the opening is the real selling point of the system at that size."
Within this side extension, a small set of bifolds open out to the patio, while a roof light and large picture window illuminate the dining area.
12. Delve Into The Benefits of Slide And Turn Doors
Slide and turn doors are the perfect blend of bifold and sliding doors.
If you are still undecided as to which style of patio door is best going to suit your needs, there is another option to consider alongside bifold and sliding doors which is quickly catching them up in the popularity stakes — slide and turn doors.
Edward Stobart explains how they work. "These are an ultra-modern alternative to bifold and sliding doors which feature the narrow frames associated with sliding doors, but can slide and stack the panels to create a totally unobstructed opening just like bifolds."
The only downside of these systems – particularly if you are trying to keep a lid on kitchen extension costs – is that, due to their more complex operating mechanisms, they tend to be a little more expensive than bifolds.
FAQs
How Do You Make Bifold Doors Look Cozy?
Both bifold and sliding doors add a contemporary, sleek touch, yet many homeowners still want their interior spaces to feel warm and welcoming — so just how can you achieve this with large expanses of glass?
"For anyone looking to soften the look of a bifold door, consider the material, colour and hardware," suggests Katie Brekke. "A wood or warm-finish bifold door creates an inviting atmosphere, especially when paired with hardware options that use traditional finishes."
"Choosing timber bifold doors will add an instant warmth and softness to any room, but you can also create a cozy feel by choosing a paint or stain in warm neutral tones," advises Matt Higgs, MD of Kloeber.
The window treatments you choose to ensure privacy can also help here.
"You could use woven blinds for rustic charm or hang sheer curtains on either side to frame the doors and soften the look," continues Matt Higgs. "Consider placing indoor plants nearby too to bring a warmth and a natural feel.
"Finally, using soft furnishings like a plush rug near the doors to add texture and comfort, or adding soft lighting for a warm glow will also help — and a comfy armchair with a chunky knit throw will only add to the cozy ambiance."
Finding ways to unite your interiors with your outdoors spaces is so important in terms of natural light and sense of wellbeing. Spending time looking into the best landscaping ideas is just as important though, otherwise you might find yourself with a view that really wasn't worth the effort.
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