How we approach the boundary of our property lines has completely transformed over the years with contemporary design thinking. Gone are the days of selecting and installing mass produced gates and never thinking about it again. We are now more highly involved in the design process. Here’s the latest thinking on the subject.
Modern Gate Design
Design-wise, the biggest change has been the use of more simplified design choices and less decorative work. Gates that incorporate both horizontal and vertical design elements, utilise wood and aluminum with a powder coating in a matte finish. The new preferred design choice of horizontal slats contrasts beautifully with render and brick.
Design choices can complement a highly decorative home. Using horizontal slats speaks to the design philosophy of retaining a more minimalist look, but it doesn’t have to be devoid of warmth. The use of treated oaks and other softwoods with black or anthracite frames strikes the perfect balance between warmth and some industrial design.
Another Design Choice
The use of timber or metal framed gates with timber in-fills has become increasingly more popular. This combination is more aesthetically pleasing and a significant design win. As in previous design choices, the combination speaks to a highly modern design. It also more practical because the combination allows for weathering and stresses more easily.
Corten steel is now more popular in residential projects than it used to be, when it was mostly used in commercial and landscaping projects. People have started to appreciate the weathered look of Corten steel and see it as aesthetically pleasing, rather than as a flaw. It also requires little to no maintenance after some time.
Automation has always existed, but the way it’s integrated has improved. With older systems, automation made the design look worse, as the automation components were too big to hide. Now, the components are small and can be hidden within fence posts to maintain a clean design. The use of solar systems for gate openers is also becoming popular due to the decreased cost, and because they eliminate the need for disruptive cable runs across the driveway.
Designers are getting more intentional with how they use color. Black has been the go to, but tastes have evolved to appreciate muted tones of green, bronze and gray. These colors on gates compliment stone and roofing materials, and help create a boundary that feels more like a part of the building rather than something that is separate.
Bespoke Proportions and Asymmetry
While many projects retain the preference for symmetry exhibiting matched double leaves and pairs, asymmetric designs, characterised by one broad leaf and one narrow and panels split unevenly, are being included more ever on architect-led projects. Although a small detail, this conveys a preference to remove the catalogue and design for the specificity of the plot.
Sustainability and how it is being valued
More of a focus is being placed on the sourcing of materials. Rather than being an upsell option, FSC certified timber, recycled aluminium and locally sourced steel are being demanded more. It is a reflection of the greater tendency being seen in home renovations, alterations and improvements, where the environment a product is made in is now part of the final sale consideration, as opposed to a consideration only by the individuals most conscious of this factor.
The impact this has on homeowners
Although a more modern, minimalist design is being embraced, more traditional gates, like the period appropriate wrought iron designs, are still being embraced. It is more appropriate to use designs that embrace simplicity with technology, like technology hidden behind simple structure and a highly integrated boundary to building relationship. It is more important to homeowners to attain the designs that embrace the modern rather than the most fashionably up to date designs.