“Pivotal” Design Trend
— Fortune favors the bold in modern design. And few things carry an air of drama like the pivot door. From their clean lines to the futuristic way they appear independent of their frame, these massive doors have become a fixture in contemporary architecture.
In the age of indoor/outdoor flow and patio sliders with gravitas, the seamless sightline trend has inched its way to the front of the house. Transfixing homeowners and the trade alike, over-sized panels—which float inside their frames on pins mounted to the top and bottom of the door— are coveted features in high-end custom homes.
Sleek and modern one minute, rustic and warm the next, the aesthetic is made all the more appealing by the enormous opening they create. And the nearly invisible hardware that rotates on a vertical axis.
“We gravitate towards architectural elements that allow our clients greater design flexibility because we know custom details— like pivot doors—make a house a home. For projects requiring large doors and high-tech features like LEDs and comfort closure, pivot doors are an impressive solution,” said Mark Kinnane, Executive Vice President at Cape Associates.
Unlike conventional side hinge doors, high-performance pivot hardware is strong enough to suspend a seven-foot wide by the twelve-foot tall mahogany door. Installed at the front entrance, they make a larger-than-life statement, creating high expectations for the goings-on inside. Some of the most talked-about homes today feature pivot doors in both open-air and interior spaces.
In the modern design playbook, the doors can swing in a single direction or open both ways from a centered or offset pivot placement. Either way, you’ll want enough clearance for proper operation.
Like all the best things in building today, pivot doors are mostly custom made. Depending on their size, functionality, and material mix (i.e., steel, aluminum, wood, glass, stone, etc.), they range from $3,000 to $20,000+. To avoid water, air leakage, and warping issues, talk to your contractor about manufacturing options like weather-stripping.
See more of the Provincetown project featured at the top of this article here.
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