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A PR IL 2017 | 35 Doors W Today's doors combine sleek designs and practical functionality for small spaces and beyond by STACEY MCLACHLAN "When function and design can meet up, that's per- fection for a designer," says Mark Stein, owner of The Sliding Door Company. Luckily for designers, the lat- est doors on the market do just that, with creative new technologies, increased options for customization and plenty of on-trend styles. "Bigger sizes have been a trend for a couple of years and that isn't changing," explains Chad Martinez, product manager for Milgard Windows & Doors. "Consumers continue to embrace indoor/outdoor living. More now than ever, consumers are willing to make patio doors a focal point of their house." It's why products like Milgard's Moving Glass Wall Systems continue to be so popular in residential and commercial spaces alike: these partitions can separate living spaces, or open up wide to blur the line between inside and out. Big is beautiful, agrees Tracy Nadiger, director of marketing for All Weather Windows. "We're bringing in more doors that are eight-feet high and 42-inches wide," says Nadiger. The bigger the slab, the more striking the look; important when the goal is clean, contemporary lines. This spring, Marvin Windows and Doors will be launching a new Clad Ultimate Bi-Fold door, featuring a maximum height of 10 feet, widths exceeding 55 feet and individual panels up to three-feet-six-inches wide – one of the widest in the industry. "The new Ultimate Bi-Fold Door gives architects a tremendous amount of flexibility in bringing an expansive, movable wall of glass into any project," says Kris Hanson, senior man- ager, group product management for Marvin. But while the overall size is impressive, the config- uration flexibility is also notable; the Ultimate Bi-Fold door is available in 45 different configurations, all with a .30 U-factor. "This opens up a wide range of climates to scenic doors," notes Hanson. And, he adds, when it comes to price ranges, "We're seeing more doors per project and in a wide range of budgets." Garage-style doors fit right into this open-air trend, too, as designers use the style for spaces other than garages. In coffee shops, restaurants or pubs, these doors are being used to open up a space onto decks and patios, and in residential uses, they can open up into the backyard or to turn a basement area into a walk- out. These doors can also be used as room dividers, as Travis Reynolds, national marketing manager for Steel- Craft Door Products has experienced on three recent projects. "We've worked on three schools, using them as movable walls; if they want a completely different application, they can open a space to make it happen." S L I D E O N Slide doors are increasingly replacing swing doors as the preferred entryway option. And it's particu- larly important in markets with a heavy population of condo dwellers. "Homeowners in places like Vancouver or Toronto aren't looking to compromise on design. They want space-saving ideas," says Stein. In offices, The Sliding Door Company often installs panels that can be slid out of the way to create a more open-concept, collaborative workspace when the situ- ation calls for it and then brought back out for privacy. He regularly encloses nooks in residential spaces with a sliding door to transform them into a second bed- room, to offer flexibility and privacy – and increase property value. These sorts of upgrades are actually Open & Shut Ultimate Bi-Fold door from Marvin Windows & Doors. Moving Glass Wall System from Milgard Windows & Doors. Space-saving solutions from The Sliding Door Company.

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