A brand new category of patio doors with beautiful built-in screens and shades that enable homeowners to maximise indoor/outdoor living was debuted to the UK public at the Grand Designs Live show in Birmingham October 4-6. Centor Integrated Doors enable homeowners to enjoy unprecedented control of their living environment and uninterrupted views of the world outside.
Centor, an award-winning designer and manufacturer of beautiful, eco-friendly doors, screens and hardware, introduced its new ‘integrated doors’ to the UK market just weeks after a highly successful launch in the US, where the innovation received huge acclaim. “I would build a house just to put these doors in!” said a partner of New York firm Ennead Architects.
Centor Integrated Doors are beautifully designed with a ‘no compromises’ approach. “The overall quality and versatility of our integrated doors is something that really needs to be experienced first-hand in order to be fully appreciated,” said Centor Europe General Manager, Peter Watkins.
“The industry hasn’t seen anything like this ever before – it could well be the most exciting innovation in the window and door industry since folding doors. We’ve invested years of R&D into creating this new category and have 14 international patents pending. Everyone who has seen these doors so far has been amazed and delighted with the flawless operation and sleek aesthetics,” said Peter.
Fully integrated insect screens as well as blackout and sun shades discretely appear from and retract into the doorframe, maintaining clean lines and design aesthetics without the need for cumbersome curtains or blinds. Also, the hinges, locks and handles are all concealed within the slim sight lines to minimise visual interference, as well as enhance smooth operation and provide advanced security.
With fingertip ease, homeowners can now optimise their living environment, all day, all year round – to choose fresh air and open views, partial or total privacy, or to protect themselves and their furnishings from harsh UV rays and unwanted insects.
“At Centor, we believe the world is beautiful and everything we do is designed to connect people with the world outside to provide the best in inside/outside living,” said Centor Managing Director, Nigel Spork. “Until now, there has always been some degree of compromise – large doors offer great views, but little privacy; curtains detract from clean interior design and insect screens are only needed occasionally. But when you design everything from scratch to ensure that all the individual elements work flawlessly together you’re able to provide the best possible experience for the homeowner. These doors bring people closer to nature while ensuring their homes are comfortable 24 hours a day, every day of the year,” said Nigel.
“Our new integrated doors fill living spaces with light and fresh air in the summer months, while also offering filtering screens that slide smoothly out of the doorframe for protection from strong sunlight and insects,” Peter said. “At night, the integrated blackout shades offer privacy and act like another layer of glazing, keeping homes warmer in winter. When they’re not in use, these screens and shades completely vanish into the doorjamb, so there’s no distraction from the clean aesthetics of the living space and minimal barriers to the world outside.”
Designed for all architectural styles and large exterior openings up to 9.75 metres wide, Centor Integrated Doors are available in a variety of configurations, including two and three-panel sliding, folding, French and single patio doors.
Centor Integrated Doors are manufactured in the UK to customer specifications. Built to last, they are available with the warmth of solid wood on the inside and durable low maintenance aluminium on the outside as well as a complete thermally improved aluminium construction. Homeowners can choose between blackout and sun shades as well as insect screen options. The shade is available in a wide range of colours and textures, while the insects are kept at bay with a choice of two different mesh sizes.
