Decorative gates give homes charm and character, and are a lovely, welcoming object to behold after a day at work or time away from home. They can set the decor style for the rest of the house to come, with an endless variety of designs and materials that can be perfectly matched to any theme, from modern to provincial. Here at QAQ we have had many of the decorative screens we manufacture installed as gates, with custom sizing, painting, and choice of material chosen by the client to suit the needs of their home. Here are just a few of these projects, plus a look into some other rather gorgeous gates and gate details that make them so exceptionally charming.
Earlier this week I featured this gorgeous side gate on the left on QAQ’s Facebook page; it’s our ‘Christchurch’ screen design in compressed hardwood. On the right is the ‘Pretoria’ design in mild steel.
Here’s the extremely popular ‘Cayman’ design in mild steel.
And again, same design, same material, but in a smaller size. The contrast between the Victorian home front and modern gate is strikingly attractive here. Now for just a few of the other gorgeous decorative gates I found online:
Gates like the top two are often made by a local artist adept at metal sculpture. The adorable flower gate at the bottom left looks like an easy DIY project using straight wooden rods and wood flower sculptures. The gate at the bottom right (not QAQ; artist unknown) is a very clever way to incorporate a decorative screen in a traditional gate structure.
Charming details in hinges and handles can continue a decorative theme and maximize character. Found objects like these horse shoes and old cake servers can be made into gate handles, or for a more polished art piece, an artist-crafted handle like the exquisite vines on the bottom left can be purchased through the online handmade market Etsy or at a local artist market (warning- Etsy is highly addictive!). Another fabulous gate detail is a latch to hold the gate open–which, as you can see it the top right picture, can be attached to a painted decorative timber buried firmly in the ground near the gate.
In the upcoming months check back for feature posts on how to install decorative screens as gates, part of a series of posts on all the ways decorative screens can be installed that began last week with ‘How to Install a Decorative Screen on a Wall’.
I hope I’ve been given you a little home improvement inspiration here! If you would like to learn more about decorative screens, email sam@qaq.com.au or give us a call for a guide and quote on what we can do for you.
~Christine
