Exterior doors provide a sense of security and define first impressions, which is beautifully demonstrated in the pivot door presented above (designed and crafted in Europe by Air-Lux). On the other hand, inside of a house, interior doors are capable of generating privacy, buffering noise, separating rooms and enhancing a room’s architecture. Therefore, in order to fulfill these needs – and considering that they are used multiple times a day – interior doors must be durable and timeless without sacrificing beauty and style. Among all the options that meet these criteria, pivot doors stand out because of their elegant movement, aesthetics and versatility. With a sleek contemporary design that exceeds the regular function of a traditional door, these swinging doors rotate on a vertical axis with nearly invisible hardware, taking on any type of décor, use and measurement with endless creative possibilities.
Whether by making a bold statement or seamlessly blending in, pivot doors have become ideal and functional design elements for interiors. As a result, it is not surprising that they have become a powerful design trend in contemporary homes. But because of their adaptability and high design flexibility, their location and purpose can vary endlessly. So, where do pivot doors work best inside the house?
As often seen in many modern homes, the best places to install interior pivot doors are in the hallway, living room, home office, pantry, and as a room divider. To visualize this and inspire homeowners and architects, below we present some notable examples of pivot doors with FritsJurgens hinge systems that are creatively integrated in these 5 locations.
Hallway: setting the tone for the interior
A hall is a space through which you move to another room, making it ideal for the elegant motion of a pivot door; which swings in both directions thanks to a high-quality hardware mechanism. By adding a smooth and controlled movement in the hallway, a simple passage is transformed into a warm welcome. Therefore, whether placed in the entrance hall or in another walk-through location, integrating a pivot door can ultimately create a cohesive indoor environment. And with a wide array of colors and textures, it can also adopt many distinct styles that set the tone for the rest of the interior: from a rustic aesthetic with a wooden board, to a sleek look with a glass door.
Living room: balancing openness and privacy
In modern architecture, the kitchen and living room tend to be directly connected to each other in an open plan. While this creates a spacious, flexible and illuminated space, the costs are less privacy, cooking smells, and less coziness. However, by implementing pivot doors, these disadvantages can be eliminated without losing the openness of the room (and with the added benefit of keeping heat inside). Especially with glass surfaces, light can continue to flow uninterrupted even if the door remains closed. In this way, according to the desired ambiance, the user can determine if the pivot door stays open or closed and in which hold position it stands, having complete control over the spatial layout.
Pantry: almost invisible
Because the pantry or cupboard is often not a place that homeowners look to emphasize, it is also an ideal location for a pivot door. In contrast to regular hinged doors, every FritsJurgens pivot hinge is hidden in the door, meaning that all that is visible is a small floor and ceiling plate. If this is complemented by using a frameless door that matches the same material and height of the surrounding wall, the result is a practically invisible pantry.
Home office: a functional division
As the pandemic continues and the home office concept becomes the new norm, more people are choosing to replace the typical small cornered desk with a bigger and more appealing space to work in. In this sense, the pivot door becomes an attractive option with its ability to create a more dynamic and interesting atmosphere that is separated, yet not isolated from other rooms. Besides being a unique and creative addition, it can also fulfill a double function; for example, acting as a bookcase, television panel or storage unit.
Room divider: beautiful pivoting walls
Essentially, pivot doors can function as space dividers in any room, but they work particularly well in large and high interiors – which is possible because of their dimension and weight flexibility. In fact, FritsJurgens pivot hinges can support up to 500 kg, enabling the installation of oversized, floor-to-ceiling pivoting walls. When it comes to materials, glass and steel are especially suitable for these heavy doors, creating open spaces that transmit natural light. In addition, another advantage of these separating pivoting walls is that they can be used without frames, meaning that the panels can rotate 360 degrees and thus allow designers to play with different colors and materials in each side.
Regardless of the placement of an interior pivot door in any of these 5 ideal locations, it is also important to optimize the use of space in a doorway.
So, how to maximize the use of available space?
With this question in mind, FritsJurgens has developed new top pivots (TP-40, TP-70 and TP-Reversed) that decrease the minimum distance between the pivot point and the wall, hence maximizing the use of doorway space.
With the fixed pivot point at 40 mm, the TP-40 is as close as possible to the side of the door, offering maximum clear width and hardly any unused space. On the other hand, the all-rounder TP-70 can be placed in any position between 70 mm and the center of the door, also reducing unused space while retaining the distinctive door movement. Available from late 2022 and with an adjustable point from 130 mm, the TP-Reversed can be installed in the head jamb or the ceiling, allowing the installation of pivot doors with smaller frames and large glass openings. In addition, the cable grommet variant is still available, being especially designed to facilitate the passage of cables through the door and top pivot.
Certainly, with their versatility, elegant movement and contemporary aesthetic, interior pivot doors will continue to take over modern homes. But, according to their specific placement, it is crucial to choose the right type of pivot hinge system to ensure durability and function.
For more information on innovative pivot hinge systems, visit this website.
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