After taking a peek into the history of door knockers last week we suddenly found ourselves very inspired by the beautiful designs and intricate craftmanship we came across... as a result it wasn't long before we felt the need to delve a little deeper into decorative door features.
Today we're going to look at decorative hinges and how they have evolved from basic, functional iron straps to ornamental, beautiful works of art.
You might be mistaken for thinking the above pictures were taken from the set of Lord of the Rings' Rivendell location, but these beautiful, detailed decorations are in fact featured upon British cathedral doors.
Ornamental strap hinges are most commonly found on the doors of medieval castles and cathedrals (and some extravagant home entrances). While nowadays they are mostly implemented for their aesthetic appeal, in medieval times the purpose of hinge straps was to support the immense weight of the doors and prevent sagging. While most were just basic straps of wrought iron looped around the door with a simple arrowhead or diamond shape upon the end, the most impressive designs could often be found upon cathedral doors.
Craftmanship techniques might have changed over the years as a result of the increased skills of blacksmiths, but many designs remain consistently popular. Floral patterns are particularly popular design elements, ranging from simple patterns to extremely high-detailed works of art. To create some of these more elaborate compositions would require the skills of a master blacksmith. Heads would certainly turn if you had something like this mounted upon your home's front door.
If you should find yourself visiting any historic buildings in the near future, keep an eye out for some of these decorative door hinges and see if you can find something truly special. There are a lot of interesting things to see and discover, so get yourself out there and explore.
Here at DirectDoors.com we have many of our own decorative hinges available to compliment your home's entrance. Simply visit the categories below to see the range of door fittings we have to offer.
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