Creating a good impression with your front gate

If you live in a house, it’s likely the first thing visitors will see is your front gate. Whilst your front gate is there primarily for security purposes, you can have fun creating an entrance that really represents you or your home.

Depending on the size of your gate, it should prove a deterrent for any unwelcome visitors. However, the last thing you want is an ugly and opaque wooden block.

So many choices of materials are available for your design, from aluminium to iron and steel. All of these can be made water-tight, secure and tailored for your taste.

Gates should also be able to withstand years of varying weather.

With so much to consider, let’s take a look at how to create a good first impression with your front gate.

Warm and welcoming

Your gate is an extension of your home. With that in mind, you need something which welcomes guests to your humble abode.

A simple gate made from stainless steel or iron gates with patterns are an excellent, popular choice.

Modern design trends lean towards minimalistic design, with the simpler the better. Grill patterns are admired, so too ornamental metal gates with something like an arched top.

You can paint over the black with an inviting colour, such as lime green or golden.

Strong and built to last

Now you’ve picked your dream front gate, you need to ensure it will last. Aluminium grills are durable with great resistance to changing weather conditions. Steel is a low-maintenance option which doesn’t rust. Cast iron and brass are other good long-lasting options.

You want your gate looking great years down the line and you don’t want your guest walking through something that’s bent and rusted.

It also matters how your front gate is connected. If it’s a wooden gate connected to wood, this may not be the best long-lasting option for your home, whereas steel attached to a brick wall may be resistant to even the biggest winds.

Stylish

Now for the fun part. You have your material and colour selected, now you can pick the best design for you. You’re looking for something neat and simple which suits your home. Size matters too. For instance, you wouldn’t install eight-foot-high wide entrance gates for a bungalow.

Moroccan or Spanish-inspired gates can impress guests. Traditionally made from wrought iron, they feature elaborate decorations, such as scrolls or flowers. These would suit larger homes with a more sophisticated build.

Folding pattern gates are perfect for smaller homes, such as a flat or bungalow. It’s important to note you may not have the space to install your ideal gate and you may have to utilise the small space as best as you can.

Match your home

The front gate can serve as a teaser for what the visitor can expect inside the house. You may confuse them if they enter through huge hardwood timber gates set into a brick wall, only to be met by a small terraced house covered by vinyl siding.

Find what makes your home’s interior special and have fun applying that same spirit to your outside gate.

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