An Italian Renaissance-era Entrance with Wrought Iron Grill for the Fan Light Transom Aperture Above the Double Door.

We feel as though the application of security doors and bars over windows on private houses in our American cities is deserving of a separate treatise given the ubiquitous nature of these components in urban environments as well as considering the importance of harmony in attached houses.

After some deliberation and study, it is our belief that there are several different categorical components of security doors and bars for windows.  In our recent article on the history of iron work in security grills, we have provided a simple historic context for this component of the architectural features of buildings.  From this and our survey we have identified six extant types with the realm of security doors and bars for windows, which are found historically as wrought iron grills over apertures including both doors and windows.  Please also note that in decorative iron work the use of cast iron is often present in the aesthetic elements and details of a door or window grill.  Of this rather hastily assembled typology of grills in use, we have our recommended, acceptable, and deplorable options listed below as follows with under style in correspondence with the verdicts of our taste meter:

• Period versions of wrought iron grills for apertures including doors (security doors) and windows (bars) dating to the construction of the building
• Period inappropriate versions wrought iron grills for apertures including doors (security door) and windows (bars)
• Modern specimen of period version of wrought iron grills for apertures including doors (security doors) and windows (bars) in scale, style and material at least sympathetic to the original appearance
• Modern specimen in a mock-period style or form of wrought iron grills for apertures including doors (security doors) and windows (bars) that are not in scale and/or material appropriate to the original scale, massing, appearance or style
• Modern specimen of a wrought iron grill/security door or bars in a form and style incongruous to any aesthetic, but conspicuous in its own decorative appearance
• Modern specimen of grills for apertures including doors (security doors) and windows (bars) in a simplistic form and without any major, notable stylization, but instead giving the “prison door” feeling of utility
• Modern specimen of grills for apertures including doors (security door) and windows (bars) in a modern and/or abstracted style completely and obviously alien to the style or period of the house, but in a size, scale and material that is in keeping with the quality of extant materials

SPECIFICS:

When you visit a city like New Orleans and/or Savannah or even some forgotten towns of Pennsylvania or upstate New York, you might notice a greater presence of iron work within which numerous unfathomable specimens of grills for apertures including doors and windows are extant.  Perhaps in these places the old saying rings true—poverty is preservation.  If you think these towns alone were exclusive for their iron work, think again.  This presence was common place and has been removed from most urban settings. Even in some of these towns where fashion again is a consideration, these features were saved due to poverty and until a period of gentrification where such features were not only appreciated again, but protected.

Among Period versions of wrought iron grills for apertures including doors (security doors) and windows (bars) dating to the construction of the building there are several types including two major: wrought iron grills in the form of doors, and wrought iron grills made to fit glazed (glass) portions of an aperture and etc.  Of the two major types, the window grills on both doors and windows are most likely to survive in cities like New York, Washington D.C., etc.  We have provided examples for both in the images shown above and below.

Rather than with the typical double door, this Queen Anne Revival era and style aperture features a single door, one side light to the right with three separate transom windows. Rather than a full wrought iron grill door, the glazed (glass) portions of this fenestration are individually treated with wrought iron grills for aesthetic and security purposes.

However, if these iron features no longer exist (or perhaps never did), salvage is often possible in terms of restoration.  Nevertheless, the trickier of the two options are putting your hands on an affordable wrought iron grill door.  Finding window grills and/or the grills for glazed portions of door or window-like apertures is far more achievable and within a larger realm of affordability.  There are plenty of antique shops and salvage yards within reach that are also affordable.

• Period inappropriate versions of wrought iron grills for apertures including doors (security doors) and windows (bars)

While this house is attractive, it features at least four different types of “iron work” from probably four separate periods of history, all posing stylistically rather awkwardly. The grills over the windows are different from the grill over the front door (neither of which are period), as is the decorative “iron work” grills before the entrance and at the window above, all of which are different from the period wrought iron fence at the bottom right.

One problem and/or ignorant decision we often see in restoration and/or rehabilitation of old houses with elements of architectural style is the application of stylistically inappropriate features.  This is most commonly a problem with doors.  Home Depot and Lowes alike, among other hardware outlets, sell new doors that “emulate” architectural styles most often inappropriately—the most common “represented” are the Victorian and the Craftsman styles.  Almost always, these pseudo “Victorian” doors are awful to begin with, but are particularly grotesque on a colonial revival house.  Given the simplistic elements of style in a craftsman era door, there are actually some new Home Depot and Lowes versions that exist as attractive alternatives, but when a craftsman era door is applied to a Queen Anne Revival house, we are not amused.  Ignorance however is bliss which is why we began our labors.

The same thing occasionally happens with wrought iron grills serving as security doors and/or bars for windows.  We have provided an example at the head of this section relating to this problem.  This is a far less common issue, but is certainly not unheard of, being unnecessary with a little bit of education and/or advice.

• Modern specimen of period version of wrought iron grills for apertures including doors (security doors) and windows (bars) in scale, style and material at least sympathetic to the original appearance

Although modern and ornate, this specimen presents a quality sympathetic to what might have been created when this house was built in the late 19th century. Probably not of the same precise quality as wrought or cast iron work, it presents similar aesthetic feel.

While we always prefer period, we understand that this is not always possible nor affordable.  Above you will see a wrought iron-like grill door that is not actually made of iron, but is in scale, style, and faux material sympathetic to the scale, style and materials that would have been used in the period of construction.  You may find this ornate, but when comparing the two examples below you will easily see which of the two appear in scale with the house.  The latter of the two examples below is very much a poor and common replica that is out of scale, style and/or faux material even remotely sympathetic to the architectural period and style of the house.

In this modern "wrought iron" grill as a double security door, we see, like the previous example, a size scale and massing, not unlike the highlighted wrought/cast iron stairway in this photograph, which is no doubt period. Note the highlighted "wrought iron" grills of the basement windows to the right and left, these are completely out of scale modern versions that are not at all sympathetic. The highlighted fence is period or even original.

• Modern specimen in a mock-period style or form of wrought iron grills for apertures including doors (security doors) and windows (bars) that are not in scale and/or material appropriate to the original scale, massing, appearance or style

AND

• Modern specimen of a wrought iron grill/security door or bars in a form and style incongruous to any aesthetic, but still conspicuous in decorative appearance

This modern specimen of a “wrought iron” grill as a full security door is quite tacky, inelegant and out of keeping with the size scale and massing of the house. Set before a home depot door, it is set off even worse and looks a mess. NO NO NO!

While bulleted as two separate points, the modern specimens outlined above are similar enough as an aesthetic “no no” in the application of “wrought iron grills” that we will discuss these issues together.  In the previous section, the last photographic example is also an serves for both of the bullets that define this section.  Like the ubiquitous presence of the Home Depot door in newly rehabilitated old houses, these two bullets regarding grills for apertures including doors (security) and windows (bars) are the most common among the MIS-application of these features.  You might not notice when strolling upon a less fashionable street, but the following examples will highlight the wanna-be wrought iron grill doors, etc. and will illustrate why this option is absent of taste appropriate to an old house.

A modern specimens within a context of mismatching specimen. Note the "wrought iron" grill in the form of a door is by far the worst of the tacky and incongruous specimen that jumble up this facade. There is simply no harmony whatsoever.

• Modern specimen of grills for apertures including doors (security door) and windows (bars) in a simplistic form and without any major, notable stylization, but instead giving the “prison door” feeling of utility

Probably modern, this is slightly more than simplistic, but still shows that a more simplified modern version as shown here in the “wrought iron” grills for each glazed portion of the entrance has a much more appealing simplicity not taking away from the house itself.

Modern specimens completely utilitarian in form and without any major stylistic or notable aesthetic feeling can be best in terms of underplaying the feature’s presence.  This option is so simple that it might resemble the most generic prison door.  Do we like this? No. But it is a lesser evil, as it is often a necessary one.

Why this version over the previous modern specimens?  The last photograph shown in the previous section shows what seems to be a cluttered façade?  This is because the security door is not beautiful even though it has “style” which is a result of the use of misunderstood architectural style and lower quality materials.  Because of this, the more simplistic form is preferred.

Not the best front door, but still a good choice outside of something more "original" with a very simplistic version of the "wrought iron" grill as a gate-like security door rather than a full door with a sourround, a specification in types that we did not elaborate upon in our more comprehensive description.

• Modern specimen of grills for apertures including doors (security door) and windows (bars) in a modern and/or abstracted style completely and obviously alien to the style or period of the house, but in a size, scale and material that is in keeping with the extant materials

Definitely modern, each aperture, even the basement door is treated with a wrought iron grill of a modern/abstracted style not in keeping with the architectural style of the house but of quality materials, scale, massing and size. A specific example can be found in the next image shown.

The most unusual specimen within contemporary versions is one in a modern or abstracted style completely alien to the original and/or stylistic feeling of the house.  Yet this specimen can be wonderful.  Wonderful or horrible, as it is the trickiest version to make right.  The most important characteristics of this version is the material and its size, scale and massing.  Along with the design, if the material is congruous to the quality level of material, including size, scale and massing of the construction standards of the house itself, these modern designs can be wonderful, but yet separate from the style of the house.  This will in some cases denote sophistication.  This version is best applied on a house that has been completely revamped to a modernist or preferably historic appearance and feeling.  These modern specimens work best when used in numerous apertures of the same house.  As is the case in the example above, each aperture of the ground floor and basement levels have this modern treatment, which his key to creating a necessary harmony in an attached house.  Because the style is not trying to poorly mimic the original, and is of quality in its own right, it works.  Just having a grill of this sort over a single aperture is not as effective or harmonious.

A close up of the house in the previous photograph, this shows in detail the application of modern style wrought iron grills at each of the first floor and basement apertures including both the front and basement doors, sidelights, transoms and regular size windows creating a harmony that is not stylistically akin to the house but does not detract from its merits.

In conclusion, it is difficult to find these examples in the limited context of stores most available in popular culture and/or retail.  We recommend a day trip to nearby antique centers or, most accessible, visiting salvage yards and shops, even websites, providing local stock for a reasonable price.   Most importantly, remember two things:

• Do not let your contractor tell you what to do or that what you want will not work.  The easiest thing for a modern contractor is to install pre-made, pre-fab options that make the most sense to them in this modern misery period of plastics and electronics.  Use your brain to realize that if it makes sense to you that the grill could be installed, than it probably can be given the right motivation.
• Once you have selected an option of the greatest interest to you, select a second and even a third.  Take a Saturday or even two, involve your spouse, show him or her the examples, etc.  go to a salvage yard, or even some antique malls (make it a day) and in the end it will be your house—a house that has architectural integrity and also your educated discretion and dedication.

All it takes to achieve this kind of beauty even within a low budget is a moderate amount of education, some concern, and a little bit of time to look around.  On the other hand, bigger budgets can make much of this happen faster, but unfortunately often produce the most grotesque options and examples given the complete trust in their expensive, uneducated contractor.

And remember, the most expensive and/or fashionable part of town that comprises the historic district much of the time, is expensive for a reason.  Your street of old houses can have the same or at least a similar allure—all it takes is education, attention and a some of your time, but what’s to waste as curb appeal can mean just about everything…and even the smallest, most assumingly mistreated aperture can denigrate an attached space…

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