Sleek. Stylish. Sublime.

These may not be the words that first come to mind when you think of the aesthetic values that metal doors bring to the table. And that makes sense. Aesthetic features may not be the priority in the type of metal doors you're imagining - those big and bulky things that are all about security and a fire rating rather than being a design choice you can use outside (or throughout) your home.

PINKYS changes that thinking with its metal doors.

Drawing inspiration from sources as varied as contemporary design and gorgeous Californian sunsets, a PINKYS door adds a level of aesthetic appreciation to the metallic look that shows that iron and steel can be used (and used in good taste) in your home.

Here, we're going to show you how.

Why PINKYS Metal Doors Offer Aesthetic Value on Their Own

Let's start with the basics - what does aesthetic mean?

Merriam-Webster's dictionary gives us two definitions, with the first being what comes to mind for most when they think about aesthetics:

"Of, relating to, or dealing with aesthetics or the beautiful."

Thus, beauty, in all of its forms, is what comes to mind when you think of aesthetics. But what it doesn't tell you is that beauty comes in so many forms - nature, art, culture – it all lies in your perception.

Then, there's the second description, which relates to the philosophical theory of what aesthetics considers rather than the literary theory of bringing practical beauty into the world:

"A branch of philosophy dealing with the nature of beauty, art, and taste and with the creation and appreciation of beauty."

In other words, the feelings and thoughts we derive from the aesthetic experiences in our lives. This is sense perception - why certain things look and feel good to us, and the aesthetic reasons behind the feelings those things imbue. These are the principles behind why a painting, or some other artistic work (music and fashion, for instance), looks "good" for instance. Think of it as the theory of style.

We're explaining what aesthetics is to make a point - to achieve a certain look, you must understand the context of aesthetical beauty so you can put that idea into practice, making it a reality. That is what PINKYS achieves with its steel and iron doors, and these are the reasons why the artists at PINKYS can help you achieve a wonderful exterior or interior aesthetic.

Influences by Contemporary Design

Let's revisit the first thought that comes into people's minds when they think of metal doors - bulky and heavy doors that are more at home guarding a vault or commercial premises than they are a home. There's no denying the usefulness of these qualities. Security is important for these functions. However, the designers of these types of "traditional" metal doors are more concerned with functionality than they are design.

PINKYS is different.

Our metal doors are designed to be attractive with an appearance that is contemporary and takes the science of aesthetics into account. PINKYS doors aren't bulky - as hinted at by the AIR branding used for many. They use metal for accenting as much as for security. Sleek lines form geometric shapes, with the glass panes installed in the doors being defined in more detail by the metal.

PINKYS doors aren't characterized by their security features (though those exist). They're inspired by a Greek word: “aisthētikós” - classic theories of beauty brought into the modern world.

Allowing Light to Shine Through

All of this talk of a Greek word and the esthetic principles underpinning artistic works may be interesting, but it doesn't cover one of the greatest examples of beauty the world offers - nature.

More specifically, sunlight and how capturing it in certain ways can make the elements in a room sparkle. You've likely seen this before. A large window allows sunlight to stream through, with those invisible rays being reflected around the room with cleverly placed mirrors, furniture, and paintwork. In this sense, the light is influenced by your design, with your interior aesthetic sensibility accentuated by light.

Of course, the traditional vision of a metal door lets no light in - it's solid metal. But a PINKYS metal door does, as almost all models feature large glass panes that allow the giver of life itself (the sun) to influence the look and feel of a foyer and internal rooms. "Light" is what PINKYS aims for with its metal door designs (again, as seen by the use of the AIR branding), and it's through a combination of glass and metal that its doors create the light and airy look that's so beloved in contemporary home design.

Combining Tradition with Modern Meaning

The concept of a metal door isn't new.

Wrought iron doors, for instance, have been around since the Middle Ages. And even in wooden doors, we see metal used in fittings, lock mechanisms, and handles. In short, metal is about as traditional a material as you can find pertaining to the aesthetics of the "door" as we know it.

But if history has shown us anything, it's that what is old can be made new again by those who are sensitive to changing tastes and capable of turning ideas of the past into modern works of art. That is the case for PINKYS, which combines the tradition of metal doorwork with contemporary design ideas that make the old new again.

Take PINKYS Dutch metal door designs, for instance. The idea of a Dutch door finds its roots in the farmyard - doors that open horizontally as well as vertically, allowing somebody to peer into a barn without creating an opening for animals to escape. PINKYS brings that "rustic" idea into the 21st century with Dutch door designs that combine contemporary aesthetic appeal (geometric shapes, clean lines, etc.) with a door design that traditionally had a far different use than the one now found in the home.

Creating Even More Aesthetic Appeal - Fun Design Ideas for Metal Doors

Aesthetic value.

It's what PINKYS aims to create with each metal door it designs, but you may need help figuring out how to take those doors and create true aesthetic experiences with them. How do you transform your door into something akin to the arts? Here, we have a few ideas that showcase what a metal door (or doors) can achieve in both your exterior and interior spaces.

Add to the Aesthetic Sensibility of a Loft Space

The words "light" and "loft" rarely go together. You know this if you have an unconverted loft space, as the ladder or stairs leading into that room take you somewhere that is often pitch black (at least until you flick a light switch) at any time of day.

And yet, your loft can often provide so much of what the philosophical theory of aesthetics would deem "beautiful." Soaring ceilings. Wooden beams. There is an art to an attractive loft space that is lost in the absence of light. Enter the metal door. When used to open out onto a balcony connected to your loft, a PINKYS metal door allows life to stream through, highlighting the beauty of the room.

They're useful for those fortunate enough to have large lofts, too, especially if those lofts are divided into multiple rooms. Metal doors with glass panes used as dividers for each of those rooms are great for elevating the room’s appearance (the loft becomes a more modern space) and ensuring that light flowing in from a window of the exterior metal door penetrates the entire space.

Frame Your Metal Door with Plants

Never forget that attractive aesthetics are often achieved through the combination of elements to create something unique. With your PINKYS metal door, you have a contemporary design, though it's one that may feel somewhat sparse to nature lovers or those who want to build on the sleek black lines used to highlight the glass panes in the door.

That can particularly be the case when using a PINKYS metal door for your entryway. The door may start to feel somewhat lost if it's installed in a particularly large frontage. But this problem can be solved with a simple idea - introduce natural elements that contrast the cold, geometric lines in the door while keeping the metal door itself a focal point.

Start with the space on your porch. Small potted plants placed to the side of the door can frame it, as does a green garland hanging over the door. Moving away from the porch (or general entryway), the possibilities open up further. Perhaps create a coastal look with large palm trees creating a pathway to the door itself. Or floral arrangements lining a stone path to the door.

The idea is to create a scene in which the metal door serves as the crescendo. The natural beauty of the plants offers an aesthetic value of their own, but they also serve as a framing device that eventually leads you (or your visitors) to your contemporary metal door.

The Culture of Curves

Beauty is so often found in curvature, as you'll see in many examples throughout history. It's this love of curves that led to the introduction of domes and archways - both massively featured in Roman architecture and beloved by cultures around the world to this day.

The archway can be a defining feature in your room - at once a centerpiece and an entryway - and PINKYS ensures those who wish to have a metal door in an archway are served with stunning designs. The Air 5 Double Flat Arch is a perfect example, featuring glass panes cut to match the contours of the door's frame (and your archway) to deliver a modern take on a design that many regard as a stalwart of the ancient world.

But how do you accentuate an archway, particularly one inside your home?

You can go in one of two directions - clear and simple or patterned and expressive. These are contrasting motifs, though each is equally effective when used in the archway aesthetic. For instance, a simple painting on one of the walls surrounding the arch (think white or cream) accentuates the door by contrasting with its black lines.

If complement, rather than contrast, is your thing, pinstripe patterns work just as well. They emphasize the bold geometric shapes in a PINKYS metal door. Be careful here, though, as too much pinstripe can be overwhelming on the eyes. Perhaps contrast a pinstripe upper wall with a clear lower wall (with some form of divider between) to get the best of both worlds.

Create a Rural or Rustic Narrative

We touched on how a metal door can be at once contemporary and traditional when introducing PINKYS Dutch doors, and it's here where that design comes to the fore. Dutch doors are inherently rural (remember - they come from the farmyard), making them an excellent choice for those who have more rustic aesthetic sensibilities.

Combining metal, wood, and glasswork is key to this blending of the old and new. The metal comes in the form of your metal door, of course. The slick lines in a PINKYS Dutch door frame your entryway and allow you to create a "postage stamp" effect in which you open the door half to look inside. You also have glass panes that allow you to look inside, lending another modernistic touch.

As for the wood, that comes from flooring and furniture. Those are the two avenues for melding a metal door with wood to create a rural narrative. Light-colored wooden flooring, for instance, offers the rustic vibe while still being light enough to take advantage of the sunlight streaming through a PINKYS door. Wooden beams on the ceiling of a foyer or internal room work, too, especially if the natural brown of the wood is contrasted by lighter paint used for the ceiling.

The idea is to tell a story with aesthetics - one that's mostly told with furniture and interior design choices that both complement and contrast your metal door.

A Free-Flowing Interior

Flow.

It's a concept that has existed in interior design for centuries, with the idea being that each room in a house should flow, at least in some way, into the next. This is less about using the same design ideas in every room (that would get boring) and instead about creating some form of connection that lends to a coherent aesthetic running throughout the house.

Pocket doors and pivot doors both work here.

Starting with pivot doors, this interesting format eschews tradition by moving the hinges from the door's side to its top and bottom. So, they pivot, rotating with a push around a central axis rather than having to be opened and closed as a normal door would be. In terms of flow, these doors have fewer barriers between rooms and more simple glass-based metal doors that make access easier.

Pocket doors are similar in terms of their access, though different in design. They slide rather than pivot, allowing you to create near-constant openings between rooms so you can flow between them at will. Of course, closing the doors is possible, too, but the point with both is that the glass used in each metal door allows your design choices to flow visually from one room into the next.

How to Choose Your Metal Door

Now you see that the aesthetic appeal of a metal door really lies in the door's creator (as well as your own tastes). "Big" and "bulky" don't have to come into the equation - a metal door can be beautiful and contemporary while still paying homage to the design traditions of the past. You see that in several PINKYS doors (again, its Dutch doors are a perfect combination of old and new).

But let's round out this article by answering the most basic of questions when trying to achieve the metal door aesthetic - how do you choose your new metal door.

Start With Your Own Aesthetic Sensibility

What do you love? What do you hate? Those are the two questions that help define your aesthetic sensibility, and they're also the two that'll help you choose the metal door that works best for your home. For instance, you may hate "traditional" in all of its forms, even when it comes to door hinges, which would make a pivot door something that interests you.

Nothing Replaces Quality Components

You can only appreciate beauty in a metal door if that beauty holds up. In other words - the door has to be well-made on a functional level for it to be useful on the aesthetic level. Components are key. Hinges, locks, mechanisms – they all must work seamlessly lest you lose the aesthetic amid functionality frustrations.

Match the Door to the Space

This tip extends from the obvious (an arched door is no use in a space that has a flat top) to more complex ideas of matching the door to the themes of the space in which it's installed. For example - a room with an industrial theme may be perfect for a solid iron or steel door, whereas one with a coastal theme requires a metal door that allows plenty of light through.

PINKYS - The Definition of the Word "Aesthetic"

Metal is the modern aesthetic.

At least that's the case with PINKYS metal doors - they're all designed to meld contemporary design philosophies with the glass and metal that have been used in home design for centuries. All that's left is to explore the collection to discover how a PINKYS door can become the cornerstone of the aesthetic you wish to achieve.