Wrought iron

Exterior World uses decorative iron for both purely aesthetic reasons and for beautifully functional ones. It is a welcome additive to any landscape design. We help our clients choose from a wide-ranging variety of artistic motifs—from the ornate patterns of the Renaissance to the supple and twisting Art Nouveau innovations. Often painstakingly designed, decorative iron expresses your individuality.

Wrought iron made its way into the artistic realm sometime in The Middle Ages. By the time Samuel Yellin, the artisan who became a symbol of American ironwork, arrived in Philadelphia in 1906, the world had long since fallen in love with iron’s capacity to adorn and embellish. But in describing his lifelong passion for wrought iron, Yellin captures the essence of its appeal for all of us. He said, “I love iron. It is the stuff of which the frame of the earth is made. And you can make it say anything you will. It eloquently responds to the hand, at the bidding of the imagination. When I go to bed at night, I can hardly sleep because my mind is aswarm with all the visions of gates and grilles and locks and keys I want to do. I verily believe I shall take my hammer with me when I go to the gate of heaven. If I am denied admission, I shall fashion my own key.” This Polish-born blacksmith’s work was eventually commissioned across the U.S. and can be found in nearly 40 states.

For decorative purposes, iron has few limitations on its design possibilities. Just to name a few of our uses for it: garden arbors and garden gazebos; accent pieces on doors, such as locks, knobs, hinges and door knockers; outdoor water fountains; a custom-made ornamental iron chandelier in an outdoor kitchen; garden arches and gates; column accents; finials, friezes and copings.

In its functional usage, decorative iron is most often used for security and privacy. For instance, we find that it makes a strong statement when used as a grill insert in a fence, balcony railing, an impressive front door, ornamental iron fences, driveway gates or window balconies. In fact, there are some design experts who say that, because it is a strong material, it works best where it displays its inherent strength. The beauty of iron, however, is that by adding impressive details, such as organic spirals or playful gargoyles, what is often overlooked suddenly becomes a show-stopper.

Whatever the purpose, we always encourage our clients to integrate the design of their decorative iron with the rest of their material choices. An arbor in a French pattern from the Baroque period doesn’t work well with a Federal style house, for example.

For accuracy purposes, true wrought iron is only made in limited amounts today and primarily for historic preservation undertakings. Most “iron” landscaping products currently in use are actually made from carbon steel, which possesses the advantage of being easy to manipulate and relatively inexpensive to produce.

The original label still applies, though. The hundred or so landscape items that we call wrought iron still retain the original look handed down to us nearly 1,500 years ago.

Exterior Worlds has provided high-end landscaping solutions for the greater Houston area since 1987.