Ornamental Iron Gates

At Exterior Worlds, we think ornamental iron gates present an opportunity to express your own style. The entrance to your property, yard or garden, ranging from the minimal to the grand, communicates something quite basic about you and your lifestyle.

With gates, you can make a statement. For instance, the openness of ornamental iron gates indicates a certain willingness to share. Conversely, solid gates provide security and privacy while conveying a sense of mystery. A garden gate painted in a bright color says something bold.

The decorative art of ornamental iron, which came into its own in The Middle Ages, requires great skill to arrive at its often amazing embellishments. Over time and in nearly every country of the world, artisans and craftsmen have come up with the many intricate motifs. You can find ornamental iron twisted and shaped into the refined intricacies of the Renaissance, the flamboyancies of the Baroque and Rococo periods, the playful designs of Art Nouveau and the geometries of Art Deco, to name a few. Simply put, there are few limitations imposed upon the design possibilities of wrought iron.

In choosing the gate to greet them upon each and every arrival home, we encourage our clients to consider four of the fundamental design principles: proportion, scale, harmony and emphasis.

• Proportion is the ratio between the size of one part to another. We still use the most pleasing formula developed in ancient Greece which states that the ratio of the smaller section to the larger section should be the same as that of the larger section to the whole.
• Scale is related to proportion. It refers to how the size of one object relates to another object or to the space in which it is placed. With gates, you want it in scale with your fence, for instance, and the entire fencing in proper relationship to your yard and home.
• Harmony occurs when all the elements of your landscape design blend together. When using ornamental iron, you can develop harmony by repeating the same pattern in your gate, your ornamental iron fence and ornamental iron railing, for example.
• Emphasis within landscape design vernacular means creating a focal point. Perhaps you want to use your outdoor fireplace, a custom outdoor water fountain or custom swimming pool as your point of interest. In these cases, a decorative iron gate that opens onto these elements would play a supporting role.

In addition to the aesthetics of an ornamental iron gate, you have some practical considerations as well. For instance, over the years, Exterior Worlds has offered this suggestion for dealing with Houston’s expansive soil—if you have a gate with a knob, the locking mechanism may not line up properly because the ground has shifted. A sturdy arch over the gate can serve as a frame that keeps the gate square and plumb with the knob’s receiving plate.

Ornamental iron gates provide both fluent expressiveness and convenience. The right gates can enhance the overall look of your landscape. They add élan and elegance to your property while securing you, your family and your home.