The Stylings of Ornamental Iron Railings

Ornamental iron railings represent a small, but apt concept within the vocabulary of landscape architecture. A perfect blend of form and function, ornamental iron railings perform beautifully and beautify while performing. With the appropriate and painstakingly designed railing, a homeowner says, “Here, everything matters.”

As a part of a luxury landscape design, ornamental iron railings imbue your landscape design with unmistakable sophistication and élan. They are the hallmark of property owners who consider, contemplate and shape their entire living environment, both interior and exterior.

Railings are that extra touch, over and beyond what is ordinary and expected. In the same manner as French drains add a design element to your drainage system. And just as a fire and water fountain raises the design quotient for both luxury swimming pools and outdoor water fountains.

Railings are part of your garden’s hardscapes, the non-plant material of landscaping. This is a category that includes such outdoor elements as a garden arch, a wrought iron arbor, an outdoor gazebo and a wrought iron trellis. Railings are typically an open design so as to let the view in and the gaze out.

You will often find them as beautifully rendered features of a deck design, as when the deck is built on several levels. You may find them as part of an outdoor kitchen, to partition off the eating area, for example. Or within a patio design, you may find railings along a staircase or at the step-down to the yard.

Commercial landscape design benefits from decorative railings and other ornamental iron elements as well as private residences. Whether in a subtle contemporary design or an ornate pattern that harkens back to the Renaissance, ornamental iron railings speak of substance and sustainability. It makes the statement subtly, though, which is often the most interesting kind of statement.

Ornamental iron, also called wrought iron, brings classicism to the design of your landscape. Since The Middle Ages, ornamental iron has provided strength of form and a sense of authenticity. Today, true wrought iron is used mainly in historic preservation projects. Yet this ancient art form still captivates us even though we may use electric welding rather than a fire and anvil.

In the modern landscape, the various uses of ornamental iron include the structural: doors, screens, door panels, window grilles, banisters, balconies, copings, pilasters, and column capitals. And for functional ornamentation: gate ornaments, landscape lighting fixtures, door knockers, door handles, iron wall planters, finials, hinges, andirons and fireplace tools.

Ornamental iron fences and ornamental iron gates, including wrought iron driveway gates, can be customized to your particular design needs. You can choose from a range of styles, including the flamboyant configurations of the Baroque and Rococo periods, and the sinuous Art Nouveau patterns.

For an extra layer of interest, you might consider antique ornamental iron. The stair railing from a 16th century Italian villa or the balcony railing from 1800s Buenos Aires could add a depth of quality to your overall schematic. These historic and fascinating pieces, most often found in a salvage yard or architectural reclamation firm, can be retro-fitted specifically for your landscape.