What's the general consensus on altering property layouts?

[Feltwell]

We have installed two of those sets of folding sliding doors. One set was timber framed (as demanded by the conservation officer) in a curtilage listed building, one set was aluminium framed as she was happy with that on an extension to the actual listed building. Quite what her logic was I do not know but I digress

Given the choice I would have aluminium rather than wood as it has slimmer verticals and is more dimensionally stable. The wooden one needed adjusting a couple of times in the first 18 months

It is lovely having a big wall of glass and being able to sit 'outdoors' in cold and/or windy weather
but
The door mechanism is quite heavy as it has an espagnolette type of lock. I am healthy and strong so I have no problem with shoving the handle to the lock position. My 88 year old mother in law cannot shut and lock her door so cannot easily use her patio and in retrospect we should not have put this sort of door in her house

I expect I was being seduced by the Grand Designs effect when I chose them. Had I not been seduced I think I should instead have bought several sets of french windows which are distinctly cheaper, have just as much glass and can be opened up just as much too. The only downside is a pillar between each set of windows - and is that really a disadvantage I ask myself ...

You got me thinking there Livias, always a dangerous thing to do.

Folding sliding doors are great but as you mention above there are downsides, and they are *very* modern looking.

Sliding doors allow for more glass and less frame and are way better now than the naff 70's and 80's patio doors - no opening leaves to get in the way either - but of course they don't fully open.

Or, as you say French windows - or more accurately "Belgian windows" (French windows with a fixed panel each side). Bearing in mind it's to replace the French doors and the window, taking the brickwork out, but the door on the right needs to be replaced with something similar - and there's another door just to the left of this picture that needs to be replaced with something similar to what's there now as well:-

Replacing the whole lot with Crittal-style steel doors & Belgian windows - modern, powder coated, thermally broken ones - could look good - this sort of thing.

https://www.iqglassuk.com/products/mondrian-external-doors/s14962/

Ok, it's more 1920's/30's in style and defintiely not Victorian, but I can't help but think that will jar a little less against the old building than something completely modern in appearance. Hmmm, decisions decisions........

 

[livias]

That looks like a very pleasant solution to me

And thank you too for introducing me to a new word which will be a perfect bit of jargon for putting into listed build consent applications

The Mondrian External Doors are then able to recreate that slim framing effect in CONSONANCE with industrial loft style buildings and art deco design.