Wenge entrance door with reeded sidelight, Arabian Ranches

The brief

The owner wanted to replace the original stained timber door with something darker and more contemporary, keep daylight in the hall, and stay within what the community allows on the facade.

What we made

A flush single leaf in wenge veneer on a solid engineered core, lipped in solid timber, with a full height sidelight glazed in reeded glass so light comes through without a clear view in. The frame and the sidelight frame are made in the same wenge so the door, the glass and the surround read as one piece. A long black pull outside, a lever inside, and a mortice lock prepared in production.

Why it works

Dark wenge against the cream render of the Ranches has become the look of the community, and a flush leaf with a reeded sidelight keeps the door in the same style and proportion as the original, so the change stayed within the community rules. The reeded glass does the work: privacy by day, a glowing strip by night.