Exterior iron railings are a popular choice with homeowners for many reasons. They are extremely durable and long lasting as well as very beautiful and elegant looking. Of course, there is also another reason why so many people are attracted to them. There are virtually endless designs that can be had with wrought iron.
How you select your design will depend on a number of factors. Do you want the convenience of choosing from a catalogue or in a storeroom or do you want to flex your creative muscles and design something yourself?
Does your home already have a “style” that you want the railing to fit into or are you starting from scratch.
And of course, are there any designs that you are particularly drawn to?
Traditional Design
Traditional design is considered more intricate than contemporary or modern design. It is characterized by a great deal of ornateness and grandeur.
Exterior iron railings have been used for centuries. Because of this, when people envision them, many envision them with a traditional design. Wrought iron and traditional design go together well. The elegant looking material is great for shaping into intricate traditional designs.
Graceful swirls and spindles are always a classic design for wrought iron.
Contemporary or Modern Design
Just because a material has been used for hundreds of years however, doesn’t mean that it can’t look fresh and modern.
Contemporary design throws out a lot of intricacies of traditional design and instead focuses its energy on fresh clean lines and simple colour schemes. Modern design is even more streamlined almost to the point of being minimalist.
If your home has a more contemporary or modern design to it, then consider an exterior railing that makes use of clean lines or geometric shapes.
Bohemian or whimsical
Perhaps you are looking for something a little more artsy or playful in your design. Because wrought iron can be customized to create just about any design you like, a more whimsical railing can also be created. Many types of symbols, pictures and patterns can be incorporated to give your railing a look that is completely unique.
Perhaps you’d like to incorporate a design or symbol that has special meaning to you into your railing.
Incorporating other materials
If you really want to think outside the box, consider including additional materials in your railing. Stone or stained glass can make a dramatic impression when paired with iron.
Are there any limits to the design that I can have?
The only real limits in your choice of design are those laid out by the Ontario Building Code. While your iron railing can be a work of art, its primary function is for safety purposes and as such there are certain standards that it must meet. These include things like height requirements, how big openings are allowed to be etc. These requirements will vary somewhat depending on how high your railing is from the ground. We encourage you to be creative in your railing design, however safety and compliance with codes must always be first priority.
When choosing a design for an exterior iron railing, you may choose from one of many existing designs or have custom work done. There are so many choices in fact that it can be a hard decision – but try envisioning your home with various types of railings, because that is part of the fun!