A great way to bring these sought-after characteristics into your design and create modern appeal is through an interior storefront system. Often a central element in the building’s interior, these frequently used assemblies set the aesthetic stage, while effectively separating spaces and guiding the flow of traffic. To add the right amount of form and function to your interior storefront system, here are three tips for achieving a modern design.
1 - Save space with a sliding door
One of the most important elements in interior storefront design is the type of door specified for the project. Swing doors are a market mainstay, but products like AD Systems' OfficeSlideTM are emerging as a sleek, modern and competitive alternative.
By removing the arc of space needed for swing doors to open, these sliding doors can provide an additional 30 square feet of usable room. This extra space not only creates the heralded open, modern look, but it also allows for better accessibility for a wide range of mobility levels. For example, OfficeSlide doors are available with ADA-compliant hardware. With no exposed floor track, they improve ease of access.
2 – Focus on transparency
Transparency is a hallmark of modern design. Interior storefront systems with glass can create light, bright and porous entries that align with this trend and invite occupants further inside. While there are many options from which to select, glass barn doors go a step beyond many traditional offerings with their top-hung mount and slim frame profile. They preserve sightlines and allow natural light to pass throughout the interior storefront, creating a truly transparent entry.
Where necessary, companies like AD Systems can customize glass barn doors, making them suitable for nearly any size frame or opening. Bi-parting pairs of doors and sidelites and transoms are also available to extend transparency.
3 – Pay attention to the details
As Charles Eames once famously said, “The details are not the details, they make the design.” This is particularly true when it comes to interior storefront systems, given the role they play in setting the aesthetic stage and separating spaces while using glass to maintain some visual connection and illumination.
To create an interior storefront system that reflects the modern appearance of its surroundings, make sure you look for products with:
- Fully customizable sizes and configurations
- A wide variety of hardware, color and material choices
- Helpful add-ons, such as solid glass infills or lighting
