Description
THE DOOR NAME ORIGIN – “SHAKER STYLE 3 CRAFT PANEL”
The design of this unapologetically beautiful interior door model was inspired by the aesthetic principles of the Shaker movement: just like all the other interior doors in this collection.
All in all, the Shaker style was New England’s response to the proliferation of neo- Baroque elements in all major civilized areas of the world where old-style Baroque had been ostensibly rejected as too feudal, too reminiscent of the absolute monarchy ideals, too shamelessly sumptuous to fit the ideas of democracy. In order to maintain even an illusion of equality, designers turned to Neoclassical ideas, using antiquity as their principal source of inspiration. However, the Industrial Revolution created a new aristocracy – that of businessmen and financiers – and their goal was to live “like kings.” New branches of Neoclassicism began to appear rapidly, and frank, in-your-face luxury was once again gaining traction. This ran contrary to the Shaker philosophy. To compensate, New England designers began to value simplicity above all – while preserving the overall elegance of their design.
History isn’t always fair. Upon the “Bourbon Restoration” in France, and Louis Philippe became the new King of that country. Well aware of the fact that extreme luxury irritated the King’s subjects in hard times, he ruled in an unpretentious fashion, avoiding the pomp and lavish spending of his predecessors. At first, he was much loved and called the “Citizen King” and the “bourgeois monarch”, but his popularity suffered as his government was perceived as increasingly conservative and monarchical. Under his management, the conditions of the working classes deteriorated, and the income gap widened considerably. Because of this, his name became synonymous with luxury, and two years after his abdication the newly elected President of the United States, Millard Fillmore, was dubbed “the American Louis Phillippe” merely because he was, supposedly, excessively fond of elegant clothes.
The Shakers’ idea that luxury is sinful was in keeping with some Nineteenth Century maximalist views, and, like so many of those, it was an overkill. In and of itself, luxury can’t be sinful. Displays of luxury, however, can be tactless in certain times and regions.
Every action produces a reaction, as one insightful scientist once said and when on to prove. The Shaker designers’ goal was to produce items that pleased the eye without being luxurious. The results exceeded all expectations: even during the Fillmore Administration, New England designs began to spread rapidly across the continent, and especially westward.
This particular interior door is not modeled on the Stonehenge, as some folks might assume (even though the idea is kind of cute). Rather, the two vertical and one horizontal panels would be reminiscent of the letter Pie, which is the ultimate symbol of the scientific approach to architecture. The circle may not be the simplest geometrical shape you can think of, but it is most certainly the most ubiquitous. An opening interior door’s edge describes a circle segment.
Ah, yes: this interior door does come with all the usual Almes Doors great features, such as the Italian-made 3D-adjustable concealed hinges, the soundless magnetic lock, and the automatic sweep. It has excellent sound-proofing and thermal insulation qualities. The former will ensure privacy, whilst the latter will work wonders with your electrical bill.
This particular interior door is not modeled on the Stonehenge, as some folks might assume (even though the idea is kind of cute). Rather, the two vertical and one horizontal panels would be reminiscent of the letter Pie, which is the ultimate symbol of the scientific approach to architecture. The circle may not be the simplest geometrical shape you can think of, but it is most certainly the most ubiquitous. An opening interior door’s edge describes a circle segment.
Ah, yes: this interior door does come with all the usual Almes Doors great features, such as the Italian-made 3D-adjustable concealed hinges, the soundless magnetic lock, and the automatic sweep. It has excellent sound-proofing and thermal insulation qualities. The former will ensure privacy, whilst the latter will work wonders with your electrical bill.
FINISH: WHITE
This is a bit tricky. Isn’t White the default finish that would look great on any interior door? Well, not quite.
W. is the color most often associated with perfection, honesty, cleanliness, newness, neutrality, and exactitude. The pigment has been known and used by humans since prehistoric times. In ancient Egypt, W. symbolized purity. Roman patricians paraded around in W. togas to distinguish themselves from the common folk. It was the color of choice of French monarchs. Architects of all epochs used W., with considerable enthusiasm, in various projects and for various reasons. In the United States, architects favored it when designing churches, capitols, and municipal buildings – which is, in fact, a tradition they inherited from classical and Renaissance architecture. According to some experts, most of the buildings in the celebrated Forum were either made of, or clad in, W. marble. In Taoism, it represents the yang or masculine energy, one of the two complementary natures of the universe. Many authors, both classical and contemporary, have referred to W. as a sign of purity, either physical (like William Shakespeare, whose treacherous usurper monarch wishes a heavenly rain would cleanse his blood-stained hand, washing it “white as snow”) or spiritual (like Tennessee Williams, who named his lead character Blanche (derived, incidentally, from the Germanic word blanc)) as a symbol of her innocent child-like spirit, perceptible from the moment she makes her first entrance (through the interior door stage-left).
Back in the Seventeenth Century, Sir Isaac Newton discovered that sunlight is composed of light with wavelengths across the visible spectrum which the human eye perceives as W. It is the lightest of the spectrum, and achromatic (hue-less) to boot, because it fully reflects and scatters all visible wavelengths of light, absorbing none. W. objects stand out in the dark. Depending on the surroundings, an interior door with W. finish might come off as emphatic or tactful, dominant or complementary. It blends seamlessly into most types of decor and, once the owner’s needs and disposition are taken into account, can symbolize – oh, so many different things, while bringing back a myriad memories: from those glorious snowy Alpine slopes and peaks to the fluffy tops of the wayward herd of cumulus cloud heap over the horizon on a balmy afternoon in the Caribbean. Tropical sand beaches are W. due to the high quantity of calcium carbonate they get from tiny bits of seashells ground to powder by the waves. In a number of cultures W. can also symbolize festivity, and be used lavishly to brighten up weddings, birthdays, and anniversaries. It is beautiful. Make sure it goes well with your interior door model, though.
