Palladio Due Solid - Black Gold Patina - Swing

This classically designed interior door is part of the Palladio interior door collection, which means it is made of natural solid wood (not to be confused with solid core). The raised moldings is reminiscent of the Neoclassical period in architecture, when construction of attractive residential buildings were all the rage, completely changing the face of numerous major cities around the globe.

The beautiful two-panel arrangement is in keeping with Andrea Palladio’s principles of emphasizing the harmony of the decor through the simple elegance of its repeating elements – such as interior doors. It is a reminder that utility does not have to come at the expense of beauty.

This entire line of traditional style interior doors comes with all the usual wonderful features available here at Almes, such as the state-of-the-art hardware, including the Italian-made 3D-adjustable self-lubricating concealed hinges that make the installation a walk in the park and ensure long-term comfortable operation (this door will never creak), as well as the soundless magnetic lock – and, I hasten to add, the automatic sweep that is activated whenever the door is closed which, apart from the sense of privacy it provides, is part of the system that gives this interior door sound-proofing and thermal insulation qualities that are well above industry standards.

A number of finishes is available for this interior door (you’re hereby encouraged to explore every option). In addition to all standard configurations and sizes, custom orders are happily accepted.

Some historians claim, with good reason, that Palladian architecture appeared as a reaction to the proliferation of Renaissance themes everywhere, and while it was generally agreed that the tend was a huge improvement on formerly ubiquitous Gothic architecture, some purists longed for at least a partial return to truly classical, i.e. Greek and Roman, forms. Andrea Palladio was only too happy to oblige and designed villa after villa for the folks who could afford his services. Most of his works are concentrated in the Veneto region, whose prosperity in those days rivaled that of Florence.

Some other historians theorize that he was the precursor of Neoclassicism, which is not entirely accurate. The world had to wait two full centuries before neoclassical buildings started to spring up in France and Italy, and another two decades before they became a world-wide trend. It was only during the Industrial Revolution, when the middle class finally came into its own and turned into a force to be reckoned with that Palladio’s followers began to have a serious cultural influence, shouldering the aristocracy aside. One of the staunch proponents of the new architectural trend was, ironically, the third President of the United States, who, during his extensive travels in Europe, became a Palladian – so to speak. As luck would have it, he was also a capable and gifted architect who turned his own ideas into actual construction projects. Not too many leaders in history actually created any architecture themselves. Apart from this fellow, Emperor Hadrian comes naturally to mind, and … well, that’s it, really.

In light of the above, this line of interior doors is also a reaction to a number of today’s trends; a return to the basic classical themes that have made so many comebacks over the centuries they truly deserved to be called timeless.

This intriguing combination, if tastefully applied, can do wonders to your decor not only because interior doors with this finish can easily blend seamlessly into any arrangement, but also because of the associations it is certain to invoke.

First things first: the method we use to apply this amazing interior door finish is two-fold. First, traditional application is used to cover the entire surface. Once that is done, an actual craftsman comes in to apply the gold patina to the raised moldings by hand. That’s right. Even in this day and age, some tasks cannot be entrusted to technology alone. In some cases, the artistic touch is as indispensable as it was three and a half centuries ago, when Charles Lebrun, assisted by a dozen pupils, covered the ceilings of the Versailles Palace with colorful picturesque frescos. (Before that, he also did an equally wonderful job on the Chateau Vaux-le-Vicomte, but that’s a story for another day).

What associations?

Well, the color black has been a symbol of utter elegance and solemnity since at least the advent of the Industrial Revolution. Black-tie events, evening gowns, concert pianos, limos, etc.: the list of associations goes on and on.

Following the American and French revolutions, fashions began to change rapidly. In men’s attire, the doublet, cape, tricorne and bicorne, stockings, wigs, and ceremonial swords transformed – in a matter of a decade – into the trousers, tails jacket, and top hat, all black, for all social engagements. Suddenly elegant solemnity was favored over the excessively colorful late-Baroque garments. This was, among other things, a justifiable reaction to the excesses of the preceding epoch. The aesthetic values that define any society were re-examined and corrected to fit the boundaries of this perennial concept: good taste.

Good taste rules – in everything, including interior doors.

Today’s definition of high culture bears residual hang-ups dating back to the late 18th Century instead of emphasizing what is obvious to everybody: in civilized society, prosperity is nothing without a corresponding list of aesthetic values that pretty much everyone has agreed on.

Art music, a.k.a. serious, classical, canonical or erudite) is an umbrella term used to refer to traditions implying advanced structural and theoretical considerations. It is said that it is performed to an audience playing close attention, while folk and popular music are more participatory. Therein lies a paradox: popular music tends to be compartmentalized, differing from stratum to stratum and from one generation to the next, while, ironically, classical music is far more inclusive, with staunch fans from all walks of life and speaking dozens of different languages.

Imagine a symphony hall (with all those interior doors) just before the scheduled concert. Some of the audience are still looking for their seats. The musicians – in black – gather on the stage, some of them going leafing through the score, others tuning their instruments. There’s a black grand piano in the middle. The conductor and the pianist, both wearing black, appear and are greeted with an applause. The lights are dimmed. An expectant silence ensues. The conductor raises the baton.

As for the gold patina: it stands for museum quality, the highest imaginable, in everything, including interior doors.