These days, I spend almost all of my time designing and installing complete entry door systems. That’s a big change from where I started back in 2009, when my business revolved almost entirely around custom door inserts.
Every now and then, though, a project comes along that’s simply too interesting to pass up.
This was one of those projects.
Returning Clients with a New Vision
We had created custom door inserts for these clients years earlier. After they moved into a new home, they reached out again with a new concept that combined two ideas from previous projects into one completely unique design.
The first was super-black privacy glass.
The second was custom exterior-mounted metalwork.
Both are relatively uncommon in residential entry doors, and together they created something that immediately stood out.
Super-Black Privacy Glass
One of the most interesting features of this project is the glass itself.
The super-black glass is comparable to an automotive window with approximately a 95% tint. When two panes are combined into an insulated glass unit, visibility into the home is dramatically reduced.
During the day, it provides an exceptional level of privacy. Even after dark, it offers noticeably more privacy than standard clear or lightly tinted glass while still maintaining a clean, contemporary appearance.
It’s a feature we don’t get to use often, but when the design calls for it, the effect is fantastic.
Why Exterior Metalwork Is So Rare
The second standout feature is the custom metal grille mounted on the exterior of the glass.
Most decorative wrought iron inserts found in steel and fiberglass doors are actually sealed between two panes of glass. This protects the metal from moisture and eliminates maintenance concerns.
The downside is that the outer layer of glass creates reflections, making the metalwork much less visible during the day.
Exterior-mounted metal solves that problem beautifully.
With the metal sitting on the outside of the insulated glass unit, the design remains crisp and highly visible regardless of the lighting conditions. The challenge, of course, is that the metal is now exposed to the weather.
That means it requires:
- Specialized rust-resistant coatings
- Different mounting methods
- Careful engineering to ensure long-term durability
After a lot of development and testing over several projects, we’ve refined a system that has held up exceptionally well.
Designing Metalwork from Scratch
The metal pattern itself wasn’t taken from a catalog.
The clients sent over a few inspiration photos, and from there I completely redrew the artwork so it would work with the proportions of this particular door.
That’s an important part of custom design that often goes unnoticed.
A pattern that looks balanced on one door may look completely wrong when stretched or compressed onto another. Every design has to be adjusted specifically for the dimensions of the project.
The extra effort paid off.
Mounted on the exterior, the metalwork remains visible throughout the day and becomes the defining feature of the entry system.
Final Thoughts
Although complete door replacements have become the primary focus of Lusso Design, projects like this remind me why I originally fell in love with custom door inserts.
Combining unique materials, custom artwork, and thoughtful engineering allows us to create entry doors that simply don’t exist anywhere else.
Sometimes revisiting where you started leads to some of your favorite work.
This one is definitely another project I’ll remember for a long time.