BESPOKE GARAGE DOOR MANUFACTURER
Helping architects and contractors design bespoke garage doors for exceptional architectural homes
On a high-value residential project, the garage door can occupy a substantial proportion of the façade. Treating it as a standard product late in the design process can introduce compromises in material continuity, headroom, opening geometry and internal space.
The challenge for architects is that garage doors must satisfy several requirements at once. They need to work within the available structure and space, integrate with the façade and surrounding materials, operate reliably and meet the expectations of clients investing in an exceptional home. Unusual openings, restricted headroom, curved walls, concealed detailing and increasingly complex automation can quickly expose the limitations of standard garage door systems.
Working with a bespoke garage door manufacturer gives architects greater control. The door can be developed around the building rather than forcing the building around a predetermined system. For exceptional homes, where every junction, material and sightline matters, that distinction is important.
Rundum Meir has manufactured bespoke garage doors since 1968 and has worked in the UK since 1999. Every door is built to order, allowing the system, material, finish and track configuration to respond to the architecture.
What should architects expect from a bespoke garage door manufacturer?
A manufacturer of bespoke garage doors should offer more than simply a door with custom dimensions. Architects need technical input that helps resolve how the door will look, move and function with a building.
Early specification decisions include the size and shape of the opening, available headroom, wall space, façade material, track position, threshold detail, automation, pedestrian access and the relationship with adjoining spaces.
This is particularly important on luxury homes, where garages may include car lifts, turntables, valuable vehicle collections or highly finished interiors.
Rundum Meir works directly with architects and specifiers, advising on material selection and track configuration and providing plan and elevation drawings on request.
The challenges architects face when designing bespoke garage doors
Here at Rundum Meir, we understand architects face unique challenges when integrating garage doors into concept designs.
Aesthetic integration is often one of the biggest challenges. The garage door needs to complement the architectural language of the property, including its materials, proportions, detailing and façade treatment.
Large openings, curved or round-the-corner designs, glazing and the integration of tracks and automation can all affect the final appearance. On an exceptional home, a mass-produced door with limited design flexibility can undermine an otherwise carefully considered design concept.
Function and performance must be resolved at the same time. Architects may be working with non-standard dimensions, restricted headroom or unusual geometry, while also accommodating requirements for security, insulation, reliable operation and smart home integration. The opening mechanism, materials and technical detailing therefore need to be considered as part of the wider building design rather than as separate product decisions.
Sustainability and compliance add another layer of challenges and considerations. Material selection, durability and environmental impact increasingly influence specifications, while the finished solution must also satisfy relevant UK regulatory requirements without compromising the architectural intent.
Working with an experienced manufacturer early, such as Rundum Meir, gives architects greater scope to resolve these competing requirements before the design becomes fixed.
Material continuity matters on luxury homes
On an exceptional home, the garage door should sit within the same material hierarchy as the rest of the building’s façade. Timber can be coordinated with cladding, joinery or entrance doors, while a garage door can also be clad to relate directly to the surrounding elevation.
Material selection must consider more than appearance. Exposure, durability, maintenance expectations and the way natural materials weather all influence the specification.
Rundum Meir’s bespoke oak garage door for a coastal residence demonstrates this approach. The side sliding door was designed for an English east coast property combining flint, brick and contemporary additions.
Oak was treated with SiOO to accelerate its silvering and create a finish that complemented the surrounding material palette from the outset. Stainless steel tracking was also used in response to the coastal environment.
The result shows why finish selection on a luxury home should form part of the architectural design process, rather than being decided after the door system has been selected.
Bespoke garage doors for challenging architectural designs
Complex geometry is another area where standard garage doors quickly become restrictive.
At a new-build residential project in Berkshire designed by NEON Architecture, Rundum Meir supplied a full-height solid oak side sliding door across an 8 metre opening. The automated door follows the curve of the garage wall and moves along the internal plan, preserving usable ceiling space while maintaining the form of the building.
The opening mechanism was not simply accommodated within the design. It helped make the architectural solution possible.
Automation without compromising the design
Automation is available across Rundum Meir’s garage door systems and can connect with house management systems. Side sliding doors can also provide partial opening for pedestrian access, avoiding the need to open the entire garage frontage for everyday entry.
For architects, automation should be coordinated early so that power, controls, motors and track systems are resolved alongside the surrounding construction. On a high-value home, convenience should not create avoidable visual clutter.
Round House, Surrey
We designed and manufactured two curved Rundum Meir Original Side Sliding Timber Garage Doors.
Built as part of a project to renovate and extend a Grade II listed property, the garage design sought to replicate a traditional coach house in order to fit with the Surrey vernacular.
Aesthetics were of paramount importance as the large private family home was originally designed and built by eminent exponent of the vernacular tradition and Arts & Crafts in architecture, Harold Falkner.
Belgravia Mews House, London
A bespoke Up and Over Garage Door was designed and manufactured, bringing 21st century functionality, access and security to a Grade II listed property in London’s exclusive Belgravia.
The garage doors design was sympathetic to local architecture, including the stunning cobblestone street in front of the property.
The client brief was to retain the look of the existing swing opening garage door, but enable up and over automated functionality for improved access and to make best use of the available space.
Downley House, Hampshire
This extraordinary house featured an incredible eight metre concave, curved, automated, slide round the corner bespoke garage door, as part of our Specialist Collection.
The property is an award winning house and was not only featured on the tv show Grand Designs, but was host Kevin McCloud’s House of the Year.
Bespoke garage doors for luxury homes
The right opening system depends on the building. A bespoke approach allows the mechanism to be selected around the project rather than defaulting to a conventional overhead door.
SIDE SLIDING
RUNDUM ORIGINAL GARAGE DOORS
The Side Sliding Rundum Original Garage Door from Rundum Meir combines elegant aesthetics with high functionality, making it a premium choice for high-value residential projects.
It is an excellent choice for architects looking to integrate a unique, high-quality, and functional garage door into their high-value residential projects.
SIDE SLIDING
SECTIONAL GARAGE DOORS
The Side Sliding Sectional Garage Door by Rundum Meir offers a unique combination of functionality, flexibility, and aesthetic appeal, making it a popular choice for both traditional and contemporary architectural projects.
It is a sophisticated solution that offers architects and homeowners a blend of style, functionality, and innovative design, making it a valuable addition to any high-value residential project.
OVERHEAD
SECTIONAL GARAGE DOORS
Rundum Meir’s Overhead Sectional Garage Doors blend natural timber with sophisticated designs, ideal for high-end residential and commercial properties.
These bespoke doors, available in solid timber or insulated steel, feature panels that slide upwards into ceiling-mounted tracks. The design allows for smooth, quiet operation with torsion springs and provides excellent insulation properties.
Bespoke timber garage door manufacturer
The choice of timber for garage door design is fundamental to the door’s aesthetics, durability, and overall performance. Hardwoods like oak, teak, and mahogany are popular for their natural beauty, strength, and longevity.
When treated appropriately, these materials can withstand the elements as well as daily use, making them ideal for external applications such as garage doors.
The appeal of timber in residential architectural designs is deeply rooted in its inherent beauty and the warmth it adds to spaces. Unlike synthetic materials, timber matures and evolves, developing a rich visual appeal that adds character and depth to the architectural design.
Finally, with adequate treatment and maintenance, timber can last for decades being able to withstand various environmental conditions.
Why specify our range of bespoke garage doors?
Rundum Meir is a family-owned bespoke garage door manufacturer founded near Munich in 1968. More than 100,000 doors have been supplied worldwide, with the company operating in the UK since 1999.
Every garage door is made to order. The company works directly with architects on new builds, renovations, listed buildings and refurbishment projects, supporting specification from early design through to manufacture and installation.
Rundum Meir is also listed on NBS Source and our Rethinking the garage door CPD through the RIBA CPD Providers Network, providing architects with additional specification and technical resources.
For architects designing exceptional homes, the benefit is straightforward: greater freedom to resolve the garage door around the architecture, rather than compromising the architecture around the garage door.
We work with architects, developers, contractors and discerning home owners on a daily basis, guiding you through the specification process. From initial briefings to design concepts, site visits, manufacture, through to installation and project handover.
Our technical team is on-hand to offer you or your architect guidance and support at every step of the design process. Contact us by either telephone 0151 280 6626 or email info@rundum.co.uk