January was named after Janus, the God of doors, symbolising the first month of beginnings, endings, transitions & openings. To honour Janus, the Romans built their doors to swing into their homes, to welcome Janus and their guests in.
The first glazed windows were in Roman Times. Before the arrival of glass, windows were basically a hole in the wall. The Romans, using glass blowing techniques from ancient Egypt, are accredited as being the first to use glass windows. They were actually the first to produce transparent glass as it enabled them to admire the colour of their wine!
Double glazing originated in Scotland in the 19th century. Surprisingly, there is some evidence that a few houses in Scotland had double-glazed windows as early as the 1870s. Even in today’s world, where poorly insulated windows lose 25% of a home’s heat, the version in the 1870’s of a second sheet of glass puttied to the existing window would have made a difference. The modern version was invented by C.D Haven in 1930, but didn’t enter the market until 1952.
The oldest door in the world is thought to be over 5100 years old. It was excavated in Zurich and was aged by the tree rings in the wood. Ancient Egypt though, was considered to be the first to use doors, a simple slab of wood with hinges. Progress Windows modern doors offer the perfect combination of good looks, heat insolation and are more secure, fitted with strong locks and toughened glass.
The band The Doors got their name from a book by Aldous Huxley, The Doors of Perception
The word ‘window’ in English originates from Old Norse/Scandinavia, vingauga. This is a combination of wind and eye, translating to wind eye. The English word window, was first recorded in the early 13th century. It referred to a hole in the roof. The Old English version of window, literally translates to eye-hole it eye-door.
Doors are a symbol of hope and opportunity, and relate to communication and liberation. Doors are often featured dreams, usually referring to a new opening.
There are 760 windows in Buckingham Palace. Replacing your home’s windows can add upwards of 10% to the value of the house – for Buckingham Palace that would be how much?
Many doors in Ireland are very colourful. This is because when Queen Victoria died, the Irish were ordered to paint their doors black as a sign of mourning. To rebel, they painted their doors in all different colours. With 27 colours available (plus the option for a custom shade), the Irish would love our door range!
In the art of Feng Shui, having an open, clean and clear pathway to the door is very important for the harmonious flow of energy.