01494 778787
01494 778787
As Urban Front celebrates 20 years in business, we have tracked down our earliest customers – homeowners, friends, an architect, and a property developer – and, in each case, their doors are still in-situ and frequently admired by visitors and guests alike proving our doors are built to last. Scroll down to read their stories.
I saw a quarter-page ad for Urban Front in a magazine in 2005. I was refurbishing my house and was having tussles with the planners. They were refusing to let me make it as contemporary as I wanted, so I was looking for ways to modernise it (within their stipulations). I travel with work and had seen contemporary doors abroad, so I knew what I was looking for. And then I found Urban Front in the UK.
I remember discussing the door options with Angie and Elizabeth, including horizontal planks and which hardware to choose. I was sent drawings to make sure the sizing was correct, and then I posted a cheque to secure my order. We chose the right hardwood, fixtures, and fittings and it blends with the house, which is an extension of my wife and me. Our door is still in use today; it’s brilliant and works perfectly.
I didn’t know we were Urban Front’s first customers then but, as someone who started a company 35 years ago, I’m pleased to have been the first to order a door. I know what it’s like running a fledgling business – I compare it to stepping off a cliff. Elizabeth and Nabil did exactly that: they came up with a good idea and went for it. It’s a pleasure to see Urban Front doing so well, and Angie and I are delighted to have been the first to put our money down.
To read more, click here and choose issue 6.
I was looking for a door for my own house, which I designed in 2007. My colleague was designing the neighbouring house on the same plot. I’d seen a pivot door somewhere and I was determined to find one for my home. I searched and searched the internet, which wasn’t as good then as it is today, and then I found Urban Front. I’d looked across the entire country and found the perfect company just down the road, run by the nicest people you’ve ever met.
The doors are so well made, secure, and solid. I ordered a pivot Porto in oak for my house and everyone who visits wants one, too. I knew I wanted a simple oak design because that fitted with the eco-house I was creating with its hemp and timber frame. The neighbours chose the same design but finished in black ebony oil. Both were fitted in 2009 and look fantastic today.
It's a great door, I love it. There’s hardly anybody who doesn’t react to it. I've commissioned around 10 doors since; our most beautiful houses have Urban Front doors.
To read more, click here and choose issue 6.
We are a husband-and-wife team, and our ethos is always to create a home that we would live in ourselves. Hence, Urban Front doors are great for our projects because we love an entrance with kerb appeal. We work with suppliers and partners who have the same beliefs and ethos as us. People who are honest, care about want they do and want to create something that will stand the test of time, both visually and practically.
I first saw Urban Front in Grand Designs magazine. I got in touch with Elizabeth and have been looked after by the company ever since. We always use their doors when the budget allows. Our first Urban Front door was for our own home, which we self-built in 2016. We had always wanted to use an Urban Front door for one of our projects, but the budgets, at that point, had not allowed it. So, we took the plunge with our own home. Everyone who visits comments on our door – it’s the best entrance you can have.
We've commissioned 15 Urban Front doors to date: there’s our home, the Cowshed + Lambshed (two houses), Lenham Heath (five houses), Magpie Farm (five houses), Hydra (one house), and Flint and Chalk (two houses). Huge congratulations to Elizabeth and Nabil: the fact that their unique, high-quality doors are so popular after 20 years is a testament to their hard work and commitment to quality and service.
To read more, click here and choose issue 6.
I have known Nabil and Elizabeth for a long time and I first saw my door at their house, which in 2005 was their home and showroom. The minute I saw my door, I fell in love. It was the first door of five that Elizabeth and Nabil had made as prototypes. When my husband and I moved house, to a property that required a complete refurbishment, I knew exactly which door I would have.
Our house became known locally as the one with the ‘different door,’ and people would frequently knock and ask where we’d got it from. In those days, front doors were either UPVC or oak, so mine stood out. I love my door as much today as when I first saw it. I love the wood, the style, the colour, the size, and the sidelights. I had it maintained last year, and it looks as good as new. I can’t fault it in any way.
The contemporary look of the door is very important to me and so is the security element. Unfortunately, my home has been broken into twice, but the door and glazing withstood the efforts of the burglars both times, which proves the quality of the materials and the robust construction. My door is perfect: I recommend Urban Front all the time. I’m so proud to be an early customer and I’m so proud of what my friends have achieved.
To read more, click here and choose issue 6.
