You should always remember that you’re a unique individual and you should take advantage of every chance you get to personalize your space. And that’s exactly what we had in mind when we decided to give our clients freedom of choice when it comes to their front doors: we’re offering a wide range of finishes (wood or colour) and we’re also providing a pretty large selection of models, but we’re also perfectly able to deliver a totally custom model.

But there’s even more you can do with something that you may have not even considered before – your house numbers. And there’s more variety than you give them credit when you start thinking about where you can place them: front door, front of the house, mailbox or even in a very unconventional setting. And then there are aspects such as: size, colour, material, font and other design specifics. In general terms, they should be easy to read even from a distance and this depends on size, colour (good contrast) and font (for example, too many swirls can look nice, but if it’s affecting the clarity, it’s not good).

Of course, one of the most popular choices is bras. It really stands out on darker shades and even on whites and it’s the perfect touch when the door comes with a bras doorknob and maybe a bras door knocker.

Ceramic ones can be a lovely touch and there’s no limit to how creative the surrounding design can be, especially if you decide to take things into your own hands and apply a pattern yourself. However, make sure the slates are big enough (and the numbers on them too) and keep in mind that the artistic strokes on the background should be integrated harmoniously in the general landscape and they should also not affect others’ ability to read the numbers.

Or maybe you’d like a plaque, since this can also be an interesting game of contrast between the plaque itself and the numbers on top (regarding both colour and material). You can go for a vintage look with wood or stay on the modern side with shiny metals.

And last, but not least – a new trend and a bold choice – illuminated house numbers. Believe it or not, that speck of bright light can reduce the risk of a break-in. But other than that, they’re sure to pop up (especially if you’re on a street with poor lighting) and you don’t even have to waste precious electricity, because there are solar-powered versions.

So, what do your house numbers look like? Have we stimulated your appetite towards creativity in this area?

We are perfectly aware that no matter how strong a door’s structure is one of the most important security aspects is the locking mechanism. And it is this awareness that made us develop a sophisticated system with a special security cylinder, a special lock, a unique key registered system, the possibility to turn the key in the lock 3 times (thus managing to take our bolts inside the frame deeper than any other model) and the 18 hard-steel bolts around the edges of the steel doors which simultaneously engage into the solid steel door frame.

But these things didn’t happen overnight. The locking systems have been evolving for a couple of hundred years and we decided it’s important to look back and remember the great men who worked hard for our security today.

The pioneer of modern locking systems is considered by most to be one of our own Englishmen – Robert Barron. In 1778 he invented the double tumbler lock. His impressive skills that originated both in his mind and hands helped him achieve this major breakthrough – the first big step after the classic pin lock.

Only 6 years later, in 1784, Joseph Bramah, also an Englishman, invented the Bramah lock, which remained un-pickable for 67 years. In 1851, Alfred Charles Hobbs spent about 50 hours to break the Bramah lock and he succeeded. But as for every aspect of evolution, vulnerability meant an opportunity for progress.

So in 1848, Linus Yale Senior invented a pin-tumbler lock, and his son, Linus Yale Junior, kept improving the system, creating the basis of what we know today as pin-tumbler locks by using a small, flat key with serrated edges. This happened in 1861 and by 1862 he also invented the modern combination lock.

In 1857 James Sargent invented the first customizable lock, specifically the first key-changeable combination lock (well, at least the first successful one). And he kept perfecting his system and even managed to create a time lock mechanism in 1873.

In 1916 Samuel Segal invented the first locks that were crowbar-resistant, so he too played an important role in this story.

As time went by, systems became more and more complex, according to the new threats. And basically that’s how history goes – innovation, problem, solution. That’s the circle of evolution and in modern times this circle is closing and opening again faster and faster. The future is probably in bio metric security solutions, but we’re not quite there yet. And while great minds still work on perfecting that, right now we’re proud to be offering one of the most effective home security systems on the market today.

The front door is an important part of your house. Its design can improve your home’s overall appearance, or not. Of course, functionality is probably the key aspect of a front door, but our steel doors are covering that aspect without any flaws. All you have to do is choose a design, and a colour. And whether you’re willing to stand out or not, we’ve got plenty of options for you, so what fits your personality best?

Red is passion, enthusiasm and action. It’s the fire within you and it’s the perfect symbol for your active way of life. It’s stimulating, challenging and it’s a sure win if you want to stand out of the crowd. If this is who you are, we’ve got plenty of reds for you: Flame, RAL Signal, Carmine, Purple, Wine, Black, Oxide, Brown, Beige, Tomato, Coral, Rose, Strawberry, Traffic, Dark Salmon, Raspberry or Orient.

Yellow is about warmth and intimacy, but also about focus and communication. It’s specific to the active type, who’s inquisitive and has high aspirations. Is this you? Then maybe you’d like one of these shades of yellow: Sand, Signal, Dark Golden, Honey, Maize, Chrome, Lemon, Sulphur, Saffron, Zinc, Olive, Cadmium, Traffic, Ochre, Curry, Melon, Broom, Dahlia or Pastel.

Green is said to be calming, relaxing, the colour of meditation, balance and safety. If you tend to be more introspective and less active, green is the best choice for you, and we’ve got more than a dozen shades: Patina, Mid. Emerald, Leaf, Middle Olive, Blue, Light Moss, Grey Olive, Bottle, Brown, Fir, Middle Grass, Reseda, Black, Reed, Yellow Olive, Black Olive, Turquoise, May, Yellow, Pastel, Chrome, Pale, Brown Olive, Traffic, Bracken, Opal, Turkish, Pine Tree, Mint or Signal.

Blue is tranquillity, dreaming, inner focus and deepness. If you’re calm, deep and sensitive, let others know and go for one of these beautiful shades: Turquoise, Pale, Violet, Green, Ultramarine, Dark Sapphire, Black, Signal, Brilliant, Grey, Light Azure, Gentian, Steel, Light, Dark Cobalt, Pigeon, Middle Sky, Traffic, Turkish, Capri, Ocean, Water, Night, Fern or Pastel.

Grey is definitely about power and we’ve got plenty of options for you to show your strength: Dark Squirrel, Silver, Olive, Moss, Signal, Mouse, Beige, Khaki, Green, Tarpaulin, Iron, Basalt, Brown, Slate, Anthracite, Black, Umber, Concrete, Graphite, Granite, Stone, Blue, Cement, Yellow, Pale, Platinum, Dusty, Agate, Quartz, Window, Traffic, Silky or Telegrey.

Brown is also about power, but in the same time it stands for reliability and comfort. So if you’re sincere, mature and open, you could advertise your traits through one of these browns: Green, Gold, Signal, Clay, Copper, Fawn, Olive, Nut, Red, Sepia, Mahogany, Chocolate, Grey, Black, Orange, Beige, Pale or Earth.

You can visualize any of the shades above here, and you’ll also find a bold variety of violets and pinks. Of course, you can always choose whites or blacks, but don’t miss out on the chance to really express yourself!

http://steelsecuritydoors.co.uk/

@LondonSteelDoor

Good morning everybody,

It’s a beautiful day today, the sun is shining. I just heard on the radio that Google have launched Street view. When I got into the office I went straight to my computer and looked it up.

The first thing I thought is oh my God this is an amazing tool for the local burglars. Basically they can plan everything, they can see how many locks are on the main door to a building, they can see drainpipes along the walls of the building, entrances to ground floor apartments, escape routes, it really is going to help the burglars. So once again prevention is the key. Make sure you have a Titan steel door installed straightaway, call us on 08448 04 04 04 don’t let the burglar have the upper hand

Take care out there, and view Google Street search for yourself, and make your own opinion of the potential problems that it could cause.

You’re welcome to leave me any comments regarding this situation and I shall insert them on to this blog. Any opinions or other fears would be very helpful, or indeed if you think it’s a good idea

Amanda

Government ‘soft on burglars’

Wednesday, February 4, 2009

Almost four out of five serial burglars fail to get the minimum punishment laid down by the law, according to figures released by the Conservatives.

Only 21% of burglars convicted for a third time were jailed for the minimum statutory sentence of three years, the statistics showed.

The Tories said convicted burglars were less likely to face any prison time at all under the Labour Government, quoting Ministry of Justice figures which showed the custody rate for burglary has fallen from 45.3% in 1997 to 39.2%.

Shadow justice secretary Dominic Grieve said: “Under Labour, most burglars escape jail, and even the most prolific offenders avoid the minimum sentence. If this wasn’t bad enough, ministers have released 4,000 burglars early because they failed to provide sufficient prison capacity.”

He spoke after Home Secretary Jacqui Smith hosted a summit to address rising burglaries while insisting that the recession does not mean a rise in the offence is inevitable.

But Mr Grieve added: “There is little point in Jacqui Smith hosting summits, while Jack Straw continues to give burglars a break.”

What do you think , please e-mail, particularly if you have had the experience of a burglary, I will insert your comments into this blog,