WERE YOU BORN IN A TENT

Monday 27 January 2014

BARRY

85 High St, Northcote

Visited: 10th January 2014

Design: It's amazing what a well crafted door can do to a rather boring and ugly red brick wall. The sage green door at Barry is a streamline, elegant and beautiful piece of craftsmanship. The steel powder coated beams that make up the door frame, set this door into the structure of the building. Here you have the delicate framework of the door surrounded by the heavy brickwork. It looks structurally impossible as though the brickwork would crush the door at any moment. Maybe this is where the beauty lies, in the illusion of the impossible. Aesthetically, you can not fault it. Many would disagree with me in the colour and two years ago I would have agreed but something has changed in me and sage green is speaking with me now. The gold L-shaped tubing handle with matching lock chamber compliment the green. The workmanship is impeccable with clean welding and glazing. I love the rectangular glass panels that make the door and window seem larger than what they really are. They also provide a generous view into the building upon arrival. The door had a decent weight to it that felt good on the push, the closure was a slow gentle return however a slight bang at the end. To complete the experience it would have been nice to have a subtle click on the close, I'm just being now picky now though. Empty glass panels with no good food guide stickers cluttering up the view, just a pure entry. Not even name or trading hours in view. I did enter quickly so I'm not sure if there was another main door, (I will have to return and check this) but if this is it, I loved it.

UPDATE: 9th April 2014
I have just returned to Barry and to correct my lack of observation on first entry, there was a name and trading hours on the middle window next to the handle but beautifully designed, great font and discreet. How could I ever doubt them? Points again guys for allowing the door to be, THE DOOR.

Door resistance: 3

Closure mechanism: Hidden Hydraulic arm

Draft: Minimal

Squeak level: 0

Change return time: 49 sec

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PROFESSIONAL DOOR REVIEWER

Searching the world for the perfect door to eat behind.

First impressions are always important, especially for a restaurant or cafe. So many people are focusing on the food these days that I felt there was a hole in the reviews world. No one was looking at the most important thing, THE DOOR! Everyone complains when it is left open, death stares are exchange when the unsuspecting group of friends having a fun night enter the premises from the cold only to walk straight in and go straight to their table totally oblivious they have left the door wide open to allow an arctic strength gale force wind to cut through the previously warm interior. Like a scene from a western film where everyone in the premises stops what they are doing and cuts down the new comers with a deathly stare. Occasionally you will get the confident diner who gets up, walks across the restaurant and closes the door with a BANG! Just to let the new comers know they have done wrong and to NEVER, EVER DO IT AGAIN!!!!! This individual makes their way back to the table staring at the newcomers, just to make sure they got the message. The only problem is, is that 5 minutes later another group come in and do the same thing and he/she feels obliged to continually do this for the rest of the night.

Well hopefully this blog puts a light on the owners of these establishments and encourages them to lift their game and create doors that allow diners to sit and enjoy their meal, to give the diner an experience before they enter the building. It is also a thank you to the makers of quality doors who care about craftsmanship.

I have developed a scoring system based on,

DESIGN:

This is assessed by the materials the door is made from, whether the door is themed, cluttered or minimal and whether there is an element of surprise or not.

DOOR RESISTANCE: 1 to 5

1 = light push

5 = heavy push

CLOSURE MECHANISM: Manual, automatic or

hydraulic arm

DRAFT: Minimal, medium or high

SQUEAK LEVEL: 0 up to 5

0 = No squeak

5 = Ear piercing

Then the last assessment is the,

CHANGE RETURN TIME:

This is the amount of time it takes to get my change once I have given the waiter the money for the bill. Last impressions are always just as important as first.