Finding the Right Vintage Iron Gate

One of the more unusual places in the world to get ideas for your garden is in Canterbury, England, at the site of the oldest church in that country, St. Martin's. In use since Roman times, the church has a graveyard next door with several fine examples of different styles of vintage iron gates that can be used as models. If you have time to stop inside, you will see more ornate ironwork that can provide inspiration.


Another area of the world to look to if you like European design is Spain. Salamanca may be famous for its doorknockers and Andalusia for its fabulous doors, but the entire country is a great place to experience wrought iron design in gates and doors. During a certain time period in the past, families that constructed homes would personalize the fence and gate design to match their own 'dynasty', leading to a plethora of styles and options that can be seen and replicated.


France is another place where wrought iron design is king. If a trip to the Eiffel Tower doesn't convince you of this, a lengthy stay in Paris, with its multitude of ornate iron gate work, balconies, balustrades, and railings, will certainly help you to gain some ideas for your own home.


If you'd like to stay closer to home to research design ideas for vintage iron gates, you might consider looking at Southern California and Mexico. Mexico and Southern California by extension are home to some of the most extensive wrought iron fence and gate work in the United States. As in Spain, many Latin families in Mexico and the United States personalize their wrought iron by choosing specific styles. Families don’t personalize the styles by allusion to a family crest or seal, however. Instead, they often represent the style of the area in Mexico from where that family came.

One of the reasons that families choose to use iron gates is that they are sturdy enough to use for security purposes, yet provide an open feeling that extends the yard from both the exterior and the interior perspective.


As you look for a design to make your own or get ideas to help yourself understand the range of options, it should be helpful to think about whether or not you would like a single panel or double panels for your gate. A single panel is versatile in that it can be configured to open swinging outward or inward, quite common for a walkway or entrance. It can also be configured to slide sideways on wheels when built as an opening to a driveway.

Double panels are frequently seen in both walkways and driveways. With double panels, both panels swing outward or inward and then close again and are fastened together with a latch or bolt. The only drawback with double panels is that when homeowners use them for walkways, guests or visitors that just drop in often have trouble with the bolting mechanism and therefore leave the gates ajar when they leave the house after a visit, while single panels are more likely to have self-closing mechanisms.

If you are looking for an iron gate or fencing, you might want to visit A Rustic Garden, by clicking here. A Rustic Garden is an accredited member of the Better Business Bureau, and strives to help you bring charming, vintage beauty to your home and garden.  If classic design and rustic beauty moves you, check us out.  You will not be disappointed.