🇬🇧 UK: Private Villa, Cotswolds

Completed: May 2025 Location: Cotswolds, Gloucestershire, UK Scope: Replacement of 5 sets of French doors

Cotswolds private villa with MBORMC folding screen doors

Project Overview

Property Type: Grade II listed Cotswold stone villa (~1750)
Location: Cotswolds AONB, Gloucestershire
French Door Sets: 5 sets (ground floor)
Product Used: MBORMC FD05 Folding Screen Door (concertina)
Frame Color: Traditional RAL 9010 white (heritage approval)
Mesh: 304 stainless steel, pet‑proof, 18×18 density

Results & Impact

100% compliance with listed building consent — no structural holes
Mosquito and fly intrusions eliminated across the living areas
Pet‑proof 304 mesh resists scratching from the client's dogs
Classic white frame blends perfectly with traditional interior
Guests can now enjoy French doors open all summer, bug‑free

📋 Background & Challenge

Set in the heart of the Cotswolds – an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty and the largest National Landscape in the UK – this Grade II listed stone villa dates back to the mid‑18th century[reference:0][reference:1]. The ground floor features five sets of original French doors leading to a walled garden and a stone terrace. The owners, who love to entertain outdoors, wanted to keep the French doors open during warm weather to let in fresh air and create a seamless indoor‑outdoor flow.

However, the Cotswolds’ mild, temperate and moist climate, combined with the region’s lush flora and fauna, means mosquitoes and other insects thrive between May and September[reference:2][reference:3]. The owners had two medium‑sized dogs which would occasionally push against the mesh. Additionally, as a listed building within a protected landscape, any alteration to the windows or doors required careful compliance with heritage regulations [2†L22-L26]. Traditional rigid‑frame screens would have altered the appearance of the French doors and required drilling into historic stonework – a non‑starter for the local planning authority.

🔧 The MBORMC Solution

MBORMC proposed its FD05 Concertina Folding Screen Door – a non‑invasive solution that mounts discreetly onto the inside of the existing French door frames using wall‑clamp brackets. No drilling into the historic stone or original wooden architraves was required. The key advantages for this project were:

100% Custom Sizing

Each set of French doors had slightly different dimensions due to the hand‑crafted nature of the 18th‑century building. MBORMC custom‑manufactured each FD05 folding screen to the exact millimeter measurements.

Pet‑Proof 304 Mesh

The 304 stainless steel concertina mesh withstands scratching from dogs and accidental impacts, while the fine 18×18 weave blocks even the smallest midges. Fully rust‑proof for humid English climate.

Regulatory Compliance

The FD05’s non‑invasive clamp mounting meant listed building consent was straightforward—no permanent alterations to the historic fabric. The white frame colour was pre‑approved to match the original joinery.

Space‑Saving Fold

When not needed, the concertina screen folds into a compact stack (approx. 15cm per leaf), leaving the French doors completely unobstructed and preserving the classic interior aesthetic.

🛠️ Installation Process

The project was installed over three days by the homeowners themselves, following MBORMC’s detailed PDF guide and video tutorials (English, with subtitles for UK English). Each FD05 screen was assembled and then attached to the door frame using adjustable clamps that secure the track without drilling. The concertina panels were then attached and tested for smooth sliding. No power tools were needed, and the process created zero dust.

Because the installation did not involve cutting, drilling, or gluing into the historic fabric, the work fell outside the need for listed building consent – a significant advantage for homeowners of heritage properties. The owners documented the entire installation process for the local conservation officer, who subsequently approved the completed work without amendment.

Our French doors have been completely transformed. We can now leave them open from breakfast until late evening – the dogs push through the screens constantly and the mesh still looks like new. And the best part: no holes in our beautiful stone walls, and the white frames look like they were always there.

— David & Eleanor Whitmore, Cotswolds Villa Owners