Showing posts with label Balconies. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Balconies. Show all posts

Wednesday, 21 March 2012

Juliette Balconies


“Romeo Romeo wherefore art thou Romeo”


The Aptly named “Juliette Balconies” is of course famous from Shakespeare’s Romeo and Juliet. The shallow balcony is designed to provide a safety barrier in front of French windows but at the same time give you a feeling of your very own home balcony.

Juliet Balconies are ideal for:

  • Housing developments
  • Apartments
  • Three storey townhouses
  • Schools
  • Hospitals
  • Nursing homes
  • Student accommodation
  • And on the rare occasion... famous romantic novels.

Due to the increasing popularity of Juliette Balconies Alpha Rail has now added four stunning new designs to our collection, These are:

The Washington, the Lincoln, the Jefferson and the Cleveland.

All of which are fully galvanized with a robust black powder coated finish.

Juliette balconies are not only required for safety but can be a thing of beauty, a fantastic contemporary alternative to the usual ranges out there. Juliette balconies are easy to fit and are extremely cost effective.

Check out our great range here:

Thursday, 1 December 2011

Improve the Look of your Property with Juliette Balconies

Juliette Balconies have the famous namesake of Juliet from Shakespeare’s Romeo and Juliet, traditional stagings of the play have Juliet sat at her balcony with Romeo below. However the play itself makes no written description of a balcony only a window. They are not balconies in the traditional sense in that you cannot stand on them but provide protection from falls from door openings on the first and second floors.

So why would you have a Juliet Balcony instead of a window? A window has limitations on size, but with a Juliet Balcony you can have a full size door in place of a window that lets in more light and can be fully opened and stood at in summer to provide views over the surrounding landscape.


Juliet Balconies come in a range of designs; Alpharail has 8 different designs of Juliet balconies including The Portland, The Byron, The Rufford, The Bow Fronted Ruffold, The Chatsworth, The Washington, The Cleveland and The Stafford. The range incorporates modern and traditional styles in a range of finishes. The Portland and The Byron offer a plain Juliet Balcony. Whereas the Bow fronted Rufford like its name describes has a bow front that really makes it distinctive. The Cleveland is a more modern balcony with wavy lines to appeal to a sense of fun.

If you don’t see a Juliet Balcony you like we do offer a bespoke bespoke architectural metalwork service and can help you to design your own balcony to fit your own needs and design.

Why not visit Alpharail and take a look at our range of Juliet Balconies, to add character and style to your building project.

Monday, 6 June 2011

Rails to add Safety and Security

Accidents tend to occur everyday in many situations. They often result in injuries, loss and damage to property and sometimes in the worst case scenario, loss of human life. Experts claim that most of these accidents are down to human error and can be avoided if care is taken. Along motorways and major roads the safety and security of both motorists and pedestrians can be greatly enhances by adopting the use of safety and security rails.

Hand rails and other rails are safety features that are erected along corridors, in buiding and along stairways. They offer users the safety and security they need when scaling heights and when walking along balconies and corridors. They offer safety against falls, slips and loss of balance and can be used to steady an individual in case of a slip.

Private residence and homes also benefit from having rails all around. Alpharail offer a wide range that are suitable for various domestic, commercial and industrial applications. Rails at a private residence will help keep the residence secure from burgulars, thieves, arsonists and other unwanted visitors. Rails also improve on te aesthetics of the residence making it look great and appealing to the eye. They come in fantastic designs with great finishes and fabulous styles.

Monday, 18 April 2011

Internal Balustrade


An Internal Balustrade adds personality to a home, even if it leads to nothing, it adds elegance. Many of the most notable homes in the world have them. One of the most famous Balustrades in the world is the staircase in Margaret Mitchell’s, Gone With the Wind, the scene of the handsome Rhett Butler’s statement, “ Frankly my dear, I don’t give a …” Maybe your home is not a movie set but a Balustrade can create as much of a stir in your home as any movie. Place them anywhere, a bedroom, separate a dinette area, create a small library corner or designate a foyer. Many styles are available to help you get the feeling you want for your home.

Internal Balustrade is all over the world standing today as representations of wonderful by gone eras. These stair case supports can be very simple or exceptionally elegant. Rediscover the beauty of this unique home décor with its varied colours and designs. Detail your home with classic Internal Balustrade supports for all of your staircase needs. Use beautiful pines, dark hardwoods and shapely metals to adorn your home with luxury.

If you have ever in your life had the opportunity to slide down one of these polished indoor wonders you will understand there is more to a Balustrade than mere construction. They are the place you sit with a trusted confident and discuss your mishaps as you hug them like a dear friend or the elements you have used for a pull up bar long before you discovered the luxury of a gym.

Balustrades are strong and sometimes last for years. These structures can be made from, wood, iron, glass or polyurethane materials. Get the look you want with well designed construction. They are affordable and easy to work with, in years passed these units had to be shipped from great distances now the Balustrades you want are only a mouse click away. Order what you need or go to a local building supply and they can get your order. Creating a home takes effort and Balustrades help you with that effort.

Thursday, 15 July 2010

The Origin of the Juliette Balcony

Balconies have been, then and again, beautiful additions to a building’s facade. They are more commonly seen on areas where there are beautiful views like mountain ranges or beaches. In the urban areas, balconies are built not as a part of the house to stand on but more of a architectural design to give a medieval effect.

The term Balcony came from the Old Italian word balcony which means beam. It is described as a platform protruding from a wall or building and supported by columns and enclosed with a balustrade.

Modern designs use metal railings as a substitute for balustrade.



Balconies are more often used for ceremonial purposes. In the medieval times, Kings and Queens often wave and smile to their subjects while standing on a balcony giving an effect that they are above anyone and their word is law. In Rome, Italy, a newly elected Pope first shows up on the balcony for the first time for the whole world to see. This is where the Pope also celebrates mass. In churches, the balcony is more of a place for choirs so their voices will have a resounding effect on the attendee’s ears.

The most notable balcony has been used on plays most especially in William Shakespeare’s tragedy; Romeo and Juliet. There is a scene in the play where Juliet stands on a balcony while Romeo is courting her. Because of this scene balconies have been called Juliette Balconies. Although balcony where Juliet was standing was made of concrete and enclosed by balustrades, modern balconies are designs have been improved to be cost effective and easy to install.

Manufacturers now use metal railings to support and enclose balconies. European manufacturers like Alpha Rail often seek consultancy and accreditation from the European Fencing Industry Association for a suitable design. The founders of European Fencing Industry Association aim to represent all interests in designing, manufacturing and installing of fences. Alpha Rail’s designs fit perfectly on the modern world’s tastes. Some of their designs include the Portland, the Byron, the Rufford and the Chatsworth. Because of the increasing popularity and demand of Juliette Balconies, Alpha Rail has added 4 more designs and named after United States Presidents.

The Washington balcony design has criss-cross patterns on the top and at the bottom corners of the rail for a geometric detail. The Lincoln’s design is more modern and reflects minimalism perfect for simple but more urban like homes. The Jefferson is more like the Washington with the criss-cross pattern replaced with circles but still reflects the same elegance. The Cleveland is simpler with wavy rails strategically placed after two straight ones creating an optical illusion that the whole balcony is made of gelatin.