Transform Your Property with a Juliette Balcony

A balcony can be a great addition to any home. It can be a way to change the style of a home without spending a large amount of money and without too much work. There are several types of balconies; Maltese and Juliette just to name a few. When trying to decide what kind of balcony will work best, you may want to consider your budget, the amount of space you have to work with and what you are likely to use the balcony for. If you have a limited budget, and not a lot of space to work with then a Juliette balcony may be the best option for you.

The name Juliette balcony comes from a famous scene in the Shakespearean play "Romeo and Juliet". A Juliette balcony is used with French doors, which allows you a small amount of room to step out onto and prevents anyone from falling. As well as this it can increase the light and ventilation into a room and transforms the exterior of your property, making it much more attractive. Almost any set of windows can be removed to make room for a set of doors and using single glazed doors will allow in extra light to help brighten the room.

Alpha Rail has a stunning variety of styles and designs of Juliette balconies to choose from. The "Portland", "Byron" and "Washington" are all classic styles with a contemporary flair, making them perfect for any style of architecture. The "Rufford" design is a simple Victorian style that can add a touch of sophistication to your home. The newest style that Alpha Rail offers is the “Chatsworth”, which features a diamond design at the top of the railing. The "Lincoln" and the "Jefferson" reflect minimalism, which is perfect if you’re looking for a more contemporary style, whereas the "Cleveland" is traditional with a modern twist featuring wavy lines.

Whatever the style of your home, whether it is modern or period, a Juliette balcony can improve the curb appeal of your property and could even add to its value. Make sure, however, that you hire a specialist company like Alpha Rail to install the balcony as they have the skills and expertise to ensure that it is done properly and safely.

Guardrails improve road safety

Guardrails, also known as crash barriers, are placed on roadways to prevent vehicles from driving off the edge of the road into something dangerous, such as a large object or a ravine, as well as to guide pedestrians to safe crossing points. It is dangerous to crash into a guardrail, but it is even more dangerous to go over the side of the road into whatever the rail was protecting. For this reason, guardrails are normally only placed where crossing the road boundary would be more dangerous than hitting the guardrail.

Guardrails are usually found on the sides of roadways, and sometimes in the central divider, to keep vehicles from crossing into oncoming traffic. There are different kinds of rails used for different purposes. The A-profile barrier, or Armco, is most often found at the edge of the roadway. These barriers are made to bend or break when hit by a vehicle, therefore absorbing some of the impact and deflecting the vehicle back onto the roadway.

Guardrails benefit pedestrians as well as motorists. By keeping uncontrolled vehicles on the roadway, the guardrail is effectively keeping them off the pavement or pedestrian paths. For pedestrians, a guardrail can mean the difference between life and death.

As well as improving safety for pedestrians and motorists, decorative guardrails can also brighten up drab city centres and streets by using colour and creative designs.

It is hard to standardize guardrails for all types of vehicles. Types that are made to work best when impacted by cars can be too low for lorries. Guardrails that work well with lorries may be too tall for motorcycles. Despite this difficulty, guardrail technology has been improving, and injuries due to impact with guardrails have gone down. This is in a large part due to new designs in barriers and especially the ends of the barriers, and to improved motorist awareness.

Optirail is another form of guardrail that is improving road safety. When installing guardrails there is always the possibility that the motorist’s vision will be obscured. This in turn puts pedestrians at risk at crossing points where the driver may not have seen the pedestrian approaching. Optirail is a high visibility guardrail that eliminates this problem by using slanted bars allowing motorists to anticipate when a pedestrian may be crossing the road.

The Many Uses and Benefits of Wrought Iron Railings

Iron plays an important part in the construction industry. It is a very resilient and malleable material and this allows it to be used in various designs and for different functions. The use of iron in construction does not, however, end at the super structure. Iron is also used for its aesthetic qualities most commonly in the form of wrought Iron railings. They come in various designs and styles and are used as a form of protection as well as for decorative purposes.



Safety is the primary use for iron railings and they are commonly used in schools, homes, public parks, and so on, to either keep people and animals in, or out. Furthermore they are also used in car parks, theme parks and other recreational facilities to ensure protected areas remain secure. The other primary use for iron railings is for aesthetic purposes. Different designs and styles of railings can be used to create a more styled and creative look to a property. Iron railings are also commonly used with gates, which as well as providing security benefits can also improve the exterior appearance of a property or public area.

There are many types and styles of iron railing available. Here is a summary of these. The vertical bar system is the most common and is mostly used for security purposes. Within this range are other styles and designs such as the Albany, the Westminster and Kennington versions, amongst others. The bow top style of railing is traditionally used for parks and children’s play areas. Versions within this series include the Standard bow top, interlaced bow top, in addition to four other versions. Guardrails are another use for railings, which are mostly used as pedestrian guardrails and for cordoning off street sections. There are also decorative pedestrian guardrails used to revamp otherwise drab and dreary streets.

Bespoke or custom made railings are also a popular use for iron railings. These may be used anywhere; from gates and gazebos, to theme parks and the designs are as varied as the requirements and uses. Chevron and flat top fencing are available for almost any environment and are popular choice for their simplicity. In contrast balustrades add a debonair atmosphere to any home, internal and external versions mean you can showcase the intricate metalwork designs to all and sundry.

Iron railings are so diverse and can be used for all sorts of purposes such as Juliette balconies, gates, finials, handrails, arches, barriers, cycle stands and much more making them a great addition to any property or public area.

Expanding into the Residential Market

We are delighted to announce that we are expanding into the residential market and that our products and services will now be available to residential customers.

With 25 years of experience in the commercial market, all our products are of the highest quality and are built to comply with the relevant British Standard and Building Regulations.
We have products to suit any area of your home. If you’re looking for an internal balustrade, we can design decorative infill panels in different colours and finishes to make it a design feature of your home. Our Juliette balconies have proved to be very popular with our residential customers, so we have added four stunning new designs to our collection, meaning we have a design to suit every style of property.

If you’re looking to improve the safety and the external appearance of your property, then take a look at our range of bespoke gates and railings. As all our products are built to commercial building standards and regulations, you can be sure that you’re purchasing top quality products that will last for years.

Whether your home is a new build or a more period property, we have something to suit every style of building. All of our products can be supplied into the domestic market or we can assist you and help you to create your own unique design.

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.

Guardrails and Safety

Guard railings are commonly installed at various institutions and facilities. There’s a high chance you come across them regularly in daily life.

Among the places where guard rails are commonly seen include schools, train stations, road sides, hospitals, stadiums and shopping centres to name a few. These fixtures are normally at waist level and are usually in place for safety or practical purposes such as forming queue lines.

Pedestrian fences and guard rails are used primarily in urban areas at busy junctions and sections of roads to both protect the public and get them to use pedestrian crossings as opposed to crossing busy roads at potentially unsuitable points.

For road safety purposes our pedestrian guardrails ensure utmost safety for pedestrians. We achieve this safety by designing our pedestrian guard rail such that passing pedestrians are highly visible to passing motorists. Our own Optirail™ high visibility pedestrian guard railings are constructed to give pedestrians approaching crossings much improved visibility to nearby motorists.

Railings installed at train and underground stations provide a very different purpose. Without an obvious way to queue, it is difficult for lines to form which is inefficient. With guard rails in place, commuters are more disciplined and ensures people line up in an orderly manner to purchase tickets.

Beyond road safety and people traffic management, railings provide those with disabilities a helping hand in getting up and down stairs and other potentially hazardous walkways.

Modern manufacturing techniques and powder coating also means railings can be produced that both serve a functional purpose while looking attractive and blending in with their surroundings. A finish can be chosen to match the look of the nearby street furniture. For the ultimate in design, custom made railings can be manufactured and can include decoration such as attractive posts and finials.

The Elegant Grandeur Of Juliette Balconies

The Elegant Grandeur Of Juliette Balconies

As a perspective homeowner, the architectural structures of modern buildings has often been overlooked in favor of practicality.That's now a thing of the past, as everyone is clamoring for attractive additions which add distinction and charm.

Whether referring to townhomes, condos or single family homes, a captivating - and often practical - element is the addition of a balcony. Many envision this area as a spot for entertaining or simply relaxing on their favorite lounge chair. Nowadays there's a popular alternative to that scene - a modification of the traditional balcony.

Known as Juliette Balconies, this elegant, albeit less functional, addition is fast becoming a celebrated and stylish addition. Among homeowners who are renovating and considering add-ons, the Juliette balcony is now a mainstream in many aspects.

Taking a look at what makes this style so desirable, those who have one in their home can attest to its worth. To the beholder's eye from outside, this ornate feature might appear to be an impractical appendage. Looks are deceiving in this case, because this home accessory does actually serve a purpose.

The railing is typically installed in front of a sliding glass door, or two french-style doors. Not only does this provide an enchanting allure, it enables you to open your door(s) wide, imbuing the room with an airy and breezy ambiance. When a simple window is not enough, you will have the benefit of a fully functional sliding glass door (or french doors). This iron railing will also provide insurance of safety, as it will act as a window guard.

You'll find this design becoming increasingly popular in modern apartments and townhomes. The name is taken from the classic scene from the love-inspired script of Romeo and Juliette. For those who feel the ordinary balcony is too commonplace, and desire something a bit more inspired, the Juliette Balcony offers a semblance of romantic flair.

There are various patterns, shapes and designs to choose from when selecting to install a Juliette Balcony. In some designs there might be a consolidation of several materials being used to give the piece distinction. If so inclined, one might plan on undertaking this job themselves in a do-it-yourself home project. Taking on such a DIY project however would require knowledge. It's a safer bet in most situations to leave the addition to a trained and skilled professional who has experience in constructing and installing Juliette Balconies.