“Pssst,” he whispers into the small eye-level opening, “The password is swordfish.”

A scene like that is familiar to nearly any movie set during Prohibition, which began in 1920 and ended in 1933. Remember film classics like Horse Feathers, The Sting, or Some Like It Hot? That softly worded front door exchange is a memorable symbol of Roaring Twenties life.

A charming vestige of that age flourishes with the modern speakeasy grille. Residential designers and homeowners appreciate the architectural character it adds to the entry door, especially in a rustic aesthetic. Today the speakeasy grille is a stylish yet functional counterpoint to its high-tech cousins, such as video doorbells, touchpads, security cameras, and other electronics.

Conversation Starter

If you’ve specified a speakeasy grille for a residential project, you know the immediate effect it has on the entrance environment. If you haven’t, it’s easy to imagine the conversations it helps spark between guests and owner. For example, did you know many historians trace the first use of “speakeasy” to a widowed mother of nine children and saloon operator? In the 1880s, Kate Hester implored her thirsty patrons to “speak easy” to keep her unlicensed Pittsburgh-area tavern on the down-low.

Few homeowners have those worries today. Yet the speakeasy grille has earned an enduring place in rustic door design. As one Arizona woodworker says about entry doors enhanced with a speakeasy grille, “They stand out in a cookie-cutter world.”

Class with Buzz

Door manufacturers have taken notice. Plastpro, a leading innovator and maker of residential entry doors, offers speakeasy grilles as an accessory item in its Rustic Door Series. The wrought-iron construction of the company’s Open and Industrial Speakeasy models makes it easy to add this extra touch of class to rustic design.

The overall design effect can be an affordable, transformational way to augment door design, especially when paired with other Plastpro entry door accessories, such as:

  • Dentil Shelf. Set at the top of the door, a dentil shelf adds extra dimensionality. Plastpro offers dentil shelves in three finishes—oak, fir, and smooth skin. Shelves are crafted from high-density polyurethane, eliminating the risk of warping or cracking.
  • Clavos. Decorative nail heads are available in a variety of popular sizes and shapes, adding another layer of rustic authenticity to the front area design. The deep black contrasts well with a plank rustic door.
  • Hinge Straps. The stark black design pops against rustic woodgrain. Aluminum construction resists rust and discoloration and minimizes maintenance.

The intriguing part is achieving a rustic look can be surprisingly affordable and free from callback worries. More and more architects specify fiberglass for its remarkable verisimilitude to handcrafted, distressed wood without maintenance and weathering drawbacks.

As you consider ways to add even more architectural richness to residential projects, keep the speakeasy grille in mind. Few doorway features present as much charm, buzz factor, and historical resonance.

Learn more about how you can add more architectural nuance and beauty to entry door design.