Why Pay More for A Door mat?

It's a mantra for just about any consumer product: Quality lasts. Purchase a nice pair of headphones, and you'll listen to music on them for the rest of your life. It's the reason why those high-end sunglasses won't come apart and that handmade Norwegian sweater won't unravel. Quality things harken back to a time when manufacturers cared. And, if you go the fast-and-easy route, by the time you've had to replace a low-quality item, you could've just gone with the best (sometimes more expensive) thing from the get-go. Or as the Japanese designer Genichi Taguchi put it: "Cost is more important than quality, but quality is the best way to reduce cost."

But what about an outdoor door mat? Something that's meant to be used, abused, and walked all over.

Well, we answered–with another question, but it's rhetorical: isn't that the perfect reason to make a really, really, really great door mat?

Luxury Front Door Mats – Beautiful and Built to Last

Okay, so check out this photo from a customer in Maine. That beauty in the background is a 1953 MG. And, pretty good company for our Outsider mat. It got us thinking about what's "built to last" these days. Certainly not many door mats. They shed, fade, and retain water. After just a short while, you've got something that looks, smells, and feels like a soggy shredded mini-wheat at your door. What kind of "welcome" is that?

We knew we could create a product that performed better and looked better too. Our founder spent two years on design and manufacturing until she got it right. We're proud to say, you get what you pay for–an incredible mat that's gorgeous and does what it says it will do.

What goes into a luxury front door mat?

So glad you asked! The door mat is the first thing someone sees when entering your house, but we typically give little thought to it. Why? After all, it's the first opportunity to express our aesthetic, to offer up our personality and taste to the outside world.

When we think of a mass market door mat, we think of something flimsy. Either that or its texture is cold and rough under your feet. Over time it looks like something you'd pull out of the drain. It's a hassle to clean, and you sometimes wonder why you even bother. Above all else, it's ugly. Maybe it's even got tacky text printed in a stock font. "Bless this mess," indeed.

A luxury front door mat welcomes you home with open arms. It's warm, inviting, and pleasing to the eye. We see it as a "landing pad" right before you enter your home. Better than that, it's unique. It makes people think: Whoa, even their door mat is quality. It also has care and practicality in mind. We designed our door mats to withstand the elements and to be easy to clean.

What should you consider when buying The Outsider?

Because a luxury front door mat can be an extension of your personality, you should consider components like dimension and the color palette of your door trim and exterior. Think about curb appeal. Which frame and insert combination will spruce up your porch? Will the blue compliment the Birds of Paradise in your front planter? Will the smoke frame look good under your English Mastiff, who will love lounging on it? A lot of people have told us that they adore the neutrality of the grey, and the finished teak frame adds a rustic touch to just about anything around it. Another thing to think about is your door clearance. Our Outsider, for example, has an overall thickness of 1', so you'll need at least a 1 ¼" clearance underneath.

You also may want to consider the elements that your outdoor door mat will be exposed to. Part of the "luxury" aspect of the Outsider is the considerable thought that went into designing this masterpiece for durability. The Outsider can handle rain like a champ, but after a cats-and-dogs downpour, you'll need to occasionally pop the insert out and place it on its side to ensure maximum drying and drainage. For snow, the Outsider can become slippery, so we recommend placing it in an area with some protection, like on a covered porch or even under a small awning.

Why Porte + Hall Makes the Best Luxury Front Door Mats

A lot of thought went into our luxury front door mats. And after about 2 years of head-scratching, test runs, and scrapped prototypes, we landed at the Outsider, a labor of care and deliberation. The Outsider features premium materials such as a honeycomb base for drainage, engineered wood rails for durability, powder-coated aluminum corners for aesthetics, hidden steel supports for stability, and a removable insert for easy cleaning.

We wanted something that was slip-resistant, drains well, cleans easily, shakes out excess water, and looks good on any porch. And we nailed it.

 

It's worth it

The Outsider costs more than your "average" door mat. That's because it's the furthest thing from average. It will bring style and substance to your home for years to come. Where a typical mass-market door mat is designed to end up in the trash after a year or two of weather, our luxury door mats were thoughtfully conceived with aesthetics, durability, and functionality in mind. It will look great on your porch and feel great under your feet. And best of all, it'll never turn into a soggy shredded mini-wheat. For a little extra, that's well worth it!