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Kundai Marunya, Home and Garden Writer

What captures one’s eye when they arrive at a house? Is it the paint? Could it be the landscape, or type of architecture?

Is it the beauty of one’s driveway? Or the vastness of yard space and a neatly manicured lawn?

Well, trends review that local houses are now splashed with eye catching beautiful gates, very well designed to one’s taste.

Gates are increasingly becoming a fashion or should I say style statement more than they are mere security features for homes as they were in the past.

Instead of purchasing a simple remote controlled gate at various hardware shops, people are now focusing their energy on making their own designs, working with different wielders dotted around the country.

Self-taught wielder Tarisai Maingire said people come to him with different lavish designs.

“Most of my business comes from people who bring their designs and we work together to make their vision a reality,” he said. “Some even bring pictures they download online.”

Maingire said he gives the designs a bit of flavour.

“I try by all means never to stray far from one’s designs,” he said.

Though he works around his clients’ designs, Maingire also has some of his own.

“Wielding is an art,” he said. “Sometimes I get inspired to make some designs then would be customers will come and buy ready made products.”

The best gate designs have grown to be more of status symbol in society, with celebrities splashing their homes with lavish and extravagant styles.

They easily become talk-of-the-town for their styles and taste on gates.

Whatever house one has, gates add an extra touch of class that beautifies the space.

Choices of gates, especially in new low and medium density suburbs, include wood, aluminium ornamental iron and wrought iron, among other metals.

Some even go an extra-mile to put a touch of gold, brass or silver features on their gates.

Their pricing depends on the type of material and design details.

“People’s obsession with style and gate designs has been influenced mostly by Nigeria movies,” said Maingire.

“The influence is also evident with high brick security walls that have flooded many neighbourhoods, including on the house of incarcerated End Time Ministries founder Robert Martin Gumbura.”

Whatever the influence maybe, an eye-catching gate can make all the difference when one is building a house.

Yes, they are a security feature, but gates can also be so much more.