Isn’t it great to be deciding on your garage door in this day and age? The time of the mass-produced, cookie-cutter home is over, thank heaven. Advancements in materials and the options available today allow you to completely customize your garage door while improving its functionality and boosting your home’s curb appeal. With so many options from which to choose, here is a brief overview of five styles of garage doors to consider for your home remodel:
Traditional Garage Doors
The traditional-style doors are manufactured in either natural wood or steel. The doors have simple panel styles in either long or short designs using or depicting rail and stile construction with or without windows that run along the top of the door. There is a unique assortment of decorative window designs.
Contemporary Garage Doors
Appealing to the minimalist, the clean horizontal lines and classic functional details are the hallmark of the contemporary style. Suited to the modern home, the sleek designs come in a variety of materials including wood, steel, aluminum and glass. Multiple layers, insulation options, varying degrees of light transmission for privacy or total privacy using aluminum panels are just some of the options available.
Carriage-House Garage Doors
There is rustic charm in carriage-house doors. Original design features hinged doors that call for enough clearance to swing the doors open and closed. The modern convenience of making carriage-house garage doors open overhead solves that issue. Available in a wide array of configurations, materials and finishes, there are also various window options and your preference of hardware including characteristic handles, fleur-de-lis and bracket hinges regardless of how the door opens and closes. The barn door appearance is key to the appeal of carriage-house doors.
Not meant for any style of home, the carriage-house door complements cedar shake shingle siding with contrasting framing accents in crisp white surrounding windows and on gable roof braces. It is not unusual to see paver stones used on the driveway for that sense of continuity. The windows allow natural light in while providing a welcome glow at night when approaching the home.
Farmhouse Style Garage Doors
There is a simple charm in the functional design of the farmhouse-style home. Though this style of home reaches back to Colonial America characterized by the vintage, carriage-house appearance, these days, the garage door on the farmhouse-style home may follow a range of looks from classic white paint to the sleek look of modern glass doors.
The style here is versatile, answering to the personality of the homeowner. Some popular ideas include the use of windows to allow natural light inside, painted finishes, insulation for comfort and the use of durable materials.
Craftsman Style Garage Doors
The Craftsman Style runs the gamut when it comes to design as it focuses on small details, clean lines, balance and symmetry and complementary architecture. You will often see close-to-nature themes in the Arts and Crafts style of homes generating a sense of overall warmth. The garage door gives a chance to complement colors found in exposed beams, columns, stone and shake shingle siding. Complementary windows allow the natural light inside the home.
Color Considerations
When pairing a style of garage door to complement your existing architecture, remember to consider what color to select. Color is crucial to both style and the overall value of the home. You might choose to match the door with the siding or decide to match the window trim, so you may also be deciding if this is the time to change your choice of trim color. Alternatively, you can choose to select a different color that makes a bold statement or adds to the home’s richness.
Consider Such Color Choices as:
- Charcoal
- Dark Sand
- Desert Sand
- Forest Green
- Heron Blue
- Ice White
- Mocha
- Red
Other Considerations
Other factors influencing your choice of garage door include design, durability, maintenance and costs. Garage doors are made from a variety of materials, including:
- Wood—such as fir, redwood, cedar or meranti; versatile; can be layered to withstand high-wind zones; can be finished on-site or factory-stained or painted; requires maintenance
- Steel—the most popular choice of door; best in high wind zones; can be primed and painted or clad with composite material; not recommended for coastal regions; subject to dents and corrosion
- Aluminum and glass, acrylic, wood, aluminum or polygal panels—ideal for modern or minimalist styles particularly in coastal zones; low-maintenance; options for different levels of light
- PVC and fiberglass overlays—high-durability; low-maintenance
In addition to matching your existing architecture, contemplate the climate in your geographical area. You have the option to include an R-value insulation to help keep your house cool in summer and warm in winter, if your garage is connected to the house.
The garage door is an important aspect of your home’s exterior design. Despite a generalized set of styles from which to choose, there are virtually hundreds of customization options available to you in your choice of residential garage doors. If you find you are having difficulty deciding on the ideal color, style or best materials for your new garage door, you can learn a lot more by contacting your local garage door company. Once you have begun to explore the many options, you can refine your determinations with the help of an expert and arrive at the best options for both your preferred home remodel and your budget.
