Your home says something very specific about you and every element, from the windows to the doors, contributes to that statement. That being said, you can imagine how huge of an influence your residential garage door can be on your home’s style. Because so much of your home’s road-facing real estate is taken up by your garage door, looks really matter. The right door can enhance your home’s curb appeal; when it comes time to replace your old garage door, go for the gold.
A Garage Door for Every Home
Long ago, there were only one or two options when it came to garage doors, so homes ended up with whatever garage door could be found or built by hand. Today, though, architects and garage door manufacturers have pushed the envelope to create some of the most stunning garage doors imaginable. Keep in mind, you may have to purchase a stronger garage door torsion spring if you are adding weight to your door. No matter the style of your home, there’s a garage door out there to fit it — from heavy, traditional wooden doors with hand-forged iron hardware to visually light, frosted glass models.
Even though homeowners are spoiled for choice in garage doors, that doesn’t mean that every garage door will look right on every house. Choosing the wrong visually dramatic door is much worse than choosing a plain door that doesn’t add anything to your home’s appearance — so when you’re shopping around, keep these basic concepts in mind:
Repeating patterns
One of the best ways to make sure your new garage door will blend seamlessly with your home’s current design is to utilize patterns already present on your home’s exterior in your new door’s design. For example, if your Craftsman home has lots of tall, vertical elements, choose a door with vertical elements in the pattern. Homes with lots of glass might look better with doors containing lots of see-through panels.
Enticing details
In the same way that shutters and window boxes go a long way on Cottage and Ranch style homes, decorative hardware and windows can take an otherwise plain door and give it a truly unique style. False hinges and door handles are great options that can draw attention to the lines of your garage door or create the illusion of a pair of doors out of a single, large door. You can further enhance that door with a new pair of carriage lights with similar materials or design elements.
Historical relevance
Sometimes, you just want to restore your home to its former glory. In the past, historical restorations were often limited to scavenging for parts from homes that were being demolished, but today there are lots of great historical reproductions of garage door styles from the past. From barn door styles to tongue and groove single panel doors, there’s a door perfect for every era.
Less can be more
Even though you can choose all sorts of decorative elements to enhance your new door, this is one area where you can easily go overboard. Homes with clean lines and few dramatic elements may look better with a flat-panel garage door, or one with repeating, contrasting square frames and frosted glass insets. Even if you don’t have a minimalist home, adding too many design elements to your garage door will create visual chaos.
Before you go garage door hunting, take a look at the doors on homes that are similar to your own. Cruising your own neighborhood may give you some great ideas, but if you live in an area where the architecture is mixed, the Internet is filled with photos of homes. Once you’ve got a few great ideas, then you can confidently order the garage door of your dreams. A garage door can last 30 years or more, so you don’t need to try to justify buying the right door — it’ll more than pay for itself in the long run.