You’ve heard the adage – the clothes make the man. However, did you know that “clothes” and “garage door” can be interchangeable?
What’s the first thing you see when you look at your home from the street?
For most homes, it’s the garage. Specifically, it’s the garage door.
It’s pretty bold even if it’s just a one-car garage, but if you have a larger garage door, it makes an even bigger statement.
Not convinced? Here’s a quick experiment you can try:
Tomorrow, we want you to pretend that you’re in the market for a new home.
Hit up Zillow, Realtor.com, or another real estate-related website, and find some homes for sale in the area.
Head over that way and pull into the driveway. What’s the first thing you see when you do? Right, the garage door.
Of course, you might not quite get what that means for your own home. Let’s take a deeper dive into the topic.
Ask yourself this question – are you proud of your garage door ? Does it tie into your personality or your sense of style? Does it reflect your family in some way? Do you even like the garage door?
Chances are good that you haven’t thought about it. On closer inspection, you may find that your door is old and showing signs of its age. It could also be outdated or ugly. You could find that it’s detracting from your home.
Below, we’ll run through one critical reason that you need to do something about it and give your home the garage door that it deserves, as well as two ways to do that.
Reason #1: It’s All About the Money
Real quick, let’s go back to the very beginning of this article.
What’s the single largest, most visible part of your home? The garage door.
It’s usually on the front of the house and faces the street. It plays an integral role in determining curb appeal, and also affects the value of your home.
Even if the home itself and the surrounding yard are well-maintained and modern, an ugly, dingy garage door is going to make a negative impression.
A new garage door, or even just a solid renovation job, could do wonders for the appearance of your home, its curb appeal, and even its appraised value.
Did you know that the National Association of Realtors in the US states that if you put your house on the market with an ugly, old, or damaged garage door, it can affect how long it takes your home to sell and even the number of offers you get ?
The association notes that if you can create a “wow” effect with your garage door, you’re likely to get up to 4% more for the home when it sells!
If that’s not enough to get your mental wheels turning, here’s something else to chew on:
Maybe that’s enough to convince you that your garage door needs a remake?
If so, pay attention in the next few parts. We’re going to cover two ways to help ensure you’re able to get the right garage door. All you need to do is answer two simple questions.
Question #1: What style category does your home fall into?
If you were paying attention in the previous sections, you know that your garage door is of critical importance. But where do you start with finding a new one?
What’s the right choice for your home?
The 1st question you need to answer is regarding your home’s architectural style.
What is it? That will have a huge impact on the garage door that you choose, as you’ll want to tie into the overall design of the home, rather than install something that clashes with it.
Today’s homes usually fall into one of 3 categories, even though they may have a different number of floors.
The 3 architectural styles most common today are traditional, rustic/country, and modern. We’ll explore all 3 below.
Think that traditional homes are boring, old, and drab?
That’s not even close to the truth.
In reality, traditional blends several architectural trends into a single, cohesive whole.
You’ll find several elements here that might appeal to you, including:
- Carved kitchen cabinets
- Multi-paned windows
- Stained glass windows
· Well-made elements that stand the test of time
Think of traditional as a timeless classic aesthetic that will look as good in 20 years as it does today.
If that sounds like you, then this is your style!
What do you think of this look? With 9x7 garage doors in the Classic Mix Pattern and Desert Sand Color, you get an iconic look that stands out for all the right reasons.
Single-story bungalows, as well as two-story cottages, typify this trend. Most traditional homes borrow from a diverse set of trends but manage to combine them into a harmonious, classic theme.
Prefer this look? These are 9x8 garage doors in the Prestige XL Pattern , with Moka Brown as the primary color and Cachet Windows to accent the doors.
Contemporary or Modern Style Homes
Contemporary style homes are becoming more and more popular today.
You’ll find it marked by the use of dark colors combined with earthy hues that offer elegance, beauty, and timeless appeal.
What do you think of this style? The doors measure 9x7 and are the VOG Pattern , colored black, and featuring Right Side Harmony Windows that tie into the home’s overall look.
However, modern style is also marked by wide open spaces, the use of glass, and lots of clean lines throughout. For many people, it evokes thoughts of the 1950s, but there’s so much more here!
Enjoy this look? These garage doors measure 6x8.5 and 16x8.5. They’re CALIFORNIA Garage Doors , featuring a Black Aluminum Frame with Satin Glass Windows.
Many modern homes feature large windows. Sometimes those windows are uniquely shaped. Rather than rectangles or squares, you’ll find spacious triangles, and other shapes that help the interior of the home blend into the outdoor space.
Our final style is country, but you might be more familiar with it as rustic, or even French country.
It’s a combination of different architectural motifs that all share some common elements. For instance, the carriage-house style uses traditional architectural elements like dormers, cornices, and large porches .
It provides ample space for enjoying the beautiful surroundings in the day and the evening. This style also features gridded multi-paned windows, as well as roofs that project outward from the home.
Dig this look? These are PRINCETON P-21 Garage doors with X-Shaped Overlays. The color is Chocolate Walnut, and the doors feature 8 Lite Panoramic Windows.
In most cases, garage doors that suit this style evoke the elegance and beauty of the past.
Most of them use overlays, whether that is A-shaped, V-shaped, X-shaped, or Square.
Overlays help create a luxury barn effect that ties into the carriage house aesthetic.
What do you think of this style? It’s a CAMBRIDGE CC Garage Door in Ice White, with overlays and 4 Lite Panoramic Windows.
Not sure if this style is for you? Most people just need a single look to know for sure!
Here’s another option. On this home, you see Vantage SHAKER-CS Long Garage Doors in Dark Walnut with a Stockton Insert and additional decorative hardware to pull it all together.
As you can see from the examples above, you have so many more options than you might have assumed.
Garage doors don’t need to be bland and boring!
They can be exciting and even beautiful.
At All-Mont Garage Door, we offer 38 different door designs. We can also provide 12 different color options, over 100 window choices, and unique hardware to tie everything together and create a look that’s uniquely your own.
Question #2: What colors suits you best?
Now that we’ve discussed styles, it’s time to turn our attention to the second question.
That is, what color suits you best?
This is more difficult to answer than you might think.
For instance, you’ll find that some colors are very popular, but only for a very short time. Then they’re out of style and any garage door in that color is instantly outdated.
However, there are longer-term trends that last and help ensure that your home looks as good in a decade as it does right now.
For instance, for the last 7 years or so, earth tones anddarker colors have been more popular. ThinkMoka Brown, Sandstone, and even Charcoal.
Many homeowners want something that’s tied into the natural world, but they don’t want the maintenance that comes from real wood .
Here are 5 colors that work in this trend:
These colors are baked on at the factor and sealed into the door and overlay using polyester-based paints that deliver the look of real wood without all the work and maintenance.
Of course, the trendiest color today is Black.
Above, you’ll find an EASTMAN E-11 Garage Door in Black with 4 Lite Panoramic Windows.
Why Black, though?
It sends a distinct message.
It communicates elegance, style, and simplicity.
It’s also timeless despite being trendy. You’ll find black used in modern patterns, as well as in carriage-house designs and traditional home designs.
Black garage doors also deliver some other important benefits:
- Slimming and minimal
- Helps reduce the size of double garage doors
· Contrasts with and blends with other colors
However, you do need to remember that black absorbs more light, which means it gets hotter faster.
With single garage doors averaging 9x7 and double garage doors coming in at 16x7, the width of that black surface can mean a lot of heat being absorbed into the garage.
The door’s surface can be hot enough to burn children’s sensitive skin.
If you want something that’s not so heat intensive, you can consider White, Sand, or Beige. Other colors may also be suitable, depending on the color scheme of your home.
Windows Bring Additional Personality and Light to the Party
Thinking about adding windows to your garage door?
They can do a lot forthe amount of light within the garage, as well as the personality of your home. You can also use them to enhance the look of your garage door.
Consider these 3 factors when choosing garage door windows.
1. Window Layout:
The layout you choose will affect usability, light transmission, and style. Consider Single or Double Left or Right Side Windows, Outer Section Windows, or Classic Upper Section Windows.
2. Inserts:
Inserts allow you to add a touch of elegance to your windows, and are often seen with both carriage-house and traditional architecture.
3. Glass:
Think that clear windows are your only choice? Think again!
Many different types of glass can help give you privacy while still ensuring adequate light.
You probably didn’t realize that your choices in garage doors were quite so elaborate! It’s easy to feel more than a little overwhelmed, but there’s good news!
Since a garage door can last 20 years or more, our advice is to choose the right installer.
Contact a professional garage door dealer and you’ll get all the advice and guidance you need. At All‑Mont Garage Doors, we’re happy to provide you with a quote by email, but we’d also love to talk face-to-face in our showroom.
Don’t be shy! Give us a call.
Our experts are always happy to answer your questions.
- Orangeville: 519-942-1956
- Mississauga: 905-564-2640
Have a smartphone?
Then head to our Design Centre and check out the various door styles on offer.
Want more ideas?
You can check out some residential garage door ideas right here to get you started.
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