Garage Door Design: Adding Flair to Your Existing Door

The garage door is, for many, the most often used and viewed part of the home. Yet when it comes to the design, it is often ignored. The most traditionally used look is the “raised panel.” Most home builders stick to this option when designing a home, but this standard option doesn’t have to mean standard design. Customizing the windows, adding hardware, and coordinating colors can give the entire house a whole new look.

Because raised panels are pieced together in four to five separate sections, retro-adding windows is as simple as replacing the top section of the mechanism. Opting for a row of windows in place of plain paneling instantly adds choices that contribute to style. Small details such as the shape of the windows, the tint, and the tint design can help to accent the style of the residence as well as the garage door. Existing windows can be updated by creating templates and inlays that affix to frames or by creating a faux shape with tint design.

Hardware is a fun and trendy way to provide style and allure. Much like hinges and pulls, which adorn kitchen cabinets, it can add spark to interior design, the addition of strap hinges and lift handles gives curb appeal to the exterior design. These often dark colored accessories with a wrought iron look are a throw-back to carriage houses—a rising trend in today’s demand for the old world look. And with a cost of ten to twenty dollars per piece, and a do-it-yourself installation, it is a quick and simple way to get old world charm without an out-of-this-world price tag.

Finally, with or without the addition of windows or hardware, the look of a garage door and its coordination with the entire home can be changed with some creative painting. Most can be stained to give the look of wood without the upkeep of natural wood, and use of a contrasting technique for color choice can make other architectural attributes shine. The use of paint to create checked, diamond, or other designs is quite vintage-on-the-cheap and is also quite original and quirky.

Whatever the style of the abode, the would-be plain raised panel garage door can be transformed to bestow flair and accent. It’s a fun and simple way to incorporate personal touch and curb appeal, and it’s an attribute that can be done and re-done as trends change.