Garage Doors – Choosing the Material, Style and Colour That Suits Your Home Best

The front of your home is what people see first and an attractive-looking garage door that suits the style of your home will instantly create a good first impression and boost your curb appeal.

Today, garage doors come in a variety of materials, styles, sizes and colours, which means that you have more design options to choose from. So whether you’re looking to add personality or charm to your property, to sell your house fast, or to replace your garage door with a new and more functional one, here are some tips for picking the right garage door for your home.

Select the right material

When choosing the right material for your garage door, you need to consider the type of climate you live in and what the exterior of your home is made of.

Depending on where you live, you can choose from metal, fibreglass or wood/timber for your home. Metal and fibreglass garage doors are more durable and will last longer, whereas wood is a natural material that can create a beautiful aesthetic to your home. Or you can choose Steel-Line DecoWood garage door, which is made from Australian BlueScope steel and gives you a realistic timber look. If you live near the ocean, a stylish fibreglass and aluminium frame sectional garage door is well protected against salt corrosion.

If you live in:

• A hurricane or typhoon-prone location with high winds – Choose a cyclone garage door as it is damage-resistant and withstands high force wind conditions.
• A very hot/very cold climate – If where you live experiences extreme temperature changes, get a fibreglass garage door. It’s durable and a great insulator that can keep your heating and cooling costs down when the temperature changes. Fibreglass is also resistant to splitting and cracking.
• Or, if your garage needs fresh ventilation, choose an aluminium perforated or Louvre garage door. Additionally, you can add a unique window design to shed some natural light on your garage space.

On the other hand, if you have a home with:

• A lot of stone detail – Consider getting a wooden garage door or a metal one with a wood grain finish.
• Flat or stucco finishes – Get a modern aluminium garage door.
• Siding – Most garage door materials will work with this type of home, while colour and design will play a more prominent role.
• A rustic exterior – Choose a wooden garage door with sleek and modern contemporary lines, such as Cedar, Hemlock and Larch.

Choose a style that matches your home’s architecture

Once you’ve chosen the right material, it’s time to pick a style that will match the architecture of your home. Garage doors come in various styles – they can have windows (or lites) or mimic your home’s architectural details. You can also find traditional-style carriage doors and contemporary double-sided doors.

Or, you can have your garage door custom-built to suit your own personal taste. There are even online tools, such as Steel Line’s Visualiser, that allow you to upload a photo of your home and try out a number of different garage door designs until you find one that best compliments your home.

The following looks at different types of homes and the garage door styles that best fit them.

• Victorian, Georgian or Colonial – You can choose a garage door that has panelled wood, a coach house/stable look, divided-light windows that coordinate with your house windows, or decorative hardware such as iron hinges or handles.
• Arts & Crafts or Edwardian – It’s best to get a garage door with raised panels/sections or with arch-top/divided-light windows that match or compliment the windows of your home.
• 1950s ranch style – Pick a garage door that has plain finish with simple horizontal wood slats/banding or simple hardware/windows that create a balance with the overall composition of your home’s exterior.
• For a more streamlined appearance, don’t have handles on your garage door.
• Traditional – Consider getting a garage door that disappears or blends into the home or a custom wooden door that draws the attention you want. For older homes, steel garage doors are also a good option as they have increased longevity and you can paint them in a variety of colours.
• Contemporary/modern – Pick a style that makes a statement. For example, you can have an all-glass garage door or one with a unique design, such as a custom wooden garage door. Other options to consider include stained wood, V-ribbed/horizontal banding, or frosted/pebbled glass. You can also choose a door that has strong lines moving in the same direction as the other exterior features of your home. Sleek aluminium doors with light-filtering glass will compliment your home’s look.

Pick the right colour

Another way to find the right garage door is by comparing different colours against your home and choosing the colour that best suits your needs. For example, if you want to minimise the appearance of your garage, paint the doors with the same colour as your siding. This will reduce the visual attention it receives from the street. If you want to add character to your home and draw attention to your garage’s design, choose a garage door with accented colour such as traditional white or other light colours like natural wood grain.

Garage door accessories

Accessories and accents can add charm to your garage door and help make it stand out from your neighbours. Here are some accessories to consider that will help you choose a garage door that compliments your home and adds to your street cred:

• A painted trim around the door can help define your door space.
• A garage door with an accent trim can add more character and design to fit the style of your home.
• Windows not only add contrast and detail to your door while letting natural light into the garage, but they also add value to your home.
• Decorative hinges/handles can add charm and detail to carriage-style doors.
• More importantly, your garage door should be functional and be able to protect your car and home from the weather and intruders. You can check out Steel Line’s range of garage doors for more style options and use our Visualizer tool to start customising your own garage door.