Apart from providing functionality and safety to your home, garage doors must also look good in the facade they belong to... how many times have I mentioned the importance of first impressions? Well, if your garage is visible, the colour and material you choose for its door will have a big impact on the overall look of your home. As there are different kinds of garage doors available, if you‘d like to understand more about these here is some basic information, as well as my tips to help you selecting the one that works for you and your property.
There are three main types of garage doors and each have their pros and cons and the design you choose will depend on the façade and overall style of the home.
ROLLER doors are made of thin slates and slide on side rails to roll up on themselves. Roller doors are very secure, practical and economical however they require taller openings to be able to roll up into and do not come in a contemporary look which could bring down the overall appeal of the façade.
PANEL [or Sectional] doors are a very popular choice as they come in a range of materials, designs and decorative features including highlight windows. A sectional garage door is made up of rigid panels that move along the garage ceiling as the door opens. These doors are durable, use minimal space and disappear from sight almost completely. Be sure to check you have enough clearance above your car for the motor and space for the door to retract into.
TILT [or Basculant] doors are made of one rigid panel that opens out and up to a horizontal position and are very useful for low headroom garages. The tilt doors come in a huge selection of styles and finishes, offering a sleek and contemporary look. As this door swings out when opening, enough clearance is required in the driveway.
When closed, it is very important that the look of the garage door matches the overall style of the façade it belongs to, so the colour and material should be chosen carefully to complement it. Ideally, the garage door should be selected from a finish or colour that is already existing on the façade. See examples below: in image 1, the light garage door matches with the window frames; in image 2, the timber garage door matches the mood of the surrounding wall; in image 3, the garage door matches the finish on the feature column.
As garage doors are a large, highly visible feature of your facade, it is extremely important to carefully choose a design that suits as it will greatly affect the overall value of your property. It is worthwhile driving around and observe and be inspired by what others have chosen for their homes, as well as to have an idea of the different colours/materials available. Ultimately, a professional exterior/interior designer can help with this decision and provide expert advice that will not only help you safeguard the value of your property, but could also save you money.
for a laugh, I googled for "Garage Door Skins"
A Treble of Tips:
A design with highlight windows will allow precious natural light into the garage, saving you from reaching for the light switch every time you enter. It is also a great design choice for Hamptons and Classic style homes.
Adding a remote-control motor to the garage will save you from manually lifting it and add the obvious comforts of opening/closing from a distance.
A safety sensor is a great addition to ensure the garage door won't come down on anything or anyone when closing.
JJames Treble is an ambassador for Planet Ark and firmly believes in sensible purchasing, recycling and creative re-purposing. James has 3 decades of accumulated experience in the Building Industry, Real Estate and Interior Design and regularly shares his knowledge and experience in adding value to homes through clever design & styling. Watch his free videos on YouTube, and follow him on Facebook and Instagram for more free information.
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