Garage Doors With a Difference
Rev up your home's facade with a garage door that makes a lasting impression
Natasha Saroca
14 July 2016
Houzz Australia Contributor. Natasha is a freelance journalist who began her career working across a number of home design and lifestyle magazines, including BuildHOME and Kitchens & Bathrooms Quarterly. She enjoys writing about design and colour trends, decorating ideas (particularly how to transform rooms with colour and patterns), organisation tips, entertaining ideas and easy updates for the home.
When she’s not creating Ideabooks for Houzz, Natasha can be found writing about all things fashion for Missy Confidential, working on her soon-to-be-launched website – www.asmartsequin.com – or shopping online for new quilt covers, cushions and fashion illustrations (her three current obsessions).
Houzz Australia Contributor. Natasha is a freelance journalist who began her career... More
Garage doors tend to take up a lot of frontage, which means they have the power to lift – or lower – a home’s street cred. Thankfully, garage door designs have come a long way over the years, with clunky, old-school metal roller and plain tilt-up doors slowly making way for designer facades with serious kerb appeal. From patterned lift-up panels to slatted screens and dramatic doors in traffic-stopping hues, here’s a round-up of gawk-worthy (in a good way) garage door treatments that elevate otherwise ordinary car enclosures to standout architectural features.
All in the details
These garage doors are beautiful inside and out. Constructed from ply, the doors (and wall panels) feature a quirky barcode cut-out pattern and are lined with polycarbonate sheets that have a pixelated pattern printed on them. When lit from within, the garage resembles a life-size lantern and casts a warm, pleasing glow over the backyard and street.
These garage doors are beautiful inside and out. Constructed from ply, the doors (and wall panels) feature a quirky barcode cut-out pattern and are lined with polycarbonate sheets that have a pixelated pattern printed on them. When lit from within, the garage resembles a life-size lantern and casts a warm, pleasing glow over the backyard and street.
Colour confidence
For a head-turning look that will stop passersby in their tracks, accessorise your garage with a door in a loud, unexpected hue. Here, a fire-engine-red door does a cracker of a job, and lends visual punch to an otherwise simple garage facade. Replace the va-va-voom door with one in a neutral hue and the home’s exterior would definitely lose some of its street cred.
See 10 inspiring garage doors
For a head-turning look that will stop passersby in their tracks, accessorise your garage with a door in a loud, unexpected hue. Here, a fire-engine-red door does a cracker of a job, and lends visual punch to an otherwise simple garage facade. Replace the va-va-voom door with one in a neutral hue and the home’s exterior would definitely lose some of its street cred.
See 10 inspiring garage doors
If you’re not a fan of lively hues or bright facade accent colours are frowned upon in your subdivision, try a shade that will command attention but is more subtle in tone and intensity … like this steely purple. Using cladding or a render in the same or a similar hue will also help create a calmer and more cohesive look.
Alternatively, if you desire a daring scheme that really wows, take cues from this knock-out scheme and team a brightly coloured garage door with an access door in a high-contrast tone. Temper the dramatic look with white, neutrals, black and natural materials to ensure your home’s facade isn’t too overwhelming.
Wood work(s)
This double mosaic timber garage door displays serious design flair. Fashioned from recycled cedar cut into boxy tiles in an assortment of sizes, the striking artisanal door doubles as wall art and builds visual and tactile drama. Notice how the edgy, rustic panels lend a warm, earthy touch to the exterior too.
This double mosaic timber garage door displays serious design flair. Fashioned from recycled cedar cut into boxy tiles in an assortment of sizes, the striking artisanal door doubles as wall art and builds visual and tactile drama. Notice how the edgy, rustic panels lend a warm, earthy touch to the exterior too.
Here, the chevron timber door ties in beautifully with the heritage-style facade, transforming this humble garage into a head-turning design feature.
Timber lattice has a reputation for being a tad old-school and dowdy, but there’s nothing drab about this wooden criss-cross garage door. The key to pulling off this look is to get creative when arranging the lattice panels. Here, 16 small lattice squares have been arranged in a diamond pattern, which gives the door a contemporary vibe. The dramatic contrast between the rich, warm wood and distressed concrete wall ramps up the facade’s coolness factor too.
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Stylish slider
This chic white sliding door proves that sometimes less is more. Though low-key in style, the striking panel is one of this beachy facade’s standout design features, in part due to its clean, crisp colour which pops against the weathered wood cladding. Meanwhile, the metal support bracket, which zigzags across the door, adds a punchy graphic element to the plain panel, further cementing its stop-and-stare status.
This chic white sliding door proves that sometimes less is more. Though low-key in style, the striking panel is one of this beachy facade’s standout design features, in part due to its clean, crisp colour which pops against the weathered wood cladding. Meanwhile, the metal support bracket, which zigzags across the door, adds a punchy graphic element to the plain panel, further cementing its stop-and-stare status.
I’m also a big fan of the black Batcave-esque metal sliding doors that line the ground floor garage of this inner-city Melbourne home. Take note of the angular cut-outs, which provide ventilation and add visual punch to the facade.
Graphic appeal
Take cues from this creative car enclosure and paint or apply a stick-on weatherproof mural to the front of your garage door. This is a great trick to try if you want to give your existing garage a facelift, without making costly or time-consuming structural or cosmetic changes.
Say hello to garages that wow
Take cues from this creative car enclosure and paint or apply a stick-on weatherproof mural to the front of your garage door. This is a great trick to try if you want to give your existing garage a facelift, without making costly or time-consuming structural or cosmetic changes.
Say hello to garages that wow
Slatted style
A wooden slat garage door will enliven a flat facade, giving it rich colour and texture, and an inviting vibe. Good looks aside, timber slat doors can also be used to create the illusion of width or height, which is handy if your house sits on a poky block. Run the slats horizontally if your home has a narrow frontage, or orient them vertically if you want to draw the eye upward to create a sense of height.
A wooden slat garage door will enliven a flat facade, giving it rich colour and texture, and an inviting vibe. Good looks aside, timber slat doors can also be used to create the illusion of width or height, which is handy if your house sits on a poky block. Run the slats horizontally if your home has a narrow frontage, or orient them vertically if you want to draw the eye upward to create a sense of height.
Off grid
While the punchy palette and interesting roofline are partly responsible for this home’s charm and good looks, the multi-pane frosted glass garage door adds to the dwelling’s arresting appearance. Take note how the opaque panels help lighten the front facade, while the boxy geometric pattern offsets and anchors the sharp slope of the roof. The result is a beautifully detailed and balanced home that boosts the street view.
While the punchy palette and interesting roofline are partly responsible for this home’s charm and good looks, the multi-pane frosted glass garage door adds to the dwelling’s arresting appearance. Take note how the opaque panels help lighten the front facade, while the boxy geometric pattern offsets and anchors the sharp slope of the roof. The result is a beautifully detailed and balanced home that boosts the street view.
Cutting edge
Perforated or laser-cut metal panels are definitely a cut above the average garage door. Whether you choose a bold geometric motif or abstract cut-out design, a pierced metal garage door will be the hero of your home’s exterior and command the attention of people strolling or driving by. If your facade is sleek and contemporary in style, opt for a door made from a polished or matt metal. For an edgy, urban look, a design fashioned from metal with a raw finish (like the two masterpieces pictured here) will be more up your alley.
Perforated or laser-cut metal panels are definitely a cut above the average garage door. Whether you choose a bold geometric motif or abstract cut-out design, a pierced metal garage door will be the hero of your home’s exterior and command the attention of people strolling or driving by. If your facade is sleek and contemporary in style, opt for a door made from a polished or matt metal. For an edgy, urban look, a design fashioned from metal with a raw finish (like the two masterpieces pictured here) will be more up your alley.
The beauty of decorative metal garage doors is that they continue to shine even when the sun goes down, as internal lights pierce through the perforations, creating a impressive light show outside.
Peek-a-boo appeal
A few strategically placed glass panels can turn a plain garage door into a striking design feature. Case in point? This custom-made mahogany creation. Four rectangular glass reveals complement the clean lines of the mid-century modern facade. Notice how the windows break up the expanse of timber that runs along the ground floor facade and balance the large boxy windows that span the length of the upper level.
When the internal garage lights are switched on, the glass panels serve a practical purpose and help guide guests and cars up the drive, while making the home feel more inviting too.
A few strategically placed glass panels can turn a plain garage door into a striking design feature. Case in point? This custom-made mahogany creation. Four rectangular glass reveals complement the clean lines of the mid-century modern facade. Notice how the windows break up the expanse of timber that runs along the ground floor facade and balance the large boxy windows that span the length of the upper level.
When the internal garage lights are switched on, the glass panels serve a practical purpose and help guide guests and cars up the drive, while making the home feel more inviting too.
Count down
Stencilling your house number on your garage door is a simple design trick that will make a big visual impact. If you really want to turn heads, go big and bright. Large, loud digits not only have graphic appeal, but they’re also highly visible and will ensure visitors will be able to find your house in a snap when cruising down your street.
If you’re not a fan of huge house numbers like the digits in the picture above, opt for font in a smaller size but be sure to use a high-contrast paint that pops against the colour of your garage door.
It’s time to address your house number
Stencilling your house number on your garage door is a simple design trick that will make a big visual impact. If you really want to turn heads, go big and bright. Large, loud digits not only have graphic appeal, but they’re also highly visible and will ensure visitors will be able to find your house in a snap when cruising down your street.
If you’re not a fan of huge house numbers like the digits in the picture above, opt for font in a smaller size but be sure to use a high-contrast paint that pops against the colour of your garage door.
It’s time to address your house number
Camouflage effect
These two garage doors are both visually impressive and intriguing, not because they stand out but because they have been expertly designed to blend in seamlessly with the rest of the facade. Can you tell where the garage doors start and end?
This clever design move ensures that other architectural features get the attention they deserve, rather than allowing car enclosures to hog the limelight.
Concealed garages with kerb appeal
TELL US
Does your garage have stop-and-stare appeal? Post a photo or share your thoughts in the Comments.
MORE
Browse more great garage ideas
These two garage doors are both visually impressive and intriguing, not because they stand out but because they have been expertly designed to blend in seamlessly with the rest of the facade. Can you tell where the garage doors start and end?
This clever design move ensures that other architectural features get the attention they deserve, rather than allowing car enclosures to hog the limelight.
Concealed garages with kerb appeal
TELL US
Does your garage have stop-and-stare appeal? Post a photo or share your thoughts in the Comments.
MORE
Browse more great garage ideas
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A timely article for me - thanks. Our council's local environment plan states that properties are to avoid have garage doors close to the street - the camouflage designs in this article are a great solution.
Perfect solution for us at thei time.