Do You Have a Craftsman-Style Home? How to Choose a New Garage Door
Which garage door is the right option for your Craftsman-style home? Whether your home was built more than a century ago or it’s inspired by this architectural aesthetic, take a look at what you need to know before you choose and install a new garage door.
What Does Craftsman Style Really Mean?
Before you choose a garage door for your Craftsman-style home, you may need to make sure that your property really does fall under this architectural or design category. The Craftsman style dates back to the early 1900s.
Even though home exteriors are built in this design aesthetic, the Craftsman movement as a whole includes every aspect of the structure and what surrounds it. This means home interiors and landscape design may share the same style as the facade or exterior of the building.
Craftsman design was in opposition to the look of the Industrial Revolution. Instead of metal and machines, the Craftsman style celebrated the natural world. As the name implies and also in contrast to the machine-made elements of the Industrial Age, this style also relied heavily on what people could craft.
Many Craftsman-style structures are smaller, single-floor or one-and-a-half-story homes. The exterior is simple and straightforward — and doesn’t feature ornate accents or dramatic elements. Craftsman exteriors are often made from painted wood siding and feature subtle earth tones.
Which Type of Garage Door Materials Works With a Craftsman Home?
Now that you know more about this style, take the next step and choose a Craftsman-inspired garage door. If your home is truly a Craftsman design, look for simple doors that are made from natural materials. The most obvious option is a solid wood door. This type of door coordinates well with a Craftsman-style home and offers plenty of insulation.
While a wood door is a first-choice option, a solid design isn’t your only choice. If a solid wood door doesn’t fit into your garage project budget, you can select another type of material with a real or faux wood overlay. This type of layered door provides additional options while giving you the look of solid wood.
What Style Garage Door Should You Choose?
Again, the Craftsman style is subtle and simple. This means a showy, ornate garage door design is out. But you don’t have to choose a completely plain option. Some Craftsman-style doors have windows, panels, or other raised wood accents.
Complement a hand-crafted exterior with a classic carriage house door. This type of door is exactly what the name sounds like — it is inspired by the doors of a historical or traditional carriage house. Even though a carriage house may have two doors that close in the middle, your modern garage option is likely to come in one panel. But this door may have a faux opening that creates the illusion of what you would find on an old-fashioned carriage house.
If you don’t like the carriage-house style, consider a plain paneled wooden door or a wooden model with horizontal planks. These natural-looking doors will also match well with your Craftsman-style home.
What Color Garage Door Should You Choose?
You have two primary options for your garage door color: a natural wood you will need to stain and possibly weather-coat or a muted neutral painted hue.
If you want the door to stand out, play up painted accents on your home. This may mean that you paint the door the same airy blue or muted maroon color on the shutters and front door or that you pick up the sage green, gold, or other shade on the trim. Other Craftsman-inspired color ideas include earthy tans and beiges, ivory, yellow-gold, or mint green.
Are you ready to choose a new garage door? Contact Beacon Garage Doors for more information.
