The garage door is often an overlooked part of a home’s exterior design. However, the right garage door can greatly enhance your home’s curb appeal and style. From classic to contemporary, wood to steel, there are many options when choosing a new garage door.
This article explores 19 beautiful garage door designs and ideas to inspire your next garage door upgrade. We’ll look at popular styles, materials, window options, hardware, and smart features to consider when selecting a garage door to match your home’s architecture and needs. Read on to get inspired by these stylish garage door options for that all-important façade.
Modern Garage Doors
Modern garage doors make a striking style statement with their bold, geometric designs and contemporary materials. If you want your home to have an updated, sleek look, a modern garage door is the way to go. Here are some gorgeous modern garage door ideas to fuel your inspiration:
Contemporary Wood Garage Doors
For a natural, yet contemporary look, wood garage doors are unbeatable. The rich wood grain and range of stain options, from dark walnut to light cedar, allow you to customize the door to your home’s style. Contemporary wood doors feature clean lines and minimal decorative hardware for a streamlined look. The warmth of real wood adds organic texture not found on steel doors.
Contemporary wood garage doors lend a sleek, modern style. Image Source
Wood is a smart choice for cold climates since it provides natural insulation. Cedar and redwood are naturally rot-resistant woods ideal for exterior garage doors. For the modern look, a lightly stained or natural cedar garage door with straight-line design looks sharp and stylish.
Aluminum Garage Doors
For a super sleek, industrial look, aluminum is the way to go. The silver metallic color has a futuristic, cutting-edge vibe. Aluminum gets its modern appeal from clean lines, narrow framing, and large expanses of glass windows that allow natural light to flood the garage interior.
Aluminum garage doors lend an ultra-modern, industrial aesthetic. Image Source
Aluminum is a lightweight yet very durable material resistant to rust, rot, and impact damage. Special insulated aluminum garage doors feature an inner foam core to prevent heat loss while maintaining the doors sleek, metallic elegance. For contemporary style, aluminum can’t be beat.
Steel Garage Doors
Like aluminum, steel garage doors provide crisp, modern lines and styling. Available in lustrous metallic finishes or powder coated colors, steel doors give a bold, contemporary look. Insulated steel provides thermal efficiency, durability, and design flexibility with varied panel styles and finishes.
Sleek steel garage doors in grey metallic finish create contemporary style. Image Source
For a super-modern vibe, choose steel garage doors with porthole or rectangular window designs. Frosted, tinted, or clear glass windows allow light into the garage while complementing the crisp steel door. Add modern hardware in brushed chrome, black, or satin nickel for a contemporary look.
Rustic Garage Doors
For homes withfarmhouse, craftsman, or cottage style architecture, rustic garage doors lend old-world, vintage charm. Weathered wood and antique hardware play up the rustic aesthetic beautifully. Here are inspirational ideas for rustic garage doors:
Reclaimed Wood Garage Doors
Reclaimed wood doors give instant vintage appeal, featuring the knots, nail holes, and natural weathering that give real reclaimed wood its rustic charm. Salvaged from old barns and buildings, authentic reclaimed wood tells the story of its past life. For a truly one-of-a-kind look, reclaimed wood can’t be beat.
Reclaimed wood garage doors have unbeatable rustic appeal. Image Source
Each piece of reclaimed wood is unique, with a charmingly imperfect aesthetic. Let the natural texture shine through with a clear sealer for a raw reclaimed look. For more color, use a light stain to play up the varied wood grains. Reclaimed wood doors need occasional sealing to preserve their rustic beauty.
Carriage House Garage Doors
Carriage house doors are modeled after traditional swing-out doors found on horse barns and carriage houses of the past. This iconic architectural style features two side-by-side doors that swing out rather than lifting up. The signature crossbuck hardware design looks like two doors but operates as one unit.
Carriage house garage doors lend old-world rustic charm. Image Source
Carriage house doors work beautifully on homes with craftsman, Tudor, or bungalow influenced architecture. For a rustic look, choose wood grain textures in weathered grey, natural cedar, or reclaimed barnwood. Add vintage-style handles, hinges, and hardware for old-fashioned appeal. This quintessential rustic style makes a dramatic statement full of cottage charm.
Wood Overlays and Decorative Hardware
To add rustic flair to standard steel or aluminum garage doors, decorative options like arched wood overlays, crossbuck handles, strap hinges, and antique-look hardware are perfect. The warm contrast of wood against sleek metal creates charming cottage style.
Wood overlays on modern garage doors add rustic cottage charm. Image Source
Seeking an aged, timeworn look? Opt for finishing touches like wrought iron handles or antique black hinges to complement the wood accents. This allows for a durable insulated steel core door customized with natural rustic details.
Craftsman Garage Doors
The classic Craftsman bungalow style features charming architectural details like exposed wood beams, overhanging eaves, and tapered columns. Craftsman garage doors flawlessly match these signature home features for a cohesive aesthetic. Here are some ideas for finding the perfect Craftsman-style garage doors:
Wood Carriage Doors
As we saw earlier, carriage-style doors are an iconic architectural feature on Craftsman homes. Choosing wood carriage doors with crossbuck hardware in dark bronze or black perfectly fits the Craftsman bungalow look. For a natural vibe, use unfinished cedar or redwood complemented by black metal accents.
Carriage-style wood doors suit Craftsman home architecture beautifully. Image Source
To match common Craftsman exterior color schemes, select a rich wood stain in chestnut brown or espresso. If your home features stone or brick, opt for stained doors to tie in with the earthy hues. Let the natural wood grain shine through for organic texture.
Panel Designs with Windows
Many Craftsman-style homes feature paneled facades and ample windows to welcome natural light. Selecting a garage door with similar architectural details makes an ideal pairing. Our next style highlights the windows and paneling characteristic of Craftsman design:
Wood panel garage doors with arched windows match Craftsman architectural details. Image Source
Look for short or long rectangular windows across the top panel of the door. For a truly custom look, choose doors with arched windows to mirror the architecture. Use square, arched, or decorative glass to filter light into the garage. Dark bronze or black hardware plays up the bold Craftsman aesthetic.
Accent Details
To make standard garage doors fit better with Craftsman architecture, add touches like bracketed eaves, exposed beam wraps, and protruding false rafter tails. These architectural elements mirror common Craftsman features for cohesive curb appeal.
Wood trim additions complement the Craftsman style. Image Source
Dark wood or black finishes on these accents add definition against lighter door colors. For authentic appeal, use real wood in cedar and redwood rather than composite materials. Let the natural grain shine through.
Traditional Style Garage Doors
Homes with colonial, Tudor, or traditional architecture call for classic garage doors featuring timeless designs, rich colors, and natural materials. Traditional style doors include classic elements like arched curves, decorative glass, and wrought iron hardware. Here are some ideas for finding the perfect traditional garage door:
Arched Door Designs
Arched garage doors lend an elegant, timeless beauty perfect for traditional home styles. The graceful curved shape complements colonial, Tudor, and Mediterranean home architecture. Choose long arched doors, called elliptical top, or smaller semicircular arch designs.
Arched designs complement traditional architectural styles. Image Source
For a distinctive look, select doors featuring intersecting crossed arch patterns. Wood doors with arched designs gain added elegance from the rich texture and visible grain patterns. Finish with decorative hinges, handles, and lighting fixtures.
Classic Wood Doors
Wood remains the most traditional material for garage doors. Handsome mahogany, cypress, cedar, and fir have graced homes for generations. For an aged, vintage appeal, choose reclaimed barnwood in natural grey or soft white.
Classic tongue-and-groove wood offers timeless appeal. Image Source
Tongue-and-groove patterned wood doors feature distinctive vertical line detailing. For a rustic look, keep the wood natural with a light sealant to protect from weathering. Rich stains in cherry, walnut, and mahogany complement traditional architecture. Wrought iron handles and hinge straps boost old-world character.
Decorative Windows and Hardware
Traditional homes emphasize decorative finishes. For garage doors, that means beautiful windows and vintage hardware full of elegant charm. Here are some examples of windows and hardware that complement traditional style beautifully:
Ornate handles and hinges enrich traditional doors. [Image Source](https://www.pinterest.com/pin/AU9RsWJy4ArOQOG_mpjft3x9c5znPepHKRufM2ydke7ZcgOJ gn4omNE/)
- Arched windows complement curved doors, allowing soft natural light into the garage space.
- Wrought iron handles, fixed handles, and lift handles feature ornate scrollwork and finishes like antique brass or bronze.
- Hinge straps offer an architectural feel with eye-catching curves and lines.
- Spoked grilles over windows and decorative latticework add elegance.
By incorporating decorative finishes with classic arched designs, traditional garage doors gain gracious vintage style perfect for time-honored homes.
Glass Garage Doors
For a light-filled, spacious look, glass garage doors are the perfect choice. Enjoy clear views while flooding your garage interior with natural light. Glass doors feature an aluminum or steel frame with sections of glass panes replacing traditional door panels. Here are some beautiful options for glass garage doors:
Clear Glass Panels
Clear glass doors maximize visibility to let sunlight stream into your garage. They allow unobstructed views of the outdoors from inside the garage. Tempered safety glass prevents shattering if impacted.
Clear glass panels create an airier, brighter garage interior. Image Source
Frosted privacy glass is ideal if you need to obstruct views into your garage. Abstract, geometric, or custom patterned privacy glass adds visual interest while filtering sunlight.
Mixture of Glass and Panels
The most popular style combines glass pane windows across the top row with traditional metal panels along the bottom of the door. This allows privacy at eye level while permitting light through the top glass sections.
Combining glass and solid panels balances light, views, and privacy. Image Source
Smaller porthole windows scattered across traditional door panels offer a delicate look and provide natural light without full visibility. Take cues from your home’s existing windows to match the design style.
Frosted and Tinted Glass
For soft, diffused light, choose frosted or tinted glass. These translucent options obscure visibility and details while allowing filtered daylight into your garage. Here are some common tinted glass options:
- Grey tinting adds stylish modern appeal.
- Bronze tint complements traditional homes for an aged, antique look.
- Blue or green tinted glass provides a cool, refreshing ambiance.
- Mirrored glass adds reflective visual interest.
Wood Garage Doors
Wood remains the most classic, natural material for garage doors. Available in diverse natural grains, colors, and finishes, wood doors elevate aesthetics with unparalleled beauty and texture. Here are some of the most popular options and benefits of wood garage doors:
Cedar Garage Doors
Western red cedar is naturally resistant to moisture, rot, and insect damage. With distinct grain patterns and a range of color from reddish-brown to blonde, cedar makes a gorgeous garage door material. It can be stained, but many prefer the natural wood hues.
Cedar’s natural beauty shines through in this garage door. Image Source
Cedar adds rich visual warmth and elegantly ages to a silvery patina over time. Its natural oils repel water and provide long-lasting durability. For a rustic look, use salvaged reclaimed cedar boards.
Mahogany Garage Doors
Prized for its striking grain patterns and deep reddish-brown color, mahogany makes a distinctive wood garage door material. It offers a classic, luxurious look for homes with traditional architecture.
*Mahogany’s dramatic grains create visual interest. [Image Source](https://www.pinterest.com/pin/22257640