A great way to boost curb appeal without spending thousands on renovations is to upgrade your garage door and front door together. It's important to choose a pairing that will manifest a cohesive design and tie together the newly-upgraded elements of your home--especially if both doors face the street.
Read on to learn the dos and don't of matching your front entry door to your garage door.
| Materials
DO
When it comes to materials, consistency is key. We’re not saying that if your garage door is wood, your front door has to be wood--combining different materials can actually give your home a unique, one-of-a-kind look. However, you do need to take the building materials already used on your home (i.e., wood, vinyl, brick, stone, etc.) into consideration to ensure your garage and front doors complement the existing framework.
DON'T
While there are exceptions to any faux-pas, we do not recommend choosing front or garage door materials that aren't already used on your home.
However, if your current exterior is too plain or conservative for your taste, there's nothing wrong with adding new materials to provide a bit more contrast. Another exception to this rule is if you add new materials but keep your exterior color palette consistent. For example, if you like the look of Full-View Aluminum garage doors, you can choose a custom powder coat color that matches the shade of the vinyl siding already on your home.
| Color Scheme
DO
Do take your exterior color scheme into account when shopping for your new doors. Incorporating shades from your existing color palette into your front and residential garage doors is a foolproof way to guarantee your finished look is balanced. Don't be afraid to pull a bold color from your exterior to make your front door pop, but use a more subtle shade for your garage doors (or vice versa).
DON'T
We do not recommend matching both doors to the primary color of your exterior. Unless you're going for a monochromatic look, doing so will blend the elements of your home into one.
Another seemingly unimportant, yet crucial mistake that homeowners make is combining warm colors with cool colors. There's nothing wrong with using multiple colors, but--to prevent clashing--it's best to keep your shades within one of those two tonal lanes.
Finally, don't eyeball paint colors or stains without verifying the shades are a match. Not all whites are created equal!
| Color Scheme
DO
While we encourage you to get creative with your front door/garage door combinations, it's best to stick to one style. If you recently installed a contemporary Skyline Flush garage door, for instance, it will pair best with a contemporary front door. If you're not sure how your doors will look together, you can upload a photo of your home to DoorVisions and see how different residential garage door styles would look.
DON'T
Unless your home already combines multiple architectural styles (i.e., Modern Farmhouse) please don't mix and match door styles. Just trust us on this one. If you have an ultra-modern Full-View garage door, don’t pair it with a rustic farmhouse style front door. If you have a traditional Overlay Carriage House garage door, don’t pair it with a contemporary, minimalist front door.
| Windows & Glass
DO
We've said it before, and we'll say it again--consistency is key! Don't forget to take into account windows/glass when shopping for your new doors. If the windows on your garage door have seeded glass, it might look strange if the glass on your front door is tinted or frosted. Similarly, the shape and trim of the windows on your doors should coincide with those already on your home. If your residential garage doors have a row of arched windows, consider choosing a front door that also features an arched window.
A huge trend right now is black window trim--add black inserts to the windows on your doors, or, for a bolder look, opt for black doors that match the window trim on your house.
DON'T
As a general rule of thumb, don't use window designs, patterns, or shapes that are not already on your home or your existing doors. For example, if your house features sharp, clean edges and your new garage door has a row of square-shaped windows, it might look strange if you add a front door with an arched or oval-shaped window.
| Hardware
DO
Do opt for matching hardware on your front door and residential garage door--choose a style and finish, and stick with it. Different eras and architectural styles are characterized by different types of hardware--do your best to select accents that are of the same style.
If you decide to add exterior hardware to your garage door, ensure it is congruous to the other metal accents on your home.
DON'T
Unless you're a pro designer, we don't recommend combining different hardware finishes on your doors--especially if it's not used anywhere else on your exterior. If your front door handle is matte black, for example, don't add copper hardware to your garage door. It's also important to consider the style of the hardware you choose--if your garage door has rustic, barn-inspired handles, for instance, don't add an ultra-modern handle to your front door.
| Helpful Links
Design a Garage Door on DoorVisions
Find a C.H.I. Dealer
Request a Quote
Residential Product Guide Download
Order Color Samples
