“Curb appeal” is a term that’s typically associated with the visual appeal of property to a prospective buyer. However, curb appeal should be something you consistently strive to upgrade and maintain, regardless of whether or not you’re planning on selling your home.

There are numerous ways to keep your curb appeal high. Keeping your home’s landscaping, siding, roof, windows, driveway, walkways, eavestroughs, lighting, porch, and front door well-maintained are some of the most obvious ways to achieve this. As important as these all are, one of the most impactful ways to upgrade and maintain curb appeal is to keep high standards for your garage exterior design.

Why curb appeal matters

So much importance is placed on curb appeal from realtors because it creates a person’s first impression of your property when they view it from the street or curb. As the saying goes, “You never get a second chance to make a first impression”.

Your home’s exterior appearance (and specifically your garage exterior design) conveys a message to passersby, neighbours, and guests. Whether or not there’s a “For Sale” sign on your front lawn shouldn’t be the sole reason you’re paying attention to projecting a positive impression of your residence to the rest of your neighbourhood.

How garage exterior design is critical to curb appeal

When you consider that garage doors can account for as much as one third of the front exterior of a home, the importance of garage exterior design in relation to curb appeal becomes even more apparent. A smartly chosen garage door that effectively complements and enhances your home’s exterior décor is a guaranteed way to boost your curb appeal.

And when it does come time to sell, you’ll also benefit from the fact that new garage doors deliver one of the best returns on investment for home improvement projects. With that in mind, let’s start with garage door ideas that can help improve your garage’s exterior appearance.

1. Upgrade your garage exterior design with a traditional garage door look

For a traditional garage door look, steel and wood doors are ideal choices to make your garage exterior design really stand out. These traditional style garage doors provide a timeless look for your home’s exterior and nowadays are highly customizable to beautifully complement most architectural designs. The range of colour choices available also allows you to match or complement your home’s notable exterior features, such as siding, shutters, and your front door.

For a more rustic garage exterior design look, wood garage doors come in a variety of wood species to satisfy your preferences. And if you’re drawn to the warm look of wood but deterred by the maintenance they can require, there’s another option. Durable steel garage doors can have realistic-looking faux wood composite overlays added to their design, giving you a traditional, high quality wood garage door look without the maintenance.

2. Carriage house doors add a classic look to your garage exterior design

If you’re partial to a more classic look for your garage exterior design, carriage house garage doors are your best choice. These distinct steel, wood, and fibreglass garage doors add a retro, yet stylish aesthetic to your home’s exterior.

And while these garage doors may have an old-fashioned barn door-style look, they come with the advantages of modern design features. Improved durability, quieter operation, better reliability, and loads of options (including raised or recessed panel customization) marry the old with the new to fulfill your classic-looking garage exterior design needs.

3. Enhance your garage exterior design with the right windows and custom hardware

An important component of traditional and carriage house garage door customization also includes giving you the opportunity to accentuate your doors by adding windows to them. Adding more detail to your garage doors by selecting from a wide range of window styles and layout patterns can add an extra measure of appeal to a garage’s exterior look.

Even the smaller details with your garage door can make the difference between it contributing to a mediocre or eye-catching garage exterior design. Customizing your garage doors even further with the right custom hardware (like latches and pull handles) can further enhance their appearance.

4. A modern garage door look can turn heads

If traditional isn’t your style, go modern instead. A striking full view aluminum garage door designed with clean lines has a very simple, yet attention-grabbing appearance. When paired with your home’s modern architecture, corrosion-resistant full view aluminum garage doors combined with glass panels make a bold statement that shows off a stylish and tasteful garage exterior design look.

5. Showcase your garage exterior design with tasteful lighting

The right type of lighting can give a major boost to curb appeal and the appearance of your garage’s exterior. There are many lighting options available to help bring out the best in your garage exterior design look, including floodlights, wall-mounted lighting, recessed lighting, and solar lighting.

Placement of the lighting will obviously be key. When planning how your garage lighting will be set up, keep in mind how it will look from further away. Also remember that along with showing off your garage exterior and making it easier to navigate in the garage entrance area, you also want the lighting to function as a security deterrent against thieves.

6. Clean up your garage’s exterior appearance with aluminum capping

Any garage exterior looks better with aluminum capping added to the wooden doorframe. Wrapping your doorframe with capping projects a cleaner, more finished look for the exterior of your garage.

You’ll also save hours of future work because aluminum capping removes the need for scraping, staining, and painting your wooden doorframe every few years. Another benefit of capping is that it can improve your home’s energy efficiency by decreasing drafts that occur around garage doorframes.   

7. Don’t forget your garage exterior when landscaping

When landscaping, don’t forget that your garage exterior can benefit from the addition of foliage to enhance its appearance. Tastefully placed hanging baskets, wall planters, urn planters, or a trellis around a garage exterior with well-manicured foliage can further enhance your home’s appearance and make it look even more welcoming.

Upgrade your garage exterior design to improve your home’s overall exterior look

Overlooking your garage exterior design will negatively impact the overall look your home and, by extension, your curb appeal. Investing in your garage exterior’s appearance can result in a home that stands apart from all others in your neighbourhood. You’ll also reap the future benefits that come with the boost to your home’s resale value that garage upgrades provide.

Find out more about how we can help with improvements to your garage exterior design by scheduling your free in-home consultation today.

This article is from https://www.garageliving.com