When interior designers talk about garage doors, it’s usually related to taking over the garage to add living space to the house or to add a little “fabulous” to the home’s curb appeal.

But more recently, we’ve been talking with clients about bringing the garage door aesthetic to more traditional interiors. Whether that’s creating a lounge space or a man cave that bridges the gap between garage and interior, or that’s opening up the interior space to let the outdoors in, this is a trend we love. It results in some amazing and efficient spaces when all the factors fall into place.

Of course, as with any nontraditional design element, there are a few things to consider before taking the plunge.

Insulated Door

It makes perfect sense that most people never even knew an insulated garage door was an option, but it’s the option that makes the idea of adding this feature to your home at all possible. You’ll want to get the door with the most insulation possible to best control the temperature. The other advantage to the insulation: It creates a much greater sound barrier.

Picking the right style of door for your space and lifestyle is really all that’s left:

• The single-panel up-and-over is a flat single-panel door that flips up into the room so that some of the door hangs over the room and some hangs over the outdoor area. If you’re seeking for a more polished look, the advantage here is that this style doesn’t require you to install as much hardware.

• The single-panel slider is a gorgeous conversation starter, but it requires high ceilings. The slider also is a flat single-panel door, but it’s attached to a track that runs straight up the wall on the inside of the room. That means you need ceilings twice as high as the door you choose, and might lose valuable storage and organization space. It’s the combination of this nontraditional element with high ceilings that makes this one such a showstopper.

• The single-panel sectional is the door most of us are familiar with. This is built in horizontal section that rolls along a curved track, drawing the door up and overhead. This is the look and style we love. Done correctly, it brings that fun and funky industrial sensibility into even the most polished spaces.

• The carriage door features the most traditional look in terms of design, so this can be a fun way to mix styles and bring a little more of a surprise element. Although carriage doors are simply single-panel sectionals, they appear from the exterior to be doors that pull open. The advantage, of course, is that they don’t, and so they don’t require extra exterior space for the doors to rest when they’re open.

Design Decisions

Adding a garage door to your interior design is, first and foremost, an opportunity to have a little fun. You certainly can bring an edgier, industrial look to the space with darker colors, grittier textures and industrial accessories, just as you can bring a more glam aesthetic by choosing glossier tones, smooth textures and sleek accessories. The finished space makes storage and organization easy thanks to the expanded square footage and wide-open space.

Whatever your choose, remember to embrace the fun element, let go of your traditional ideas about rooms, doors and windows, and commit to a bold and original space.

Award-winning interior designer Kerrie Kelly, a member of the American Society of Interior Designers, writes on home décor and design for Home Depot. She is the author of “Home Décor: A Sunset Design Guide.” The garage door section of Home Depot’s website features a selection of styles like those reviewed in this article.