Gryphon’s guide on choosing the perfect colour for your garage door.
Choosing a garage door colour is perhaps one of life’s biggest struggles. We find ourselves asking the same question over and over again…
Will it match the rest of my home?
It’s a totally valid question, especially since it takes up 30% of your home’s front exterior and potentially could add to the overall value of your house.
It’s also not something you casually chuck on the weekly grocery list, so ideally, you’d want something that you can appreciate for the next 20 years, and not regret.
You see, your garage door is no longer just a means to protect your vehicle or belongings, or your home for that matter.
It has become an essential part of housing architecture and contributes to the overall look and feel of your house.
If you really think about it, your garage door is the first thing people notice when passing by, pulling up the driveway, and of course as they leave.
So how do you know what’s right for your home? It’s such a subjective question.
Thankfully, there is a method to all the madness and we’re going to share it with you.
First and foremost is the location of your garage door.
Location is a major deciding factor, is it attached or detached from your house? If it’s attached to your house then you’ll need to choose a colour that harmonises with your exterior. If it’s detached and located at the corner of the property you’ll have a little more freedom to experiment.
Secondly, how does your facade look like?
Next step is to consider your home’s front facade — exterior, driveway, garden, roofing and personality — identify the current style of your house and choose a colour that complements the surroundings.
If you are building or renovating your house and still thinking about it, view house exterior colour advice.
1. Exterior: windows, doors, wall, rain gutters and roof
An easy way to approach your home’s exterior is to break it down into 3 categories: Look, Finish and Colour.
- Examine the colour of your windows, doors, roof, gutters, outer walls, and timber if any, this will give you a clear indication of the overall style of your home. Think of it as a guide, this will narrow down your colour palette.
- The general rule is to stick with three to four colours for your facade, though no one will stop you if you want to introduce more.
- Your garage door colour should complement the main colour, often being the outer wall colour, and feel of your house, never be the central focal point. Its colour should only be bringing a lighter or darker contrast to the whole house.
Look at your roof and main wall: are they made of cool or warm tones? Whichever shade you want to introduce in your facade, it will have to compliment them.
Choosing the same colour as the roof will strongly impact the overall house appearance.
If your roof is dark and very prominent, choosing the same dark colour for your garage door will instantly darken your house’s exterior.
- It also depends on the architectural style of your house: do you own a traditional looking house or a contemporary looking one?
For example, if the exterior of your home features dark rendering, you could choose a dark and bold colour that goes very well with a monochromatic and modern looking home.
Or you could opt for a more classic and vintage look with a stunning custom wooden sectional garage door.
2. Driveway
The colour of your concrete has a significant impact on the overall look of your home, like the colour of the roof. They both cover a lot of surfaces and carry colour and a garage door needs to complement them, not clash.
Decorative concrete types such as exposed aggregate, are a little easier to match with since they are often made of different coloured stones, however, it is important that the colour you choose does not clash with the colour of your driveway.
3. Garden
If you’re someone who’s big on gardening and landscaping you can choose a door to match your beautiful garden. If your garden has a myriad of colours, go for a more neutral tone for the garage door so that it does not take the attention away from your garden.
For more earthy tones, a pastel-coloured door or a vintage timber look will pair nicely.
Have a look around your Neighbourhood
Take a look at the overall look and feel of your neighbourhood, your surroundings can heavily influence your choice, all the more if your houses are right next to each other. It does not mean you have to need to match but ideally, you can get your house to fit in by using similar tones and contrasting palettes.
For example, if you live in a brand new estate full of modern homes, you can go for a matte grey door for a modern and sophisticated style. Experiment with dark purple, black, and dark greys for a more monochromatic and modern finish.
For older neighbourhoods, rustic steel garage doors go nicely with a brick finish to give you an industrial look, or you can go for a more vintage look with a wooden door or wood look garage door.
But what Garage door colours are actually available?
If are after a monochrome garage door, Gryphon supplies all COLOURBOND shades and a wide range of wood look shades.
To make things more fun, or more complicated, whichever side you sit on, you can also get a custom garage door with inserts. This means your garage door can carry more than one colour (eg: one colours for the aluminium frame and another one for the inserts).
View current garage door trends
Seek professional advice
Whether you’re reviving an older garage door or looking to upgrade entirely with a new one, it always pays to seek professional advice.
Not only can a professional provide design advice, but they can also explain the different types of materials available, including heat resistant Colorbond doors; perfect for the harsh Australian climate.
If you’re still a little confused, give Gryphon Garage Doors a call or send us a question to discuss your options. We can check your house and provide a free quote and with no obligation to commit.
Not only do we professionally install garage doors, but we’re also more than happy to help you choose the right colour for your home.
