Understanding How New Garage Doors Impact Curb Appeal
Written by: Uplift Garage
Curb appeal produces an instant impression of your home from the outside. Consequently, ensuring that your home’s curb appeal reflects its value and worth is key to creating the right first impression. In fact, curb appeal is so important that 75% of potential buyers list it as their primary reason for considering a home. Interestingly, garage doors have a great impact on this crucial aspect of your home.
What is Curb Appeal, And Why Does it Matter?
As mentioned above, your home’s curb appeal is what it looks like from the outside when guests first approach it or even drive by from the roadway, hence the name “curb appeal.” It can make or break the way someone evaluates your home, either in negative or positive ways. Therefore, caring about your curb appeal matters because, without focusing on improving your home’s curb appeal, you will be less likely to appeal to potential buyers. Consequently, if you plan on putting your home on the market any time soon, the curb appeal factor is something that needs to be addressed and improved if necessary, as having good curb appeal allows you to boost your asking price and can even help your home sell faster.
Factors That Influence Curb Appeal
Many factors influence your home’s overall curb appeal. The following are a few of the most common:
Landscaping and Hardscaping
Hardscaping can include pathways, decorative borders, retaining walls, and other features that create structure and elegance outside your home. Landscaping is, of course, the bushes, trees, flowers, grass, and more that make up your lawn and the edging of walkways. Having a well-kept yard, free of weeds, dead grass, and more can boost the curb appeal of your home greatly. Conversely, grass that is even slightly overgrown or plants or weeds that have been allowed to spill over into other areas can instantly create a negative impression.
Exterior Colors
Your home’s exterior color is another factor that alters your home’s curb appeal, either for the better or worse. In general, today, buyers select more neutrals for home exterior colors, preferring brown, black, green, gray, white, and beige as the top colors of preference. Consequently, to create an appealing impression, you want to avoid neon colors, overly bright colors like oranges, or even some yellows and blues for the exterior of your home. Instead, stick to more muted colors that allow you to utilize darker or even brighter trim and other home features.
Why Garage Doors Are Central to Curb Appeal
Garage doors are an often overlooked aspect of your home’s curb appeal that in reality holds a great deal of sway. Just consider how much of your home’s exterior is made up of your garage door (up to 40% of the exterior). If this door isn’t well maintained, in style, and an asset, this can cause your curb appeal to plummet.
Styles That Compliment Your Neighborhood
While you do want to be unique and match your garage door to your home’s style, it’s important not to go too far out of the box in terms of the surrounding homes. You want to complement your neighborhood and the other homes around yours, not detract from them. A garage door that is properly functioning and has been freshly painted or cleaned is an asset to an entire neighborhood.
Highlighting Your Home’s Unique Features
While you do want to “blend” somewhat, this doesn’t mean you can’t choose a door that is a bit different. Garage doors are often used to improve the look of your exterior by allowing you to add visual flair. It should for sure align with your home’s overall style. However, there is nothing wrong with contrasting the color of your garage door with your home's exterior or using it to create some visual interest in comparison to the trim and other features.
Blending Form and Function to Maximum Impact
You want a garage door that works properly and adds to your home’s appeal. This means it should be both functional and attractive. Elite garage doors can enhance your home’s style and appeal. A good example of this is opting for a farmhouse-style garage door featuring natural wood overlays on a French country home. In addition, a bold-colored garage door with panels could look amazing when set against a minimalist, modern home that features neutral coloring.
How to Choose The Right Garage Door to Enhance Curb Appeal
The following are some general tips to keep in mind when selecting the right kind of garage door for your home. Keeping them in mind will ensure that you enhance your home’s curb appeal instead of taking away from it:
Pick a Style That Matches Your Home
Again, any garage door you choose should match your home’s overall look. Consider the type of home you have and its overarching style and then match your garage door with that theme for greater garage door curb appeal. There are hundreds of styles to choose from, so there is sure to be one that matches well with your home’s exterior. From a sleek and crisp modern look to a timeless or country-chic appeal, there are many types to consider that will prove to elevate your home’s charm. You can even select from a variety of functional styles like sectional garage doors, swing-out or swing-up, roll-up garage doors, and many more.
Choose Materials That Make a Statement
Make a statement with your home’s garage door materials. Today, there are many options to choose from natural-world composite materials or even veneer. The idea is to choose something that adds value and makes a statement. You also want something that will wear well and won’t instantly show age. A custom-made garage door can be the ideal solution, allowing you to choose the type of material, the colors, the style, and more.
Use Color to Compliment Your Home’s Palette
You can have fun when it comes to your garage door colors, of course, always ensuring that the color boosts your home’s appeal and doesn’t detract from it. You can use your garage door as a way to create visual interest for your home’s exterior. Stained finishes for a wood look or even vivid colors on composite doors are a great way to make a statement while still complimenting the entirety of your home. Therefore, you want to aim to not have your garage door blend in, like camouflage, but also not contrast so much that it takes away from your home. Use the color to compliment the rest of your home’s color palette.
Consider Finishing Touches for a Polished Look
Use finishes and hardware to further enhance your new garage door and create a truly polished look. Door knockers, pull handles, and more can be added to enhance your garage door curb appeal and further enhance your home’s value. While these little details might not be noticeable from a great distance, amazingly, even these small touches can have a significant impact on the overall attractiveness of a garage door, giving it a polished, finished, and luxurious look.
Elevate Your Home’s Aesthetic with Uplift Garage
Contact us at Uplift Garage and get the right kind of garage door to enhance your home’s curb appeal. Don’t let your home’s curb appeal suffer because your garage door has seen better days. Now’s the time to make an instant impact on your home’s curb appeal and improve it immensely with a new garage door! Reach out today.
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