Fresh Carriage House Garage Door Looks

by Rachel Lyon, Editorial Director for Direct from the Designers

The right garage door does wonders for curb appeal, so make sure to find the perfect fit whether you’re building new or renovating! The carriage house style is particularly popular for traditional architecture including farmhouse, colonial, European, and Craftsman designs, but it’s adaptable enough to feature on transitional homes beautifully as well. Carriage house garage doors are so versatile that new options are being developed to this day—see if these newer products have what you need to complete your façade!

What Is a Carriage House Garage Door?

This door style is based on those used on carriage houses—where horse-drawn carriages would be stored in centuries past. They featured a base and overlays that came in all sorts of arrangements—slanted and X-shaped patterns, vertical and horizontal lines, etc. Whether a carriage house door is sealed or painted in a single or two-tone scheme to really offset the overlays, it offers visual dimension to dress up and keep an exterior design from falling flat. There are tons of overlay patterns and finishing options available—that’s why these doors can complement so many kinds of architecture!

Painted Wood-Look Doors

Some people prefer the look of wood while others like a clean, smooth paint finish—but what if you appreciate aspects of both? You no longer have to choose between a painted real wood door that requires regular upkeep and a low-maintenance faux wood or painted steel door that doesn’t quite hit the mark. The new Canyon Ridge® Elements garage doors feature durable composite overlays on a steel base, so you can get carriage house style with visible woodgrain texture in whatever color you like. There are seven standard colors available, but you can also customize your door with the Color Blast® program!

A Patterned Base

If overlays don’t provide the right vibe, or you just need more complexity to complement your façade, don’t be afraid to add a pattern to the base of your carriage house garage doors. A classic chevron motif works well whether you keep overlays to a minimum or break up the lines on the base with horizontal rails and/or vertical stiles. Canyon Ridge® Chevron doors cover the options for the base cladding and overlay patterns, allowing you to select the perfect pairing!

Louver Construction

Perhaps you’re going for a classic or coastal aesthetic? Consider a louvered garage door. They take inspiration from louvered shutters, but the slats are fixed and solid, so you don’t have to worry about rattling or water intrusion. Like any other type of carriage house door, Canyon Ridge® Louver doors let you choose between minimal overlays and a variety of patterns—the door can have just a touch of louvered detail or great swaths of it.

Custom Carriage House Garage Doors

The possibilities are truly endless when you consider custom garage doors. If you choose to go this route, be aware that custom doors are made of real wood—a medium with superior workability for crafting the door, but also a material that will require maintenance over the years to stay in good shape. You’ll find beautiful carriage house designs that you can finish in the wood and stain/paint of your choice in the Reserve® Wood Limited Edition category. Want a genuinely one-of-a-kind creation? You can work with the experts to come up with your very own Reserve® Wood Custom garage door!

Whatever sort of garage door you might be in the market for, take a look at what Clopay® has to offer! Their extensive catalog includes door styles for every type of architecture, and all kinds of design options to tailor the final look to each house. There’s plenty of variety in the carriage house category, of course—contact a local dealer if you need any help choosing the right one!