10 Cool Garage Doors, Trends and Stylish Design Ideas

Apr 30, 2024

Curb Appeal

8 minute read

Garage doors represent a significant surface area on the outside of your home. Cool garage doors not only allow you to take some design initiative to transform how your home looks, but a new, cool garage door can breathe life into your property and increase curb appeal and property value.

In this article, we’re discussing some current garage door design trends as well as ways you can transform your garage door from mundane to miraculous.

Having a cool garage door is easy with Amarr.Having a cool garage door is easy with Amarr.

Current Garage Door Design Trends

Like any type of design, garage door trends experience an ebb and flow. Over time, different styles make their way to the forefront and become the popular choice while others take a backseat, and vice versa.

Here are a handful of popular garage door designs and garage entrance trends we’re noticing right now (with actionable steps on how to achieve them following closely afterward).

  • Modern traditional: This style combines the classic aesthetic of traditional garage doors with modern materials, technology and design elements.
  • Two-tone: Incorporate two different colors or finishes on different sections of the door to create a visually appealing contrast and add dimension.
  • Maximalism: Characterized by bold, eclectic and often extravagant design elements that make a dramatic statement.
  • European styles: These traditional and timeless aesthetics complement various architectural styles, from rustic cottages to elegant estates.
  • Sleek glass panels: Contemporary design tends to favor sleek, sophisticated and minimal aesthetics. A garage door with glass panels fits the contemporary bill perfectly.
  • Bold colors: Bold, bright colors are the perfect way to make a statement in your neighborhood.
  • Wood (or Faux Wood): Wood is elegant. Whether you opt for a real or faux wood garage door, this design trend is sure to turn heads.
  • Smart openers: From in-garage package delivery to automatic deadbolts, a smarter garage is a cooler (and safer) garage.
  • App control: Remote garage door access enables you to open or close your garage door from just about anywhere, providing peace of mind.
  • Biometric access: Button-click garage door openers have had center stage for too long. Fingerprint and face scan technology makes you feel like a superhero for simply opening the garage door.

10 Cool Garage Doors and Trends To Revamp Your Home

With so many designs and trends to choose from, let’s take a closer look at each to see which one you like the most. Or combine the designs with trends for the ultimate upgrade. Which one of these 10 cool garage door ideas and trends will be your favorite?

1. Go Bold With a Custom Color

A white garage door is classic, but a colorful garage door is cool.

Garage doors that make a statement or match other elements of your home’s exterior, such as shutters, add a special flair that only a bold color choice can achieve.

So, whether you want a bright, beautiful garage door color or a more subtle shade that pulls everything together, getting a little bold with your choice of paint is a fun way to showcase your personality to the neighborhood.

With Amarr Color Zone, you can choose from over 800 approved colors for most garage door styles. Dont be afraid to get a little bold!With Amarr Color Zone, you can choose from over 800 approved colors for most garage door styles. Don’t be afraid to get a little bold!

2. Let Light In With Sleek Glass Panels

The great thing about glass panels on garage doors is that there are plenty of options available, from full-view options to just a few windows. Depending on your style inclinations and what you use your garage for, adding a couple or many glass panels helps brighten up your garage space without the need for additional artificial lighting.

After a modern-looking garage? Full-view options could be just what you're looking for.After a modern-looking garage? Full-view options could be just what you’re looking for.

3. Up the Ante With a Wood (or Faux Wood) Finish

Real wood makes for a show-stopper of a garage door but it can run on the expensive side. Thankfully, achieving that natural wood look is possible with a steel garage door.

Faux wood options offer the best of both worlds: the look of real wood and the performance, affordability and ease of maintenance of steel.

Northwoods by Amarr is the epitome of (faux) wooden elegance. Available in Cedar or Aspen Gray.  Having a wood-like garage door has never been so easy (or looked this good).Northwoods by Amarr is the epitome of (faux) wooden elegance. Available in Cedar or Aspen Gray. Having a wood-like garage door has never been so easy (or looked this good).

4. Details, Details, Details (Maximalist Hardware)

Fans of carriage house-style garage doors are familiar with characterful handles and decorative hardware. Other styles, like Victorian and Tudor, are also known for their ornate elements that make them what they are.

If you’re a fan of maximalist design, choosing a garage door with customizable hardware is a great way to bring your interior’s minimalist design outside.

Decorative hardware such as handles, hinges and faux straps evoke the charm indicative of more design-heavy garage door styles.

5. Can’t Decide? Try a Two-Tone Design

There’s nothing wrong with painting your garage door more than one color. In fact, there are many garage door styles where a two-tone paint job works exceptionally well, such as carriage house styles and raised panel garage doors.

To use carriage house as an example of how to achieve a two-tone look, consider this:

Carriage house style garage doors are designed to resemble the swinging doors found on traditional carriage houses and typically have distinct sections that are easily painted. Choose one color for the base of the garage door and choose a different color for the diagonal element of the door to add excitement to your outdoor aesthetic.

If youre indecisive, good news: You dont have to choose just one color for your garage door.If you’re indecisive, good news: You don’t have to choose just one color for your garage door.

6. Play It Safe With A Modern Traditional Look

Traditional-looking garage doors are a practical and popular style choice for many reasons. If you prefer the understated and classic look of traditional garage doors but still want to spruce things up a bit, consider something with a modern twist.

The best part about the modern traditional style is that you have the vintage flair of traditional doors and the endless customization of modern styles. From colors to materials to smart technology, you cannot go wrong with a modern traditional-style door.

7. Take Inspiration From Across the Pond (European Styles)

European styles have been popular in America for quite some time — and for good reason. This always-popular design trend sticks around because of its timeless and ornate appeal.

Whether the French countryside or Mediterranean oasis is calling your name, European styles, like Amarr’s Classica garage door, fit the bill nicely and can help you achieve an inspired design that screams “cool garage door!”

European-style garage doors add a unique flair to your home.European-style garage doors add a unique flair to your home.

8. Make Your Garage Smarter

Making your garage cool extends beyond just the design of the door itself. Smart garage door openers, for example, do wonders to make your garage more functional and secure.

Some models, like the LiftMaster Elite 98032 offer enhanced surety through automated deadbolt locks. Others, like the LiftMaster Model 84602, enable in-garage delivery of packages so you don’t have to worry about porch pirates nabbing your mail right off your doorstep.

At any rate, the smarter the garage door opener, the cooler the garage!

9. Gain Remote Control of Your Garage

In a similar vein to smart home tech, more garage door openers grant remote access to your garage via an app. Forget to close the door before heading out on vacation? Smart systems like 821LM MyQ Garage enable you to monitor your garage and close it remotely from just about anywhere.

You can also opt-in to recessive notification when your garage door opens, so if it happens unexpectedly, you can take appropriate action. The future is here and it hasn’t left garage door tech behind.

10. Enter Using Your Face or Fingerprint

As technology advances, biometric access controls are becoming more and more commonplace. These days, some garage door openers work by scanning your fingerprint or face to grant access to your garage.

Not only is it a secure way to keep your valuables stored, but you can feel like Batman every time you open your garage door. That’s pretty cool.

Design Your Perfect Garage Door

Has a cool garage door idea or trend caught your eye? Make your garage door dreams a reality with Amarr.

From the style down to the paint, hardware, openers and accessories, the design is entirely up to you! Choose from a range of styles and over 800 paint colors to create a garage door you’re proud of — one that your neighbors will look at and think, “That’s cool!”

Ready to get started? Design your custom garage door using our online tool.