Along with the exterior of your home and the front lawn, a large part of your property's curb appeal comes from the garage. If you're interested in a vintage garage door design, then there are five ways to implement this style. When shopping for garage doors, there are are five features and accessories to look for that will instantly transform your home into a vintage style that you crave. Not only can you feature vintage designs, but you can still have the modern features found with new garage doors.

Composite Wood Overlays

Traditional garage doors were crafted with painted wood. Slowly they become replaced with a durable steel door that provided security, consistency, and more reliability than a fully wooden door. Instead of compromising the features of a steel door, you can purchase one that has a composite wood overlay attached to the steel base of the the door. It gives you a vintage look and still has all the same features.

When choosing a composite overlay, you can choose from a number of different custom design features. The stain that you choose for the composite wood can have a vintage look to it. This includes deep browns, faded reds, and other dark wood colors. It's a good idea to match the colors on your home. Look for a color that can compliment or match the design.

Window Designs

Instead of featuring basic windows, you can have custom windows installed on your garage doors. A number of vintage windows use multiple panel designs to create the classic look. Once you have a base selected for your garage door, you can expand it to include the window panels.

One of the more vintage designs you can choose from is a prairie window design. Based off of old school designs, prairie windows feature slim horizontal bands across the panels. It can create a nice vintage look that adds a symmetrical vision to your garage doors. The windows also have plenty of open spaces to let a lot of natural light into your garage.

Ring Handles

Instead of a traditional garage door handle, you can have vintage ring handles added to the door. The handles give a vintage appeal that is reminiscent of large homes and castles. The ring handles can hang freely and rotate or be permanently attached to the garage door for opening.

When purchasing the handles, look for durable handles that are completely solid and made out of brass or steel. Vintage designs are often placed on the handles like flowers, patterns, and animals.

Magnetic Decorations

Garage doors operate a lot different than they used to. Vintage garage doors often opened outward and required large steel hinges on the sides of the door. These hinges were not only useful, but they were highly decorative in designs like arrows and wavy curls. Even if your garage automatically lifts up, you can add these magnetic decorations to create a vintage look. When your door has a steel base, the magnetic decorations can easily attach and stay there.

Vintage magnetic handles can also be added to the garage door. These handles are not actually operational, but they add to the complete vintage look of the door.

Door Accessories & Accents

Once the garage door is professionally installed, you can add more decorations for a vintage appeal. These accessories and accents are available from a variety of places, including hardware stores, flea markets, and online resources. Surround your garage doors with vintage planters, flags, and garden statues. Look for designs that match the style and framing of your garage door design. It only takes a few accessories to complete the look and have a true vintage curb appeal.

When communicating with garage door companies, like Shank Door, it's a good idea to express your interest in a vintage design. They may have some packages available that already cater to your vision and style.