I like the first door the best.
If you do go with windows I think that the rectangular windows look much better than the rounded ones.

#3 which we also chose, because it goes very nicely with the paladian windows you also have, as do we...and also let's more light into the garage.

I agree with terriks -love the style of the first door. But I also love that your current door fades into the background (who wants to highlight a garage door?!?!). Can you get that first door in a color similar to what you have now?

#4- gray steel with no windows.

Thanks everyone, I'm not sure, but I think I can get first door in just the regular steel and I could paint it to match the trim.

Beautiful home!!
I'm also leaning toward door # 1...tough decision!
I do like having some windows to let the light in.

Happytobehome,

It's a New Dawn Climbing rose with a Polish Spirit Clematis intertwined! It is quite lovely in early June.

I like the style of the 1st door, but painted to match the trim.

Laurie

For me, it's definitely door #1 with some edits. The square (non ornate) windows balance out and complete the frame of square/rectangular windows surrounding your curved windows in the center of the house, and give a more "complete" look to the overall front of the house.

I personally think that style of curved garage windows in #3 just doesn't look right...looks almost thrown together. I don't think any curved windows would look right on the garage...even if they were exact replicas of what's on your house.

I definitely think windows look better in your examples...but simple & plain is better.

With all that said, I think the wood-grain/tone garage door takes the focal point off your front door and makes the garage door your focal point. That wood makes for a gorgeous garage door, but I think it would be better used on a set-back detached garage where it would be a separate focal area on a piece of property.

My final answer is door #1, but in a trim color of your house, not wood.
Gayle

This seems to be the majority's choice. It would be a bit darker than this because the color isn't exactly what it would be painted. Any other votes?

#1. I also like the idea of painting it to match your trim.

Another vote for #1 w/it painted the trim color...

(Beautiful home and I love those climbing roses and clematis)

Joining the choir for #1 -- and at the W-D site you can take a sample of color from your submitted photo and make the garage door that same color -- you might want to try taking it from a darker area in the photo (e.g. the window over the garage) and drop that onto the garage.

#1 really does work with your house, and I'm a person who bemoans the whole "fake carriage door" trend in garage doors being applied to houses on which they make *no* sense at all. This one really works, though, because 1) it's simple, and 2) you have several sets of 3 tall rectangular windows on your house already.

I will also vote for #1 painted the gray, or whatever trim color you use.....beautiful home.

I too like #1 painted trim color. I happen to like windows because its lets some light in and frankly I can look out to see the entire yard. Something I can't do from any other window in my house. Of course their are those who don't like windows for the same reason -people can look in. Personally I don't think windows are a safety issue - some do. Beautiful house.

I agree with #1 painted. The eyebrow-windowed one is competing with your beautiful palladian style windows, and having it same color as the front door is competing with the front door -- both would throw attention over the garage door which is a necessary thing, but definitely not the most attractive feature of any house. Garage doors should generally be as inconspicuous as possible.

Your home is really beautiful. Here's another vote for #1. I like the repeating sets of 3 rectangle windows that match your house. And, I most definitely HAVE to have windows in my garage door, especially if I don't have them anywhere else in my garage. I just really like the natural light in there.

We have wayne dalton garage doors and they really do look like real wood. even up close and touching them, many would be fooled. We chose this style and color to match our fiberglass front door (obviously not shown in this picture, that's the temporary one). No way would be want the upkeep of real wood in my climate!!

Mairin,

Your doors are beautiful. They do look like real wood!

I have to get some more pricing, I have a feeling the 9800 or 9700 door is going to be pricey.

Is that frost on your windows? Did you find that they frosted up all winter?

If #1 is too pricey and you decide you don't want windows, I'd go with #4. I'd probably go with #4 anyway but it seems I am outvoted.

I hear you Whencit! It's amazing how much these stupid doors cost.

I am hoping the door I can paint is reasonable, but I am thinking it's at least twice the cost of the regular looking garage door. We'll probably not live in this house for the long term, but we keep saying that and we're still here 12 years later.

I just don't know if on resale if a cooler garage door will really be a big deal. In our neighborhood, 90% of the houses still have their original panel doors with no windows. Replacement doors are still generally the non windowed ones, but there are a few with the basic arched window etc. Not really any with the carriage look doors with the bigger windows. But, I would suspect in the next year or two people will begin replacing garage doors, and if the carriage style door is the new thing, I'd hate to spend the money on a plain panel door and be kicking myself in two years when I'm competing in a resale situation with someone with an up to date door making their house look less 1980's and more up to date.

But, we are talking garage doors here, not world hunger so in the scheme of things not a gut wrenching decision! I guess I have too much time on my hands this weekend - DH and son are off camping and I'm getting paint and garage door quotes.

One thing that might help is the new tax credit for insulated garage doors -- did you know about it? Up to 30% of the cost of the door (not labor) for doors purchased in 2009 and 2010.

Here is a link that might be useful: don't think we'd be buying a door that 30% of which was $1500, but still...

Thanks Flyleft! I wasn't aware of this tax credit. Every little bit helps!

caroleoh: I think we have the 9800 series - it's whichever series has the Thermatru oak finish (because we have a thermatru front door). It was pricey - very - but the windows made it even more. We decided to go for it because with a front loading garage, we wanted to make it pretty (as pretty as a garage can be!!).

the frost: yes, that did appear once it got REALLY bad up here (chicago), but this was before we had any heat on in the house. Once we had one of the heating units up and running it did not frost up anymore.

thanks to Flyleft for the tax credit info!!!

You're welcome :) I'm glad we waited on replacing our garage door after the tree damaged it (only cosmetically) last year.

I like styling that you have and color, it just fades into house and doesn't scream out at you.

For the tax credit...what exactly is an insulated garage? Does that mean it has insulation in all the walls?

I am about to pick my doors for my renovation but I do not remember them putting insulation in my garage.

I really like #1 too, it's nice to have the windows in the doors, just to let some light into the garage. We're getting our new garage door the end of this month. Here's a picture of the one that we're getting. Also the company that we got ours from.

{{!gwi}}

Here is a link that might be useful: Garage doors