As a homeowner in California, you know that curb appeal is significant. Your garage door can make your house stand out among the others in your neighborhood. Since this component makes up a considerable portion of your home’s exterior, it matters as much as your siding, entry door or landscaping.
When you think about matching the garage door to the home, consider your house’s architectural design. This guide features prevalent styles in your area and tips to help you match garage door to home architecture style, whether you have a cozy ranch or a spacious Mediterranean villa.
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Top 6 California Home Designs and Garage Doors to Match
Southern California offers an exciting selection of unique house styles. Consider the following characteristics of the most popular types to figure out how to choose a garage door for your home style.
1. Ranch-Style Homes
Characteristics of Ranch Homes
The California Ranch offers a traditional, cozy visual appeal. Consider the following prominent features of this classic architectural style:
- One story: A ranch is only one level, spreading out in an L or U shape across the property.
- Long, gabled roof: The roof will usually have a slight slope to control rainwater flow off the home.
- Large windows: A ranch often has plenty of windows to make the interior feel more spacious and let natural light inside.
- A mix of decorative materials: Even though this style has a simple design, the exterior features a combination of stucco, stone and wood siding.
When looking for a garage door for home style matching, products with these characteristics work best:
- Classic, subtle design: Your garage door should have a simple design and neutral color to complement a ranch’s modest exterior.
- Dimensional planks: Add dimension to your traditional garage door with recessed panels and wood planks.
- Large glass windows: Include windows in your garage door design if your house has many windows throughout its exterior.
Garage Door Collections for Ranch Homes
The following garage door collections will enhance the aesthetic of your ranch home:
CLASSIC™ WOOD: This traditional wood garage door has a simple design with aesthetically pleasing wood paneling. A CLASSIC wood door is suitable for homes with wooden decorative elements on the exterior. You can either have the surface factory primed to bring out its natural beauty or have it painted white. 
BRIDGEPORT™ STEEL: Add dimension to your home with this steel garage door with traditional symmetry. You can either design your door with narrow or extended recessed panels. We also offer 14 factory finish color options, including several of our Ultra-Grain® wood finishes to resemble natural wood.
2. Modern/Contemporary-Style Homes
Characteristics of Modern Homes
A modern house features a sleek design with popular, current design elements, such as:
- Simple exterior: Contemporary homes have a minimalist design instead of flashy decorative features.
- Flat roof: The flat, asymmetrical roof of a modern house gives it a unique visual appeal.
- Clean lines: Aside from the asymmetrical roof, the exterior usually has horizontal and vertical lines throughout the design.
- Eco-friendly materials: Contemporary homeowners enjoy using sustainable building materials, such as metal and wood.
To complement your contemporary house, consider the following characteristics of a modern garage door:
- Dark or black color scheme: Instead of using a light, bold color, your garage door should be dark to suit your home’s minimalist design.
- Geometric window paneling: Add square or rectangular windows to your garage door if you have large windows on your property.
- Sleek lines: Like the rest of your modern home’s exterior, your garage door should have sleek, clean lines.
- Simple design: Invest in a door that blends in with the rest of your property instead of creating a focal point with decorative hardware or cladding.
- Sustainable materials: Your garage door should be made of wood or metal to complement your home’s siding and roofing.
Garage Door Collections for Modern Homes
These garage door collections can make your home appear more modern:
MODERN STEEL™: Even though steel is a traditional garage door material, this collection’s design has durable layers of galvanized steel and sleek, clean lines to complement your home’s exterior. These steel garage doors are available in a variety of dark colors, including some wood finishes. Since these doors tend to be more durable, they maintain their appearance without the need for treatment or repairs. 
CANYON RIDGE® MODERN series: A modern faux wood garage door features dark panels that provide a stunning complement to your metal or wood siding. Composite panels resemble natural wood but with less maintenance. This garage door’s clean lines create the minimalist design that matches the rest of your home. 
AVANTE®: A glass and aluminum garage door includes large glass windows with thick, durable aluminum frames holding them in place. The sleek, clean lines give the home a polished, professional appearance. You can also have the aluminum framing painted to create a contrast against the natural light from your windows.
3. Mediterranean/Spanish-Style Homes
Characteristics of Mediterranean Homes
The Mediterranean or Spanish architectural style is popular in Southern California because of its excellent insulation. You’ll find these characteristics in this type of home:
- Flat roof: Its flat, red tile roof reflects heat away from the house.
- Asymmetrical design: The asymmetrical design provides a unique visual appeal.
- Large windows: A Mediterranean home will usually have large windows to let in natural light and circulate the indoor air.
- Stucco siding: The siding on a Mediterranean home is either white or a pastel color to keep the inside cool from the hot California sun.
When looking for the perfect garage door for your Mediterranean or Spanish house, consider these features:
- Dark panels: Since the rest of the exterior is a light color, having a dark garage door provides a stunning, eye-catching contrast.
- Wood garage doors: Wooden paneling is a popular option for garage doors on a Mediterranean home because it complements the white or pastel stucco siding. You can also invest in a low-maintenance faux wood garage door if you live in a humid climate.
- Windows: Consider adding decorative windows to your garage door to coordinate with the other windows on your property.
Garage Door Collections for Mediterranean Homes
These garage doors would complement your Mediterranean home’s design:
CLASSIC WOOD: Mediterranean and Spanish houses usually use wood, along with stucco and wrought-iron decorative elements. This traditional wood garage door has a simple design with unique graining that offers an eye-catching aesthetic appeal. Complete the design with decorative windows at the top of the door to bring in natural light and complement the other windows on your home.
RESERVE® WOOD MODERN series: A modern wood garage door is an excellent option for your contemporary Mediterranean house in California. Wood is always in style because of its timeless aesthetic appeal. Choose an authentic wood species to create a warm, inviting appearance.
RESERVE® WOOD SEMI-CUSTOM series: Since Mediterranean and Spanish homes feature wooden decorative elements, one of the quality wood garage doors in this collection will enhance your house’s aesthetic. Besides eye-catching handcrafted wood, this panel door also features large windows to let in natural light and complement the home’s design.
4. Colonial-Style Homes
Characteristics of Colonial Homes
The colonial is a popular home style in Southern California, and they feature the following design elements:
- Decorative columns: A colonial house usually has a simple design, but its prominent columns create a striking focal point for the exterior.
- Simple, rectangular shape: The symmetrical, boxy architectural style enhances a colonial home’s curb appeal.
- Plenty of windows: A colonial home features many windows with decorative grilles throughout the exterior.
Consider these characteristics when matching the garage door to your home:
- Historic charm: Since the colonial style is a classic design, your garage door should have traditional decorative elements, like wrought-iron hardware or windows with grilles.
- Modest design: Simple features match garage door to home architecture instead of creating a distraction.
- Swing-style door: A carriage house-style garage door with overhead operation would complement a traditional, historic colonial home.
Garage Door Collections for Colonial Homes
The following garage door collections can improve your colonial’s curb appeal:
CANYON RIDGE® LOUVER: This plantation shutter-style garage door features a steel base with faux wood cladding and overlay. It has the Southern style’s historic charm, offering many colors to complement your whole home. Like other CANYON RIDGE doors, it looks like a swing-out door with a modern door’s conventional overhead operation.
CLASSIC™ STEEL: This traditional steel garage door has a simple design that blends in with the rest of your home’s exterior. Give the door dimension by choosing long or short panels. You can also add windows with unique shapes or decorative grilles. This garage door is often white, but you can also paint it a different color, including an eye-catching Ultra-Grain wood finish.
GALLERY®: This steel garage door takes the subtle design of a traditional classic door and gives it a vintage appearance with grooved panels. Complete your door’s stunning appearance with decorative windows and metal hardware.
5. Cape Cod-Style Homes
Characteristics of Cape Cod Homes
The Cape Cod is a traditional suburban home, but it has flexible design elements to make your home stand out in your neighborhood, such as:
- Sloped roofs: A Cape Cod has a sloped roof to give the home dimension and protect it from the elements.
- Symmetrical design: A Cape Cod’s door is at the center, with windows balancing the exterior.
- Shingle siding: The Cape Cod design usually includes wood or vinyl siding outside of the home, depending on the local weather conditions.
These garage door characteristics can complement your Cape Cod home:
- Wood garage door: Since the Cape Cod has wood or vinyl siding, a wooden garage door with eye-catching graining patterns would blend in with the rest of the exterior.
- Historic charm: Your garage door should have some character to reflect the timeless design of the Cape Cod.
- Decorative hardware: Consider adding decorative metal hinges or handles to complete your garage door’s design.
Garage Door Collections for Cape Cod Homes
Consider these garage door collections that suit your Cape Cod house’s appearance:
CANYON RIDGE® ULTRA-GRAIN® series: A steel garage door with wood composite overlays adds historic charm and character to your Cape Cod home. This design features the appearance of a swing-out coach house door but functions as an overhead door. Choose metal step plates or handles to complete your door’s traditional appearance. We also offer several Ultra-Grain wood finish options with this collection, along with decorative windows to let in natural light.
COACHMAN®: This wood composite garage door enhances your Cape Cod house’s classic appearance. It has a steel base with a faux wood overlay to provide the look of a traditional wood carriage house door. For a dimensional look, you can make the base and overlay different colors. You can also add windows and decorative hardware to let natural light into the home and provide symmetry in the design.
GRAND HARBOR®: The GRAND HARBOR garage door looks like a carriage house door but with clean horizontal and vertical lines instead of crisscross cladding. You can change the color of the base and overlay for a dimensional appearance. The decorative windows also come with easy-to-clean grilles that provide a low-maintenance, aesthetically pleasing design.
6. Craftsman-Style Homes
Characteristics of Craftsman Homes
The Craftsman style focuses on unique architectural beauty. Even though this aesthetic is flexible, the following features are standard in a Craftsman home:
- Low-pitched roofs: A Craftsman house has low-pitched gable roofs with deeply overhanging broad eaves.
- Large covered porches: The large front porch of a Craftsman allows you to enjoy the pleasant weather in Southern California.
- Natural materials: A Craftsman home will usually have wood or shingle siding, along with brick, stone and stucco decorative elements around the exterior.
Here are some of the design elements to include when matching a garage door to your home style:
- Decorative windows: Design your garage door with windows to bring natural light into the home and complement your other windows.
- Complementary base color: Your garage door’s base color should be the same as your home’s siding. A natural wood door should be the same finish as the entry door.
- Handcrafted design: Choose unique detailing and decorative hardware to improve your home’s curb appeal.
Garage Door Collections for Craftsman Homes
These garage door collections would complement your Craftsman home:
CANYON RIDGE® LIMITED EDITION series: The faux wood garage doors in this collection have clean lines and unique character to enhance your Craftsman’s aesthetic. Choose rectangular or square windows to bring in natural light and complement your property’s overall design. We offer several Ultra-Grain wood finish options to match the wood accents around your house. Complete the look with eye-catching decorative hardware.
GALLERY: The detailing of GALLERY steel garage doors will complement your Craftsman’s unique design. A door from this collection has grooved panels instead of the traditional raised panels to add dimension to your home’s exterior. Paint your door with the same color as your home’s siding, or use a wood finish to complement any wooden decorative elements you have.
RESERVE® WOOD LIMITED EDITION series: The authentic carriage house garage doors in this collection use convenient overhead operation. The series includes various panel designs, window glass types and decorative hardware options to create your one-of-a-kind product.
COACHMAN®: The wood composite garage doors in this collection complement a Craftsman’s authentic beauty. Its steel paneling with a faux wood overlay can be different colors to coordinate with your home’s siding or decorative elements. Complete your door’s design with windows and decorative hardware.
Looking for a New Garage Door for Your California Home? Contact Easy Open Door!
Choosing the right garage door is part of enhancing your home’s curb appeal. Contact us to speak to a specialist about choosing the right garage door for your home. Our products can complement your home’s architectural style, whether you have a traditional Cape Cod or a modern Craftsman. Once we install your door, we’ll also be available to inspect it to maintain its quality appearance.
Request an estimate online today for a brand-new garage door for your house.
