Accessorizing your garage door with hardware is often a great idea! But not always. While sometimes, hardware becomes the ultimate way to bring out the beauty of the garage door style, oftentimes it’s best to avoid any decorative elements.
How do you make such a decision? It depends on the garage door. And the home style. Such a decision is also subject to your personal preference. Don’t add decorative garage door hardware just because everybody else is doing it. Or friends say they look great. Listen to your heart. And even if you decide to be playful and give your overhead garage door a notch up with some decorative hardware, there’s no need to overdo it. Sometimes, all it takes is a nice handle to make a difference. So, let us move from the introduction to more detailed information.
Basics first: common decorative hardware for garage doors
You can find sets of decorative garage door strap hinges and handles. They come in different styles, usually in black. Alternative, one can use pullers instead of a casual handle for a unique twist. There’s also the choice of nails – aka clavos.
When garage door decorative hardware is a must
• Is this a traditional garage door?
If you dream of a carriage house garage door, hardware goes with it. Modern doors that mimic old/traditional designs should feature decorative hardware. If you go back in time, you will notice that hardware was part of the garage door décor.
• Is your garage door old?
If your wood garage door is rather old and you would like to freshen up its style a little bit, some décor ideas will come handy. An old white overhead door will look completely different if you add strap hinges and new handles.
• Are you painting the garage door?
If you plan to paint the garage door and refresh its looks, you can remove the current hardware and place new ones. In this case, you may also consider the possibility of placing the new hardware in different parts of the door to change completely its appearance.
• Is the old hardware damaged?
Let’s face it. Hardware is durable but they may get damaged. Or you might decide that you don’t like the current décor and prefer to buy new décor elements. That’s a possibility too.
• Want to increase the home value?
If you plan to sell the house and the garage door is in good shape – so, no reason for replacing it, you can freshen it up with new décor solutions.
• Is the garage door the first thing you see?
Most garage doors feature at the front of the house. If this is your case and you haven’t refreshed the door for a while, placing new hardware is the easiest and cheapest way to alter the door’s appearance.
When garage door hardware is NOT recommended
Want the short version? Avoid hardware if you own a contemporary garage door. A modern flush design showcases a minimalistic style. This is a great example. Modern garage doors look better without decorative hardware. After all, most hardware options are rustic – not a good match for modern doors.
Another good example is glass garage doors. Hardware has no place here. Glass doors are the design themselves. They need nothing more.
Like hardware and NOT
Some of these elements have some practical use too. Take for example the handles. They come handy if something happens to the electric opener and you are called to open the door manually. What’s the secret here? Choose a handle or pull ring that will be simple and modern. It’s vital that it matches with the overall home style and blends nicely with the design and style of the garage door. If not, it will look out of place.
And then, you may be in between. You may like hardware but may not go crazy about them. What should you do? Place with moderation. Avoid rustic hardware with perplexed designs, unless you fall in love with a set. And don’t forget that the decorative garage door hardware options are not limited to the strap hinges. Some clavos around the door will look great. A big pull ring at the center of the door will make a statement. Won’t it?
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