Homeowners and builders alike are expressing increased interest in carriage-style garage doors, reminiscent of the wooden doors on old-fashioned carriage houses, they create car stopping, jaw dropping, curb appeal and are designed to fool the eye and mimic old-style sliding or swing-up doors. They are also a cost-effective way for builders to meet the demands of the municipalities.

By adding a steel carriage door, builders can avoid more costly options. These options include: changing the elevation of the home with expensive brick or other treatments, designing homes with a side-entry garage requiring greatly expanded lot widths, or designing the garage entry into the back of the home which lengthens the driveway and can diminish curb appeal.

Steven Berry, Manager of Residential Design for the Verrado development, said, "To help create the authentic architectural styles for our homes, we require the use of steel relief-panel and carriage garage doors, which complement the elevation styles required at Verrado. To look like a wood door with authentic patterning and wood grain texture, the door's total design in terms of panels, relief, shade and shadow must be believable and credible. Like great front-yard landscaping, good carriage door designs enrich the appearance of the home and generate tremendous value. If all homes on the block have them, then the entire street and neighborhood becomes more valuable."

Today's carriage house garage doors may look attractively old-fashioned, but they open overhead like any other modern sectional garage door and are often made entirely of steel insuring durability and low maintenance.

Homeowners are driving the curb appeal trend by actively expressing dissatisfaction with living in homes that do not reflect their personalities. With the same front elevations, same tile roofs, same color schemes, and same garage doors, neighborhoods can look plain and uninteresting. Add a few touches of curb appeal -- with decorative rock, shutters, wrought iron, water features, or an expanse of unique carriage house garage door -- and neighborhoods grow beautifully in character and value.

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