Modern, Darker Hues
Right now, says Jason Tucker, National Retail Sales Manager, CanSave, “We are indeed in the middle of a trend change in the garage door industry.” For one thing, he says, “Customers are more often looking for a modern style.” Tucker adds, “In keeping with the modern theme customers are picking cleaner, less busy embossed styles for their doors,” says Tucker. “We’re seeing fewer short panels and carriage styles, and more long panels, flush panels and plank styles.”
A modern edge is reflected in today’s preferred colours, too. “People are switching their white and clay stone doors for darker, more modern colors like mocha brown, charcoal or black,” says Tucker. “In general, darker tones are more popular,” agrees Travis Reynolds, National Marketing Manager, Steel-Craft Door Products Ltd. “We’ve introduced a charcoal coloured door and it’s quickly become one of our most popular selling colours here in the last year.”
What’s also popular is a wood tone that’s in contrast to some homes’ darker exterior shades. “That wood-look door made of steel, in cedar, walnut and all those warm tones, is something we’re seeing trending in the marketplace as well,” says Reynolds.
Customization, in Glass and More
“Windows in garage doors are more popular then ever and we’ve seen people use them with more variety,” says Tucker. “They’re now available with thermal pane in clear, frosted/satin finishes, tinted and so much more.” In some cases, there’s a retro-made-modern nod to mid century modern style, as with windows arranged in a row down one vertical side of the door, rather than horizontally across the top. Attention to detail like this is part of a trend that Reynolds has witnessed in several communities, right across Canada. “There’s definitely a move toward a modern finish that can be customized and made really unique,” says Reyolds. “We’re seeing many people choosing to install all-glass doors,” he says, where they can customize tint, reflectiveness and more. “Customization might also take the form of an aluminum door, or just about anything else,” says Reynolds. “It’s happening coast to coast, this idea that someone wants something different; they don’t want the same old, same old.”
Size, for Impact
“A trend we’re seeing—and we don’t see it going away any time soon—is a shift to a bigger size of garage door,” says Reynolds. “These days, 8, 9 or 10 foot tall doors are much more common than they use to be. An increase in both height and width we’re seeing trending, right across the country.”
More Like an Extension of the Home
If consumers are thinking more and more about the design impact of their garage doors—with glass inserts, specialized finishes and size—they’re also treating them more like walls and doors in the main portion of the home. “People are thinking of the garage as a multi-use space,” says Reynolds.“They’re moving away from thinking of it as a dumping ground for stuff.” A focus on exterior design illustrates that shift. And a growing interest in all-glass doors, too, show’s a real change in how homeowners imagine managing the contents of their garage. “It’s an area to work on their cars or just show them off a bit.” And with both security and energy conservation in mind, Tucker notes that nearly all customers are opting for insulated steel doors, these days. “Gone are the days of thin pan doors or high maintenance wood doors,” says Tucker. “Polyurethane injected doors from Garaga offer a lifetime warranty along with the rigidity and comfort of high insulation.”
In terms of technology, expectations are on the rise, as well. “Customers want more from their electric door openers,” says Tucker. “LiftMaster, for example, now offers MyQ WiFi compatible openers across their range.” He explains, “They work with a smartphone app that tells the customer if their door is opened or closed and allows the user to operate the door from anywhere in the world.”
Supporting the Big Picture
While automation and technology play a role in ensuring garage doors meet—or even exceed—consumers’ needs, it’s their design that ensures they have an impact on the overall look of a home. “From our perspective, it’s all about keeping up with what the architects are demanding,” says Reynolds. “We don’t feel the garage door has to be the statement of a house, but it does have to be complementary.” That means the right shade, material and size becomes all the more important to support the architect’s vision. Reynolds adds, “It’s part of the overall plan and, if done right, can really enhance everything else that’s part of the design.”