Rarely do you get to see a house remodeled in two completely different styles and then decide which one you like better.
Viewers of the PBS television series “For Your Home” have the chance to do just that when host and designer Vicki Payne tackles another whole house renovation in the same neighborhood as her own home.
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Vicki Payne selected a Coachman Collection carriage house garage door with clean lines and large windows for her house project mini-series “Flipping for Contemporary.”
She has a hint of what to expect in the process. She spent last season giving her own outdated 1970s home with good bones a complete French Country facelift inside and out.
The warm, rustic look of Clopay’s Canyon Ridge Limited Edition Series faux wood carriage house door gave Payne the historic charm of a stained wood carriage house without the worry of weather damage and heavy-duty upkeep.
This season, Payne is showing viewers how the exact same floor plan can be updated for homeowners with contemporary taste. Instead of stained wood and detailed molding, Payne focuses on achieving a modern style without feeling overly minimalist and cold.
“I love my house, but just like my viewers I sometimes wonder what if I’d picked a different style, gone in another direction, and used more color?” says Vicki. “So when a similar house in my neighborhood became available I jumped at the opportunity to do it all again but totally different. This time I’m going contemporary. I’ve been following this emerging trend for quite some time and this house is perfect.”
In a column she penned after the 2015 International Builders’ Show, Payne noted contemporary styling and high-tech “smart” homes were the big trends dominating the exhibits.
The original garage with an outdated wood panel door.
“The garage door is the first thing guests see when they approach the house, so it was important to set the stage for the clean lines and earth tones present throughout the home. Selecting just the right style and color was a crucial decision in my design process.”
Payne used Clopay’s Door Imagination System to upload a photograph of the house and try out various door styles until she found its perfect contemporary companion.
She showed the homeowners three different garage door design options, which included Clopay’s Avante Collection glass garage door, a flush panel steel door with a faux woodgrain finish, and the Coachman Collection carriage house door.
Clopay’s Avante Collection aluminum and glass garage was a tempting design favorite. Frosted glass panels would have given them the privacy they wanted, and allowed natural light to flood the garage during the day.
“While they loved the wow factor of the glass door, they felt it didn’t fit with the style of the other houses on the block,” says Payne. They considered a simple flush panel steel door, which worked, but was a little too understated. They ultimately decided on the Coachman Collection door with windows because it was the best fit for this house and the homes around it.
Clopay’s Cypress Collectionflush panel steel door with Ultra-Grain finish added contrast and warmth, but there aren’t other natural wood elements on the exterior to tie it all together.
The final choice – clean lines and big windows of the Coachman Collection in the perfect color to match the exterior paint palette.
The Coachman Collection door with windows proved to be the winning choice because it was the best fit for this house and the homes around it.
Carriage house garage doors aren’t just for historic homes. Vicki’s project shows that it can be a great solution to warm up a contemporary or transitional exterior if you choose a simple panel style. Adding large rectangular windows also gave the door a more modern feel.
Model shown: Coachman Collection, Design 12 with windows and hardware
Clopay’s Coachman Collection looks like wood but it’s actually constructed of insulated steel with a composite overlay. It’s a high quality, low-maintenance alternative to wood and doesn’t require the finish maintenance of a wood door. The attention to detail that goes into the construction of these doors is amazing, from the coped edging to the wood grain overlay. Most people won’t be able to tell that it’s a steel door from the curb.
LiftMaster Model 8550 Opener
The garage door operates with the convenience of a LiftMaster® Model 8550 opener with MyQ® technology, both installed by Cox Door Company in N.C.
L to R: Clopay sr. product manager Justin Evans with show host and designer Vicki Payne on location in Charlotte, N.C.
“It seems we want to control everything – from garage doors to energy systems – from anywhere in the world using smartphones,” says Payne.
“Imagine being able to lock and unlock your home, let in a repairman and watch him while he works. You would know when the system has been repaired, and you could lock up once the technician leaves. It’s possible with today’s new “smart home” technology. Systems like MyQ can be affordable and retrofitted to existing homes.”
HOME TIP: If you plan to use your garage as additional living or workspace, garage door insulation matters. This door features Clopay’s Intellicore insulation technology,
which will help keep the garage comfortable during the summer and the winter, lower energy costs, prevent dents and dings, and reduce noise.
“For Your Home” airs on PBS stations nationwide.
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