When her husband’s new job brought Bre Bertolini to his hometown in Northern Ohio, the interior decorator/blogger/DIY enthusiast knew she would soon have a lengthy list of projects to tackle after her father-in-law graciously invited the family to live with him.

Bre fell in love with the unique features of the ‘80s-contemporary-style house and quickly got to work remodeling the interior. But after a couple of years, she realized the decades-old exterior couldn’t be ignored.

The first step was giving the house a fresh coat of paint and convincing her father-in-law that her desired shade would look spectacular. “I’ve always known I wanted to paint our house black, and he was on board,” she said. “Once the house was painted, that set my vision in motion, and everything started to fall in place.”

Bre stripped and stained the wooden front doors and limewashed the exterior brick, creating a bright, warm contrast to the dark paint. She refreshed the front porch, installed new lighting fixtures, and turned the deck area into a backyard oasis. But one challenge remained: the garage doors.

“The doors were not good,” she said. “The paint was chipping and peeling, they weren’t insulated, and they were SO loud. Our bedroom is directly above the garage, so every time someone opened the doors it would wake us up!”

Thanks to Pinterest and other social media, Bre knew there were garage door designs that would complement her modern house but wasn’t sure where to start. She used Clopay's Door Imagination System to upload a photo and “try on” different door styles. “I’m a very visual person, so being able to see the doors on our home was super helpful.”

Bre chose Canyon Ridge Modern faux wood doors with a Walnut stain finish to match the front door.

“I considered black garage doors at one point, but ultimately the stained wood-look was the best option,” she said. “It ties into the beams and doors on the front porch. And next to the dark color of the house, the wood tone adds some much-needed warmth.”

The doors look like real wood but are made of a moisture-resistant composite and are well-insulated, which is perfect for northern Ohio winters.

Bre is thrilled with the results. “The doors are stunning, they’re so beautiful. And they’ve increased our home’s curb appeal 100%. Before we decided to replace them, we painted the old ones black to blend into the house. The new garage doors really make a statement and catch people’s eye.”

She highly recommends using Clopay’s Imagination Door System to explore different styles and colors. Before I start any project I usually make a mood board to help me visualize my plan. “You might have an idea of what you want in your mind, but until you see a rendering, you won’t know for sure if it’s the right choice.”

See more of Bre’s home transformation on Instagram at brepurposed.

All photos courtesy Bre Bertolini.

Garage door installation by D&R Garage Doors Plus.