What are Mid-Century Modern Garage Doors?

To give you an idea of how to design your mid-century modern garage doors, we first have to answer the question: what is mid-century modern?

Mid-century modern design favors minimalism in everything, meaning simple lines, sleek exteriors, and functionality above ornamentation. If you have a mid-century modern home – featuring geometric lines, a flat or low-sloped roof, and refined glass or wood accents – you want the right garage door to complement your architecture. This is where mid-century modern garage doors come in.

How To Design Mid-Century Modern Garage Doors

Like their design namesake, mid-century modern garage doors are about clean lines and functionality but also refined beauty. That’s why they feature glass, wood, or metal materials with simple details like flushed panels and unique window arrangements or colors. Generally, this means mid-century modern garage doors have:

  • Dark wood, steel, or full-view glass construction
  • Broad, vertical window configurations
  • Flushed panels or thin, horizontal slats 
  • No external hardware accessories

However, there is much more to mid-century modern doors! Let’s go through the most popular materials and finishes below.

Materials for Mid-Century Modern Garage Doors

Glass Garage Doors

Glass offers the ultimate mid-century modern flare for new garage doors. Full-view glass garage doors are a popular choice because they offer boundless opportunities for design customizations to complement your home’s exterior. This includes a lightweight, durable aluminum frame in an anodized or powder-coated finish. The glass panels are also widely customizable to the needs of your home with appearances like tempered, frosted, powdered, insulated, and more. 

glass garage doors

Faux Wood Garage Doors

One of the best modern takes on garage doors is combining the beauty of real wood with the functional durability of steel – faux wood garage doors. Constructed of insulated steel panels and finished with a wood-look overlay, faux wood doors are a popular choice for homeowners that want mid-century modern garage doors. Plus, they offer many customizations, including wood-look finishes, window arrangements, and paneling.

Aluminum Garage Doors

Aluminum is also a lightweight, corrosion-resistant, and versatile garage door material. Glass and aluminum are frequently paired together to create a contemporary, bright appearance for mid-century modern garage doors. However, you can also construct a sectional garage door with aluminum panels. You can then finish off your aluminum door with flushed panels, unique paint colors, and vertical windows.

New Modern Garage Door

Stainless Steel Garage Doors

Stainless steel is highly durable, corrosion-resistant, and offers versatile style options, making it a great choice for mid-century modern garage door design. Typically, modern steel garage doors will feature flushed panels and vertical windows, creating a sleek and smooth appearance. Also, although most steel doors maintain the standard metal finish, they can be customized to a unique or bright color.

Finishes for Mid-Century Modern Garage Doors

Flushed Panels

While traditional garage doors feature raised or recessed panels, mid-century modern doors use flushed panels to create a smooth, minimalist exterior. The most popular choices are wide, flat metal panels or thin, horizontal wood slats.

New Modern Garage Door

No Exterior Hardware

Carriage garage doors add external hardware like hinges or handles to add elegance and charm. However, mid-century modern design favors simplicity with no decorative hardware and a clean, simple look.

Vertical Windows

Where standard garage door design features horizontal windows along the top of the door, mid-century modern design elects for vertical windows. This unique take creates visual interest and an eye-catching appearance for upgraded curb appeal.

Flushed Panel Garage Door

Unique Colors

Although the finish of some mid-century modern garage doors is in standard colors like white, almond, or black, more and more homeowners are upgrading to unique colors. These colors include earth tones, including brown, green, and red, or bright colors like orange, blue, and yellow. 

Want to Learn More About Mid-Century Modern Garage Doors?

Intrigued by the beauty and simplicity of mid-century garage door design? You’re not alone! More and more homeowners are choosing to upgrade their curb appeal with modern garage doors like these. 

But regardless of the style you choose, new garage doors are a great investment to increase the beauty and value of your home. If you need assistance with garage door installation in West Haven or North Haven, CT, contact J.A.G. & Sons Overhead Door! We have decades of experience with garage door replacement, repair, and service in the area, and we’d love to serve your home! Or, if you have more questions about designing a mid-century modern garage door for your home, feel free to reach out to us.

Leave a Comment