Pictures of your home would help. I'm not seeing a carriage garage door with what I envision a 70's ranch to look like. But I live in the midwest so the term ranch may mean something completely different to me.
Also is the decent door insulated?

PS. I looked at Lowes.com but couldn't find the ashburn. Can you post photos of the ones you mentioned? Lowes has different items according to your zip code.

Can you post a photo, or a link, to let us know what the magical door looks like? Then maybe we can help you find something comparable.

Any of these?

Here is a link that might be useful: http://www.wayne-dalton.com/6100.asp

Easy: buy the plain door and paint faux moldings on it.

From the street it's easy to fake.

mammie-YES! It is the ashburn..the arched top one! Thanks so much.

Ok, I have never posted a pic before...I guess I better learn...I have a LOT of home renovation questions coming to this board!
http://photos-b.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-snc1/hs118.snc1/4736_1168291965385_1170516074_30500105_7193260_n.jpg

Here is a link that might be useful: {{!gwi}}

please notice the barn to the right of the pic, how it has doors with a "carriage" look to them.

here is the door I am looking at.

Here is a link that might be useful: {{!gwi}}

yes, the "decent" door is insulated and about $1200. Just plain, paneled...you know, basic. I just feel our garage door is kind of a focal point when you drive up to the house, and I soooo wanted a "pretty" garage door, and kind of feel I am settling with the $2500 door...it isn't exactly what I want, but I don't feel like shopping around, want to do 12 months no interest, get 10% off etc. But if someone can steer me towards a similar door for cheaper, I would love to see it!

As far as I can tell, the strong horizontal line on the house will not match up with the horizontal line on any of the garage door styles, and the door will look awkward and unbalanced. I think the suggestion that you paint "molding" on a plain garage door is an excellent one.

suero-excellent point about the lines not mathing up. these are things that are hard to think about "in the moment" but when someone points it out, makes perfect sense.

Can you...or anyone here...please post a pic of something other than a standard door...something "üpgraded" looking? Or of a plain door that has faux work done on it? I cannot envision faux painting or mouldings on a garage door. Maybe I have seen it and not even realized it!

Thank you for your help, we need to make a decision soon and I am feeling a bit lost and overwhelmed! :)

Maybe I have a wrong perspective on things, but when someone walks up to my house, I want the front door to be the focal point. In my very humble opinion, the garage door should fade away as much as possible.

Otherwise, isn't it a bit like "welcome to my garage? :-)

I almost suggested getting the plain door and adding to it to fit the style of you home, but wanted to see pictures before mentioning it. I hate to say this, but as nice as the twenty five hundred dollar door is, I don't think it works with your home. You already have an arch over the garage door and I'm afraid the arch on the Ashburn wouldn't match it.
If you want a fancier look to your door, I'd buy the plain door and add hardware to it. No sense in settling on an expensive door just because it's a prettier door. If it doesn't go with your home you'll never be happy with it. I even found someone online that did just this for under a hundred dollars in supplies. Check the link below.

Here is a link that might be useful: Adding vintage style hardware to standard garage door.

ITA...and if I built this house, I would have used the ample lot (1 acre) to make the garage a side entrance. Also, if the home was larger, it would balance out better and our garage would not be almost equivalent to the reats of the house. My mother is like you...when looking for a new home, she would not even CONSIDER a house with a front entance garage...it HAD to be a side garage.

We kind of have to "work with we we have" and our point is this...either way, it looks like "welcome to our garage." Now...do we want it to look like a boring standard garage door...or have some visual interest?

ok, suera and others...what about this model door?

Here is a link that might be useful: {{!gwi}}

Forgot to mention you have a beautiful home.
Here's another link that might help you find the hardware you need.....

Here is a link that might be useful: Carriage door hardware image search

my last post was directed to homemaker! :)

thank you justgottobeme, you make a good point. I am going to your link now.

thanks again, I am hollering for DH to come look at your links!

we love our new home, it suits us...rustic, older, needs some work but we are SO EXCITED about making it our own. It will really be "äll ours" when we are done.

Ok, as I was posting this, I showed DH your links. He is very grateful for the links. You have just justified my addiction to this site, BTW! He is amazed at the knowlegable folks on here, and the awesome suggestions...PLUS you saved us $$$! I am going to Lowes tomorrow to get the $1200 door. Thank you, thank you! :)

Just a thought: we replaced are garage doors (2 singles) a few years ago. We used a company that specializes in them and they also installed them. It is not an easy job, what with the springs and all. And mine didn't cost nearly as much as yours (mine have glass windows at the top). You might want to check your area for a better price than the big box stores.

Here are some inspiration pics of garage doors and Spanish/Mediterranean style home. Maybe you can find a budget door and stain it & add nicer hardware.

Here is a link that might be useful: Garage doors for Spanish/Mediterranean styles

I'm glad to have been able to help you and your hubby dirtymartini. I'm big on getting quality and style, but at a budget if possible. Life is too short to not have what you want. That doesn't always mean you have to pay top dollar to get the look you want. I've been planning to do this to our garage doors, but right now there's just too many other things to get finished first.
If you like the wood look that awm03 shared you could possibly do a faux wood look to the doors too. The skies the limit with a little elbo grease and the right ideas.

Glad to help. :)

gracie-I would love to shop around a bit more. Thing is, this was an unforeseen expense all of a sudden, and at Lowe's we can do the 12 month interest free (we will pay about $100 a month for the 12 months...not planning on waiting!) plus we do have a 10% off coupon (I know it is not much, but it helps.)

Don't get me wrong, I would rather NOT use Lowe's, but we are in a bit of a hurry (present door cannot even be lifted right now.)

We were told in SoFla to NOT get windows. I wanted them, but we heard that for insurance purposes, it is not a good idea. I did not look into it further because a) it made sense and b) it helped alleviate some of the confusion I am feeling, with all these choices. Ruling out doors with windows, and various window styles, has really helped!

I am also a little skeptical about my DH installing, but honestly, he can build a house from the ground up and there have been a few things along the way (during this reno) that he has told me he is not comfortable installing/doing, so I trust that he is not JUST being cheap, he really can do it! My issue is his time, though. he has a MILLION things to do here still, now this will take him a full day, I am sure.

awm-I wish you would have never shown me that link! *sob* gorgeous, gorgeous stuff! We do not want wood due to humidity here...plus I think we need to get steel for insurance? I could be wrong.

I think eventually we will do what justgottabeme suggested, and paint it faux wood. We want it to match our front door (which we plan to change out also. Again EVNTUALLY is the key word here!) but as you can see, the front door is not easily visible from the street.

Also, as simple as our house is, and as much as I said I want a pretty garage door because it is such a focal point, I don't want it to look silly...like lipstick on a pig, you know? I am not calling my house a "pig" but I guess what I am trying to say is ...just like granite in the kitchen, I don't think it matches this home. I don't think a fancy schmancy door will look right, I just wanted something "non garage door"like!

Ok, sorry, it is 3 a.m. and I am babbling! Thanks all!

Overhead Door sells a wood composite door that's supposedly more moisture resistant than wood and doesn't dent or bend like steel. Don't know a thing about pricing; it's less expensive than a premium wood door. Perhaps other manufacturers have something similar.

Glad you created this thread. We're in the market for new garage doors too, and I'm happy to discover wood composite doors. The steel ones just aren't as pretty as wood doors, but the wood doors aren't as durable or insulative. Maybe wood composite is a good compromise.

Here is a link that might be useful: Composite wood doors

I just sold my 1970 Florida ranch last year. From the driveway, it looked like a little tiny house stuck on the side of a three car garage! ICK! So, I have spent a lot of time thinking about garage doors and camouflage.

When I saw the pic of your house, I actually thought the house itself is so distinctive that I'd rather just see the garage door disappear. (Also agree about the arches not matching up.) I think I'd do everything I could to draw attention to the front entry and not worry so much about the door....paint it the same color as the body of the house for now.

It occurs to me that you should move that palm to a place where it does not obscure the door. I'd also lose the hedges and go for a softer look. The beauty of gardening in FL is that it is an easy DIY. The soil is easy to work in because it's usually sand (not the clay hardpan I have now!) Things grow fast, so you can buy small/cheap and have an established looking planting within a year. Now is the perfect time to plant, too.

The thing I wanted to do to my garage was build a pergola across the front of the garage. I had gardens on either side of the driveway and wanted to use the pergola to bridge the two and soften the three-door monster. You could think about doing that eventually.

I also think that two lovely carriage lamps on either side of the door would really dress up the garage and lessen the need to pretty up the door. The single light there now seems misplaced. I'd center one over each of the horizontal trim pieces. Make 'em large. You could go Spanish/Med looking or get some of those painted Mexican ones. There was a place where I lived that made wrought iron fixtures that were used on many of the Med Revival houses. If you live near Sarasota, I can tell you how to find it. Can't remember the name right now.

I'd also be happy to help you with plant ideas. I am a mad gardener and learned a lot while I was there. :-)

dirtymartini - no matter what you do as far as a door. Avoid one with an arch. All the examples you posted has an arch that will fight with the arch that exists on your home.

Good Luck!!

Jeld-wen has composite doors too. Their Estate collection is design for Spanish/Mediterranean style houses.

lyfia made a good point about fighting arches.

I have a few ideas for prettying up the plain old steel garage doors saved. They may not be exactly for you, but they will give you an idea of what's possible. HTH!

(Sorry about all this mess...I don't know how to include more than one link in a post...hope it's not too much of a PITA for you to copy and paste these.

http://applestonecottage.blogspot.com/2009/01/extreme-garage-doors-make-over.html

http://fauxpaintingartist.blogspot.com/2007/04/garage-door-faux-wood-grained.html

http://www.r2rfaux.com/faux_garage_doors1.htm

http://www.housepainting101.com/faux_garage_wood.html

Here is a link that might be useful: Faux Wood Carriage Style

The door in the clickable link looks terrific. But she says she mixed Minwax stain with polyurethane. I thought polyurethane didn't hold up to UV rays? I haven't used poly outdoors in many years because it always turned to flakes, but perhaps newer formulas work outdoors now?

I think I am in love with you folks!

Ok, see, I did not think about the arches not working together. That terrifies me...I am sooooo lost with decorating, both inside and out. I know what I *LIKE* but I can't seem to get there by myself. I guess *I* am the reason interior decorators were invented! LOL. I can't afford a deocorator, but thank goodness I have you folks! :)

amysrq-I look forward to talking with you more! Trust me, those hedges are GONE...as soon as we finish the inside, we will tackle the landscaping. The hedges are awful, most of the landscaping is messed up. I was hesitant to post an exterior shot of my house, because I want it known that this is NOT the finished product by any means!!! We are going to put a circular driveway in, so that will go right in front of the front of the house. We have discussed the lights on the house, but we just can't think about exterior stuff right now, I still have no floor in the family room/kitchen (it's concrete, we chipped up the tile when we first moved in, cuz we are doing wood) and my kitchen is in shambles. We were going to wait to deal with the garage door, but it fell apart on Saturday and it just can't wait anymore.

Do you think we should lose the arched entry way? Or is that silly? I love a spanish/med look, but to me, the house kind of looks like a 70's ranch TRYING to look span/med. LOL.

We plan on painting the house a similar color, but stronger, with a little more brown to it (not brown, but more mustardy.) We want to switch out the awnings to a different color...maybe brown? No need to get into that now...I will post a thread about it when the time comes.! :) Anyway, I was also thinking about getting the same color awning and putting that in front of the garage. I like my car to be cool when I get into it, and to be protected from rain etc, but I like having our garage open and available. (sidebar: my garage is where my w/d is, plus it has an A/C unit in it, so it will be more like a huge laundry room/utility area.)

While a pergola would not offer as much protection, it sure would look prettier, and definitely provide shade. I may talk to DHG about that, thanks for the idea. We also discussed planting vines on either side of the garage and letting them cover that area (around the garage) and the arched entryway only. Any opinons on that idea?

Again, I would love to chat with you further. I feel I have blogged on enough. I just kind of wanted you to know I am on board with your suggestions and you seem to understand what we are trying to achieve. thanks!

ok, off to look at the links that momto5-home posted! :) Be right back...

thanks for those links, momto5!!! I was all set on painting a plain garage door faux wood...but now amys has me reconsidering painting it the same color as the rest of the house. I did look at them all (I don't know how to post multiple links, either, so they worked fine for me) and that is amazing work.

*sigh* see? This is why I always get picked for jurt duty! You can just tell I am so easily swayed! I was dead set on carriage...and then faux wood, and now I have come full circle. I am afraid if this thread keeps going, I will change my mind all over again. It is a vicious cycle!!!!!!

Hi again.

I don't mean you should get those exterior lights now. I am just trying to illustrate why I think a simple garage door, one that's built strong and solid but not a fancy design, is the way to go. All you really need is function right now. And eventually, I think that the door is not the way to decorate, especially if it is beaucoup bucks. You can do any of those decorative things like faux-painting or adding hardware later when you are ready for that.

As for losing the arch, I think it is sweet and adds to the look of the house. I believe you need to embrace what the house is. It is a faux-Med ranch and there is nothing wrong with that. Make it the best faux-Med ranch it can be and it will be really cute!

I think things start to look crummy when you try to make them into something they're not. I also love ranch houses and miss mine.

About the gardening thing. Remember, the best time to plant is during the rainy season. Otherwise, you're spending money and time watering new plants. If there is any way to squeek in a bit of gardening this summer, you should do it. And if you can afford it, you might consider hiring someone to rip everything out that you don't want. You can even offer some things on Freecycle, "I dig, you drag" and people will come and take away things you don;t want or have too many of. (Don't ever ever plant macho ferns, you hear me?!)

When you're ready, I highly recommend Pamela Crawford's books.

This is one of my favorites from the links momtofive-home posted, but for your home dirty martini I think I'd go with the wood grain carriage door since you have a barn close by. If you could something similar to this with a woodgrain, no arch (maybe the angled trim like I can see on your barn)I think it would look awesome!
{{!gwi}}

Thought I should quit yappin' and do a drawing for you....
{{!gwi}}

oooh, just gottabe...you are so talented! It is so funny to me to see my house with a different garage door! It actually looks a little too dark to me. Do you like it? I think if I had a matching front door that was actually visible, it would possible work! Plus...imagine those brown awnings I mentioned earlier! Pretty, eh?

amys-Thank you! I like your idea of "simplify" for now...we can do more later, I suppose. And I know what you mean about planting now...especially some privacy hedges. We have a large lot, but I do want to create a barrier between our home and the neighbor behind us. i want COMPLETE PRIVACY in my pool ;) We are thinking arecas...what do you think?

LOL...what are "macho ferns???" I like the sound of that! heehee.

I know what you mean about embracing the style, even if it is slightly cheesy. I have discussed that on this board...i want the embrace the 70's (that was the era of my childhood...lots of good memories!) and decorate with a nod to the 70's. So, if faux spanish/med was "ïn" then I guess I gotta go with it!

Thank you so much for your input. Please keep an eye out for me and my future questions. Between you, justgottabe and writersblock, I think I will be well taken care of! :)

I agree the door is a little dark. Of the wood ones I found it was taken from the right angle (straight on) to work with the photo of your home. If you find a photo of one you'd like imposed onto your home that's straight on just let me know and I'll be happy to do it for you.

you are very sweet...thank you! :)