Desperate for opinions/pictures!! Shakes or Siding on Garage front?

10 years ago

We have a 3 stall garage on our new construction and were thinking of mixing up the front appearance a bit. We thought about stone, but it's too expensive. So next consideration is putting shakes on the entire front of the garage instead of the horizontal siding. Here is a picture of our siding (the gray blue) next to the shake color (lighter gray) and stone. Has anybody seen this done? I cannot find any pictures! What are your opinions and thoughts I should consider? I did throw some shakes on the garage in good ol' Paint program just to get an idea. I wonder about the peak right above the middle garage stall but I believe there will be a white trim piece separating them. Thanks in advance!!

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Comments (5)

User
10 years ago
last modified: 10 years ago
Don't use three different materials all in different colors! The outcome looks chopped up and ill conceived. If you use the shakes do so only on the gable ends and in the same color - if you must have the stone siding as well. (Personally I am so over the use of stone but no matter) I need to make the comment however about the scale of the gable over the garage. It's really wrong here and should either be larger or not there at all. Have you tried stone just around the garage base and not the other portion around the porch? The other choice would be use only the light gray - in shake and vertical - with the stone but only around the perimeter and max 3' high.

This, to me, is perfection. And the metal roof is a great choice both for longevity as well as style.
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Michelle Currence thanked User
Terri Henderson
10 years ago
I prefer the garage to be hidden, but since yours occupies a large portion of the front of your house, I would focus on very nice garage doors. I like the shakes on the gables.
Michelle Currence thanked Terri Henderson
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Michelle Currence
Original Author
10 years ago
I'm with you, Terri! I prefer the garage to be anything but the focus of the house. I actually wanted the garage around the side/corner, but with our lot and floor plan, it wasn't an option and now we are happy with this! We were back and forth with a darker gray shakes for the gables - more in the same tone as the siding. Maybe we will go back to that one for the gables. In the area I live, I've seen as many at 6 or 7 different colors/materials on one house. Too much for my taste but I feel ok with 3.
miacometlady
10 years ago
The trick is striking a balance... Your garage dominates the facade. You don't want it to command too much attention but you can't ignore it. I wouldn't add any detail that isn't happening on the house. The shake idea doesn't work for me for that reason, even though it is on a bit of the main house on the gable peak. I like the stone application on the first two pics and think the house I shared did a nice job balancing the garage with the main house by using same materials.... Judiciously.
Michelle Currence thanked miacometlady
Michelle Currence
Original Author
10 years ago
Thanks miacometlady! The stone all the way up and around the middle stall is what we initially thought of, however the expense got in the way! I like the pictures you shared though - thank you!