The winter is starting to feel like it will never end, here in western Massachusetts. I am not complaining – it’s very pretty, and the rush of spring is like no other. Even so, it feels like time for a BLAST OF COLOR from the 50s. How exuberant are these 1955 Crawford garage doors? To be sure, by ’55 a family’s car was nearly as important as their house, it seems. So following that logic, why wouldn’t their garage door deserve the royal treatment, too?
P.S. Be sure to click the thumbnail for a really nice big image. I’ve learned a new blogging trick.
Sherwin Williams Suburban Modern paint colors: #1 for 50s style retro paint palette 
My “Luxe for Less” tips, retro renovation style 
Capel braided rugs suit 50s and 60s style perfectly – a Retro Renovation re-run 
Become a fan
Some of the doors are simply about paint – starting with a paneled wood garage door. Others….well, it’s on my list to do more research!
What fabulous doors! I wonder if there’s anyway to find those anymore? Wouldn’t they be great in a snowy area?
AND THE CAR! Yummy!
Pam,
You’ve inspired me to do something nifty like this with my garage door. I also might repeat the design on my front door. It has square panels with a circular accent in the center of each panel. Thanks! (Too bad it’s -5 degrees here on this sunny Sunday, or I’d get out there and start painting today.)
How timely — I just heard a commercial this week for a local garage door company, pointing out that the garage door is often the biggest feature on the front of a house, yet something that people usually overlook in their decorating. Our garage door is white, just like the rest of the house trim — pretty bland. We definitely need some color.
So cool. Makes me wonder what happen to the design world after the 70s? everything now tends to be so boreing and bland, thanks for the great the great pics.
OK, I wasn’t sure where to post this, but I wanted to ask for some advice about exterior design, specifically fence design. We need to replace the privacy fence that surrounds our house. (We’re on a very busy corner, and I really like both the fence as a barrier to sights AND sounds.) The current fence is a natural cedar board-on-board style (looks good from both sides).
Our house is a low ranch with extended overhanging eaves. I’ve landscaped the front with a slightly Japanese flavor and would like the fence to “go” with that, although I don’t think a bamboo fence would hold up too long in Indiana.
I’m leaning toward a basketweave style and remember seeing that in my youth, probably more in the 60s, though.
Any advice?
ive now been inspired to paint my garage door, another project, thanks alot,. the only problem would be the door has been replaced with a metal door would that look weird?
I designed an 8ft wooden fence that my husband built last summer, and it turned out fabulous. It consists of a series of wooden posts with horizontal beams staggered on both sides, so that our neighbors have an equally nice view. We considered a “basket weave”, but decided that we wanted the design we chose instead. It could easily be done by weaving the boards. Good luck!
I’d love to see as photo, Jessica. We’re having the fence done this summer, and although I’ve gotten an estimate for the basketweave fence, I’m still not sure if I’m going to go with that.
Hi,
Since my wife and I have a ’58 design split level, half in red brick and half in wood, I repainted the house-body wood pale aqua, but the garage door white (like all the trim work), and hung aqua fabric inside the garage door windows. This way I can, should I ever choose to do so, change the color of the windows themselves.
It’s an option. Some of those doors are sort of cool, some are just insane!
Ronn at FUTURES Antiques
Hi,
TYPO correction: “I repainted the house-body and garage door wood pale aqua (the trim work is white), and hung darker aqua fabric inside the garage door windows. This way I can, should I ever choose to do so, change the color of the windows themselves”.
Doh!
(I was thinking of earlier, sorry.)
Ronn.
Some good garage door samples here:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/43476754@N00/
From the Westlake district south of San Francisco.
An area of small MCM homes that we used to make fun of when I lived in San Fran in the ’70s, and that has now become very appreciated. They’re built vertically, rather than ranch-y, on narrow lots in the typically San Franciscan manor. There’s a book out about the nabe now, “Little Boxes”.
Had original steel kitchens, too. Check this photo of one with a cool chrome strip running through the wall tile:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/thomwatson/143801276/
Just searching “westlake” on Flickr yields oodles of goodies.
There’s lots and lots of these in Chicago, though I think… RayDoor? Raynor? Something like that — provided most of them.
http://www.flickr.com/photos/repowers/sets/72157604837187419/
Oh my, my ,my…
How could I never have found this before!
One of the features needed for the AtomicBowler Family Dream House is definitely a cool garage door, whether it comes that way or not! I have my mind’s eye on a horizontal diamond theme, personally.
But what to put in front of it? In the drive?
I am not a motorhome guy, just not.
I never thought I’d say it in my life, but I’m sick of boats as owned items and sick of sailboat cruising as a vacation. Laura spent plenty of time on voyaging boats and doing coastal-cruising, too, so there is no conflict there. Besides, you can’t park the boat in the driveway and look cool.
Yes, this IS still about my garage door…I need something to complete the tableau once a year before vacation time!
Even ‘who-cares’ vintage cars are real expensive anymore, so I am thinking to the last on my list here for relative affordability and also looking to fuel economy as well (at least I owned a ’69 Caddy once in my life. Sigh…). Am thinking of a tiny Airstream trailer pulled by something totally goofy like an old AMC Matador or a Plymouth Valiant 4-door with an inline 6 and the push-button automatic trans! Any other suggestions?
Just remember, it has to look COOL, I mean BOSS (!) in front of my garage door for a week before and a week after vacation time before going back to storage!
Dave
Those doors are great! So exuberant!
And the T-bird is a nice touch. We have a ’55 t-bird in our garage, but I think the neighbors might be a little put out if we painted our garage door with such gusto.
Is that T-Bird hot or what? The house is a little bland for the ’50s. Wrought-iron was a big accent feature.