Stylish Garage Door Window Ideas

by Rachel Lyon, Editorial Director for Direct from the Designers™

When it comes time to choose a garage door, be sure to explore all the finishes and features that can help set your home apart. The right door design and color is just the beginning—have you considered how windows might increase visual interest, and curb appeal as a result? Don’t overlook the great wide world of garage door windows, because they could be the missing element you’ve been searching for.

Garage Door Window Designs

Different architectural styles call for different types of garage doors. Within those categories, though, there’s plenty of variation that lets you tailor the look to your liking! In addition to various panel designs, you’ll usually find a number of windowed top sections offered in each garage door collection. The window opening(s) come in different shapes and may include divided lites, so they’re ready to complement all sorts of homes.

Take a step back and look at the whole picture before committing to a particular garage door design. Windows add definition and it’s important to make sure they complement the entire façade. For instance, if you have other arched elements on the house—windows, doorways, an eyebrow dormer, etc.—you might like to continue the theme with the garage door. There are arched doors with arched windows to match, as well as rectangular doors with arched windows if you have a square garage opening. While this makes a great choice for many, rectangular windows are suited to most house styles, so stick to them if you don’t want the extra Mediterranean flair.

When it comes to lites, you can also take inspiration from the windows on the rest of the house. Opt for more smaller lites for an older traditional look, or for fewer large lites to look a bit more modern. If you’d like to mix it up, accentuating the garage door by giving it more window lites compared to the rest of the house usually produces a better picture than the other way around. Not sure where the balance lies? Try the Door Imagination System™ to test different looks!

Types of Glass

Many people like the curb appeal garage door windows provide, and the natural light they allow into the garage, but homeowners can be concerned about privacy. Doors with windows offer clear glass, of course, but many also have specialty glasses as an option; you can use things like obscure, frosted, rain, and seeded glass to add style and conceal what you have stored inside. If you want to use these windows to add old-fashioned architectural interest, consider the seeded glass—it’s what glass looked like in colonial times, when carriage house doors were in their heyday.

Modern and contemporary garage doors that make a statement with large glass panels give you a lot more options. The potential privacy concerns are greater, but these doors are also a lot simpler in construction, and the right panels can help them set the right tone for your house. There’s clear and tinted glass and acrylic, privacy glass patterns, laminated glass, etc. You could completely change the vibe of your façade depending on your choice, so think about the other hues on the house, the quantity of windows it shows to the street, and the overall effect you’re going for. With this kind of architecture, you can go as plain or bold as you like.

Decorative Extras

Perhaps you’re looking for a bit more oomph? Depending on the kind of door you’re looking at, you’ll sometimes find unique glass insert options. Some have straight lines and square patterns, and others feature curves and swirled motifs. They use delicate caming and thick wrought iron details to achieve the desired effect, and they are suitable for a variety of traditional architectural styles—think Mission, Mediterranean, Victorian, etc. Decorative glass is definitely worth a look if you want exceptionally unique garage doors that stand out from your neighbors’!

No matter your aesthetic preferences, Clopay® Garage Doors has a suite of options spanning all architectural styles and materials, and with a wide variety of window design possibilities. There’s a lot more room for customization than you probably think! Take a look at some garage door inspiration to see how so many homes can be elevated by garage doors with windows, and start a conversation with a local dealer for help designing your own!