Well, 2020 is behind us, and needless to say we don’t think anyone will miss it. It was a tough year for so many people. Here at Prestige Door, our hearts go out to those who lost jobs, lost loved ones, or otherwise lost their way of life, like so many of us. But we are optimistic. We see good times ahead for the year, and prosperity returning as we look at 2022 on the horizon. We also anticipate a lot of change in our industry. The garage door trends we see ahead will continue evolving our industry.
Though the year was bad on all accounts, a significant bit of news in 2020 put a spotlight on the need for a garage door your home deserves. Remodeling magazine and the National Association of Realtors (NAR) put together a Cost vs. Value Report that looked at the most important home investments for better curb appeal and return on investment, and the results were a big deal for garage doors. Based on the report, exterior replacement projects are considered some of the most valuable from an ROI perspective. The report also found that U.S. homeowners who installed a new garage door before sale saw an average of 94.5% ROI at resale. In select markets, that figure went as high as 132.7%. These are not-insignificant numbers.
So, with the data telling us how important garage doors are, let’s take a deeper look at 2020 gave us and what 2021 as in store. The world of garage doors is ever-evolving and this looks to be a big year.
2020: The Year of the Smart Garage
We don’t necessarily want to look back at 2020, but when it comes to trends in the garage door space, it was an important year, and it deserves some discussion on the merits. There were particular home trends, especially in the IoT and smart technology space, that really set garage door pundits abuzz. Keeping up with the Joneses is now about more than exterior paint, it’s about things like Wi-Fi connected garage door openers.
The fact is, future garage door technology innovations have turned the garage into a far more different space than just a room for your car. Just look at the universal remote. What once used to be an essential for your living room, the universal remote now has a home in your garage. Universal wireless keypads simplifies your life with one device and one pin for multiple garage door openers. Universal remotes can also be programmed to operate multiple garage door openers or gate receivers. With pre-programmed features and a small, convenient size, universal devices might be just what you need.
Other notable 2020 smart tech garage door trends included apps and connected devices. Many homeowners now have the option of linking up their garage door devices with those in the house. Through convenient smart phone apps, whether through an OEM or third-party, homeowners can access all of their smart home technologies in one place. Want to open the garage door or turn a light on? There’s an app for that. And interoperability is better than ever before.
2021: The Year of Security
If 2020 was all about smart technologies, 2021 will be about security technologies. And in many cases it will be about the combination of the two. You don’t have to live in an unsafe place to understand the value in security technologies. Many a homeowner has asked themselves once or twice, “How secure is my garage?” Adding security enhancements to your home is one garage door trend that continues to gain momentum in the marketplace.
This is also where security and connectivity come together. It is all about smart lights and swivel-headed cameras; landscaping camouflage and shielded keypads. Are you worried Wi-Fi enabled garage door openers can be hacked? Well, worry not. Vendors have come out with advanced technologies to keep thieves from hacking into smart technology. And the fight continues even into cyberspace. The days of robots patrolling your yard aren’t far behind.
Homeowners from Akron to Canton have invested in upgrades of all types. From reinforced entry points to upgraded security access systems, 2021 is going to be the year of security. Homeowners want peace of mind and this is one garage door trend that is going to give it to them. Safety prioritization never goes out of style.
The Year Ahead in Garage Door Trends
When it comes to garage door future trends, don’t expect technology to steal the spotlight completely. Also consider design as an ever-evolving space. Contemporary design has roared back as a topic of interest in the garage door space. Expect 2021 to continue the trends we saw in years past: Movement towards sleek, efficient aesthetics that blend usability and beauty. Homeowners continue their interest in garage doors that have clean lines and provide a complementary flow to the rest of the home’s exterior. Windows will continue to gain steam as more people convert their garages into multi-use spaces.
If you are considering a new garage door for design reasons, don’t be afraid to get creative. There are two schools of thoughts when it comes to garage door design. One, keep it simple and don’t take away from the home’s other architectural stylings. Two, go bold and try different window designs, panel patterns, or even colors. Customization enhancement is not a short-term trend. Vendors now offer web-based tools where homeowners can experiment with the remodeling process and get super creative about their home’s exterior design aesthetic.
Insulated steel garage doors, modern aluminum garage doors, and stylish wood looks will continue to dominate the marketplace. Incremental advances in materials sciences will yield ever lighter and ever stronger doors, and composite materials continue to show promise, but the real innovation will remain in technology and design. Don’t expect any tectonic shifts when it comes to materials.
Do you have questions about potentially upgrading your garage door? Do some of the technologies and capabilities in today’s blog intrigue you? Contact Prestige Door today, we are happy to help you through the selection process as you ponder tomorrow’s garage door trends.