Doors with a difference

Southern Living, Sep 1998 by Nesmith, Lynn

Garage doors. They are a fact of life, but not necessarily one of the ugly realities. At least not at the welcoming Ridgeland, Mississippi, home of Laura and Robert Lampton.

"We enter the house through the garage several times every day," says Laura. "If that's the first thing we see, shouldn't it be just as inviting as our own front door?"

Rather than ordinary squared-off openings, gentle arches frame the doorways to lessen the visual impact of the double bay. Recycled bricks with varied textures and coloring further accentuate the deep archways.

Because Laura and Robert considered the garage early in the design process, it was much easier and economical to incorporate special features. The Lamptons started with a standard aluminum garage door and then added custom cypress louvers. Five hinges of the wooden panels align with the hinges on the operable aluminum door to fold up within the garage.

Robert chose the highest powered standard electronic door opener, which attaches directly to the aluminum door for easy access. For a more finished look, 2 x 4s stained to match the wood louvers surround the metal frame.

Copper gutters, downspouts, and a gas lantern complete this new home's engaging old-world character-no matter which door you enter. Lynn Nesmith