Clopay first partnered with Anthony Carrino in 2019 on the renovation of a historic New Jersey firehouse – his former office and workspace -- that he converted into his personal residence.

The garage door is the iconic face of the firehouse and was oversized, which limited the construction material options. And he had to win the approval of the local historic preservation board, keeping the design in character with the era of the building. With those challenges in mind, he worked with Clopay to design a Reserve Extira wood composite door that would honor the time period, withstand the elements, and keep the space insulated.

So, when it came time to transform the “barn garage” at his upstate New York retreat into the workshop he’s always dreamed about, Anthony once again looked to Clopay for a solution, this time with fewer restrictions. He saw the Avante Sleek garage door at the International Builders’ Show in Las Vegas and knew it was the right door for the rustic modern space he had in mind.

Anthony has wanted to create a workshop in his garage since he and his wife first bought the property a couple of years ago, but it needed work. The garage had been a staging area for the whole house renovation so it needed to be cleaned out and organized. The existing doors weren’t in good shape. Made of wood, they were thin and didn’t have any weather stripping to keep out the wind and moisture.

Anthony chose black aluminum frame garage doors with clear glass windows to match the style and color of the window and entry door he had already installed.

A glass garage door might not seem like the obvious choice for the location of the house, but the space has a heater and he chose insulated glass and an insulated aluminum frame to give him the same level of efficiency as the window and door.

Interior view with powder-coated hardware.

Since the house is situated in a private, rural area, seeing inside the garage isn’t a concern, nor is there pressure to always keep it clean.

The Sleek is a newer version of the Avante with no vertical stiles so it has wide, unobstructed views and lets in tons of natural light.

Another option Anthony took advantage of to keep the inside of the space looking clean and modern is powder-coated hardware and track to match the frame of the door. They essentially disappear.

You can watch the full barn makeover on YouTube. Special thanks to Aquarius Door for managing the installation process.