Legal Question in Real Estate Law in California

Things of this sort are usually within the powers of an HOA to decide, but there are some limits on irrational and baseless order-making. This is something you might win if you got your hackles up and took the HOA to court. It cannot abuse its rulemaking powers. On the other hand, you might lose. Maybe there is some difference going beyond mere looks, such as quality, reputation, having passed some safety test, or whatever. All I can tell you is that there are some limits on HOAs. Since I don't know the HOA's rationale, I can't say whether this is an example of going too far or a reasonable exercise of authority. I suggest you quiz the particular HOA rulemaker in this situation as to precisely why your door is unacceptable. My hunch is that it's something other than appearance.