DocL
Even tho currently you are not having HOA issues with what your are doing, does not mean a new board member, (or even a another homeowner complaining to the HOA) somtime in the future wont come down on you for not putting you garbage cans in the garage. If that rule gets enforced on you, what are you gonna do? comply, and put your beautiful car on the driveway (oops, maybe your HOA does not allow cars on the driveway, or in the street overnight), or put your smelly dirty trash cans next to you pride and joy and stink up the garage and cars ? (no offense on the stinky dirty trash can thing) Or if they notice your non compliant faux finish on the garage door and ask "did you get the HOA approval on that?" be prepared to have it removed and put back to neighborhood standard. I am not saying this is will happen to you, but this type of thing happens all the time, way, way more often than it should makes your life miserable.
I have had different HOA people over the years knock on my door and ask "did you get HOA approval for that ....fountain" I say "yes", they say "show me in writting", I say "I already did the last time you asked", they say "dosent matter show me in writting", I go dig it out of the file cabinet and show them where it was approved by the HOA 15 years ago. I am so glad I kept my records of the HOA spprovals (That was a friendlier board back then), otherwise I would have to remove my fountain, jackhammer out my side driveway, replace my front door...etc...etc. The moral is get HOA approval on whatever changes you do to the front and keep the written approval, because you never know who will be on the board next year.
My HOA will not allow me to fly my American flag 365 days a year in the front of my house, sorry for being an American and proud of it. They said only on certain holidays I can put it out front. So, I fly my 8 foot flag in the garage 365 days a year, so whenever the door is open, there is the flag for them to see. (I dont have any of that nonsense about the garage as some people have posted their HOA have) So I try to obey the rules or I work around the rules when I can.