When it comes time to build your custom home, don’t forget about the garage. Not only will a great looking garage add curb appeal, it also has the potential to be so much more than just a place to store your cars.
Today’s garages are true multifunctional spaces. They double as art studios, home offices and gyms. Many custom garages have extra living space for guests, full kitchens, and entertainment systems, while others have special features for car enthusiasts like hydraulic lifts and washing stations.
Below we discuss some important things to consider when creating a custom garage for your home.
Choose beautiful custom garage doors. The right garage door can really elevate the look of your home. Luckily, when you’re ready to choose the best one for your home, you’ve got plenty of options. Nearly every garage door can be customized to fit the style of your custom home beautifully.
If your home’s look is more traditional, consider carriage house style garage doors. Glass and aluminum garage doors work well on more contemporary, modern homes, while custom wood garage doors – whether they’re made from mahogany or oak – work very well on all types of homes.
Include living space. While the ultimate purpose of your garage is to house and protect your cars, it can be used for so much more, so when it comes time to design your custom garage, why not add living space? You could take a nod from traditional carriage houses and add a second story for your guests, complete with a kitchen, bathroom, and bedroom.
If you work from home, or have children who need extra study space, consider adding an office. With extra sources of light like skylights, your garage could also house an art studio, and with padded flooring and a good sound system, it could easily include a home gym.
Love cars? If you enjoy zipping around through country roads, or if your idea of the perfect weekend is getting to spend time tinkering under the hood of a vintage automobile, you’re going to want a garage designed for a car enthusiast.
First, consider adding a lounge area where you can take a load off and relax. The space could include a comfortable sofa and chairs, a mini-fridge or kitchenette, and an entertainment system complete with a television to watch races.
You could also add a washing station. And if you’re really serious working on cars, consider investing in a professionally installed hydraulic lift.
Don’t forget to add storage. While you can find storage solutions for your garage at your local home improvement store and even at IKEA, we recommend customized garage storage that can be tailored to your family’s needs and to truly optimize your garage’s functionality.
A current trend that’s here to stay is stainless steel cabinetry for the garage. Not only is it durable and an excellent storage option for items commonly found in the garage, like tools and sporting equipment, it’s also ideal for storing security and media electronic devices as well.
A word about flooring. The typical cement garage floor is usually full of oil spots, dirt, and grime – not to mention antifreeze and residue from the road. To create a great looking garage, you’re going to want to choose a flooring solution that’s easy to clean.
If you’re going to be using materials in your garage – whether you’re working under the hood or painting on a canvas – we suggest flooring made with an epoxy/polyaspartic coating. These floors are stain resistant and come in a variety of colors. This flooring will also serve to protect your garage floor, so it will stay in great shape for years to come.
For other areas of the garage that aren’t used for storing your vehicles, take a look at natural stone with epoxy coating flooring, or wood laminate. A word about laminate: Only use it if you’ve got a garage that can be temperature controlled.
Keep it secure. The key to a secure garage starts with the garage door. Make sure yours is secure by checking to see if it properly fits in the garage door frame and secures to the ground. If it doesn’t, contact a garage door professional who can either repair the garage door or replace it with one that fits.
You’ll also want to make sure your garage door locks properly and that the garage door opener is working optimally. LiftMaster garage doors with myQ connectivity are a great addition to your home because they let you control your garage door from anywhere in the world.
Want to learn more about creating a great custom garage for your home? Give the team at Classic Living Homes a call. We’ve built some fantastic garages for our clients and would love to build one for you, too.
Our thanks to Garage Living Cincinnati for featured garage interior image use.
