Just as our home interiors have continued to improve and change, so have the exteriors – including the overlooked garage and all of its potential storage (or livable man cave space). Once a dull, dingy place to park a car or to store anything that wouldn’t fit in the house or basement, the garage has become its own important room in the home. In fact, the garage is really an extension of our interior living space as 95% of homeowners enter their homes through the garage rather than using the front or side doors. With this in mind there are some very important and useful trends to explore.
To begin a garage “makeover” it all starts with a plan from the ground up. Linda Fiore Ceolin, Marketing Director of Garage Living, says “the biggest challenge is to get all items off the floor!” As an expert in this type of design she notes that the perimeter walls are one of the best places for items that are frequently used. There are many accessories tailored specifically to organize sports items such as bikes, balls and golf bags, hardware items such as shovels and ladders, gardening tools and more. A garage can now be organized much the same way we organize the pots and pans, food and cutlery in the kitchen.
One covetable feature a garage often has over other areas in the home is high ceilings, particularly up into unfinished attic or roof space and this makes for excellent storage of seasonal items. Included in this area can be holiday decorations, toboggans, lawn furniture, summer tires and so much more. Systems are available for the effective use of this space and they allow for much easier access than a rickety ladder!
With new technology, no longer are we limited to painted or bare concrete flooring. New coatings, such as Floortex, available from Garage Living, offer a flecked decorative material that is more popular than the solid colours. Stock colour blends are available, but custom designs can also be created. As an added benefit, Floortex is environmentally friendly and salt, UV and abrasion resistant. When it’s time to clean your newfound favourite room, the floor can easily be hosed and squeegeed. There is no question, adding a colourful and functional floor to your garage is a way to transform the space.
It’s interesting to note that just as grey is a popular interior décor colour, it’s also trending in the garage as well. Grey, metallic grey and silver exterior cabinetries are the newest looks for garage storage. Cabinetry is best for hiding frequently used items from view. Paint cans and potting soil, cleaning supplies and tools all are necessary, but when not properly stored, can create visual clutter. Tools can be specifically managed in easy gliding drawers, complete with anti-slip liners.
Thinking that your garage is too small to organize? Think again: most garage organization companies can work with all sizes of garage spaces. Even a one-car garage provides ample perimeter wall space for slat wall organization as well as overhead storage space. And rather than investing in a costly renovation to enlarge your garage, a car-lift can create two-car parking instantly (and it’s pretty cool too).
The garage is not just for parking bikes, scooters or the car any more. It has the potential to function as well as other key interior spaces, plus there is no reason why it can’t also be a cool looking space reflective of your aesthetic style.
by Jane Lockhart
Local Links
Garage Living, Vaughan showroom
garageliving.ca
Aurora Overhead Door
auroraoverheaddoor.ca
3 Solutions, Newmarket
solutions-stores.ca
