A huge proportion of American homes come with a garage. Why? Because almost everyone drives and/or needs a space to store tools, motor vehicles, bicycles, and more. The majority of people use their garage space well. Some of us, however, do not utilize the space properly at all.
Garages often end up neglected, piled high to the ceiling with trash, kids’ toys, old boxes, and more, especially for people who don’t use it as a place to store their cars. They can easily become dirty, dusty, and impossible to navigate. But, it doesn’t have to be this way! Below are some great design ideas to help you make your garage look as good as the rest of your home. Not only will these tips help make your garage a nicer place to be, but they will also likely add some value to your home. Read on to find out more.
More Than Functional
Your garage does not have to simply be a functional space. Sure, it can be the place where you work on your bike, store your tools, or hide your garden upholstery in the winter, but it can be so much more. Why not make the garage a more organized, functional yet enjoyable space?
If you want your garage to be purely functional, that’s fine too. But, it still doesn’t mean it needs to be dingy, dark, gross, or damp! Let’s take a look at what you can do to create a more homely space within your garage, no matter what you want its main purpose to be.
1.Go For Custom Cabinets
One of the biggest problems people have with their garages is storage. Finding space to store all the things you don’t want in the house can be tricky. But, with cabinets in all kinds of custom designs, you can quickly build, find, or design something suited to your garage. Surprisingly, there isn’t a regulation size for garages – they come in all shapes and sizes. This is why the custom nature of great garage cabinets makes a huge difference.
If you mainly use the garage for toys, bikes, and old collectibles, get some nice bulky cabinets put in. If you use it for tools and construction work, you can find cabinets to suit drill bits, garden tools, and more, with locks on every door to ensure no little fingers get near them. Whatever you need, a great cabinet can safely and securely store it.
2.Hang Bulky Items
Once you’ve got the majority of your stuff cleared and sorted into cabinets, you can start to tackle the bigger things. Items like bicycles or bulky gardening tools can take up a huge amount of floor space if they don’t fit into your cabinets. This is why so many great garage designers choose to make use of extra wall space by hanging things up on racks. Bicycles suit wall hanging, as do a variety of tools, sports items, or ladders. This gives you plenty of space on the floor for your vehicles or other work.
3.Shine Up The Floor
Speaking of garage floors, more often than not they are simply concrete. They quickly fade, turn a dirty shade of grey, and make the whole room feel dingy. It doesn’t have to be this way! Instead, your garage floor can be a beacon of reflective light and make the room feel bigger, bolder, and better. It can be as simple as a lick of paint. You need to look for some top-quality garage floor paint that is bright, reflective, and durable. You’ll be surprised just how much difference it makes!
Doing this will also give you an easy way to clean the floor. All you need is a quick sweep and mop, and it’ll look like new again. Lots of homeowners tend to get garage coatings here after which a little regular maintenance keeps it looking fabulous. For example, one thing you need to do is ensure that any oil or gasoline spills are dealt with quickly and efficiently.
4.Paint and Decorate!
While on the subject of paint, you could also paint and decorate your garage walls. Even if you want the space to be purely functional rather than any kind of chill-out zone, there’s no harm in making it feel like a nice place to be. Paint the walls a nice neutral color to brighten them up, instead of just having bare brick or concrete. And, if you’re feeling really fancy, why not hang some paintings or posters based on your interests. Things like cars, bikes, or extreme sports posters can all bring a bit of life into your garage or workshop space.
These four simple things can truly transform your garage from a functional box with little character to an enjoyable, tidy, and interesting place to be. The simple question you have to ask yourself is: why not? Surely a nice, neat, cool room is far more enjoyable than a boring one!