Is your garage living up to its potential? A garage can be strictly utilitarian, serving as a shelter for your car, garden tools, and miscellaneous sporting equipment. If you show your garage a little love, however, you can turn underused space into an area where you’ll want to spend time.
A garage remodel can run from simple to involved. With little more than time and elbow grease, you can get your garage organized and looking good. Invest a little more in terms of planning and cash, and you can work a floor-to-rafters transformation.
Ideas for a Garage Makeover
- A new door: Is there anything sadder than a broken-down door? It looks bad and it puts a home’s security at risk. If time or accidents have taken a toll, consider having a new garage door installed.
Garage doors range from basic to fancy. If you’ve never shopped for a door, may be surprised to see the variety of styles available. Carriage-style doors are a classic choice for traditional homes, while a contemporary design looks wonderful with modern architecture. Windows look good and add welcome natural lighting. Garage doors come in wood, metal, and other materials.
- Add flare: Sometimes everything functions in a garage, but something is lacking. It could be a lack of color or style. There’s no reason you can’t decorate a garage with the same care you use in your home. Paint the floor and walls. Paint the garage door. Add interesting-looking lighting. Decorate with inexpensive posters or paint a collage. Lay down an all-weather carpet. The only caveat when decorating a garage is to use sturdy materials. For instance, don’t use fragile textiles or valuable art that might be harmed by moisture, heat, or cold.
- Corral the clutter: You know what they say: out of sight, out of mind. Garages tend to be the repository for things we no longer use. If the garage is out of control, purging will transform the space. Many people feel an emotional weight lift when they rid themselves of extra possessions. Give your formerly-beloved but no-longer-needed items a good home by donating or selling them. Once your belongings are pared down to those things you want and use, find a place to store each item. There all sorts of practical and good-looking storage systems for garages. Make use of the vertical space in a garage. Hang tools, bikes, and shelving on walls. If you have the clearance, build a storage area below the ceiling. When everything’s organized and off the floor, you might have room for a workbench, a hobby area, or a mini gym.
- Add a sink: Is your garage plumbed? Does it have a sink? A sink in the garage can be extremely convenient. A sink can turn your garage into a mudroom, a well-equipped planting shed, or a dog-washing station. If your garage already contains a washer and dryer or a water heater, adding a sink shouldn’t be too difficult. You’ll likely need to hire a plumber, but since the water lines are in place, you won’t be starting from scratch.
Ponderosa Garage Doors install and repairs garage doors in the Vancouver and Portland metro area. Contact us today if you need help with your garage door.