When you imagine a garage, you probably think of a boring building full of old toys, a few tools, and, if you’re lucky enough to have room for them, your cars. The truth is that can be so much more. If you’re considering building a new garage on your property, think about the unique ways you can create usable space that is about more than parking. Check out these ideas for inspiration.
- Turn It Into a Home Office
Do you own your own business? Are you thinking of making and selling a product? Your garage is the perfect place to call a home office and “warehouse” space, especially if you build a detached one. The garage is far enough away from the main living space that you’ll have a quiet place to work but close enough that you can keep an eye on the kids or take care of other home duties throughout the day. Having a separate workspace when working from home also makes your company look more professional, especially if you tend to see clients in person. You’ll be able to add lighting and décor that is as casual or as classic as you need it to be.
- Use It as a Unique Family Space
If you don’t have a lot of extra space in your home, you probably feel like you’re always tripping over toys or video game centers. Why not turn a garage into the entertainment center in your home? Depending on its size, you have plenty of room to add all types of fun things. Add a playroom for the kids, install a widescreen television with your favorite gaming systems, put in some comfortable couches. You might even consider a pool table, snack area, or movie theater seats. Unique carpets or area rugs can help to make the space feel homier.
- Create a Home Gym
A family that loves to keep fitness at the forefront can benefit from . Think of all the membership fees that you’ll save! Using a garage as gym space gives you plenty of room to spread out your machines so that nothing is too close and unsafe. It also provides you with enough room to create an area for lifting weights or to add a mirror so that you can work on dance moves as part of your workout routine. If you’re even more adventurous, a garage is the perfect spot to install dancer’s poles or aerial ropes, both of which are excellent workouts.
- Design an Art Space
The benefits of art and music therapy have long since been proven, but those benefits can feel few and far between when the noise and mess are in the house. Why not use the garage as an art or music space? You’ll get all the benefits without the inconvenience of the hobbies taking up room inside your home. On one side of the garage, you can provide easels, chalkboards, paper, paint, crayons, scissors and everything else you need for either a casual or professional art studio. On the other side, you can create storage space for musical instruments and add a piano. If you prefer music only, you can even turn the space into a full recording studio.
- Turn It Into an Apartment
Have you been wondering how you can bring in some extra income? If you have the means to do so, considering building a space that you can turn into a rentable apartment. Companies like make it easy to choose something large enough to be an entire living space. Depending on expertise, you can add a full kitchen, separate bedroom, and full bathroom to create a spacious and luxurious design that brings in bigger rents. However, if you just need a few hundred bucks a month and want an easier job, simply provide a refrigerator, kitchen sink, and microwave for the kitchen and allow the tenant to bring in a hot plate. You can also install a standalone shower in the bathroom and create a dual living room-bedroom to design a studio apartment.
Regardless of what you decide to do with your new garage, one thing is for sure: your options are practically endless. Sure, housing your cars is convenient, but think of all the unique things you can do to add value to your life and to your property.
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