A house without a garage is a tough sell. But garages aren’t just for parking your car anymore.  And as this realtor notes, a great garage, or a not-so-great garage, can make or break a home.

Here are some thoughts on roomy, well-designed and well-organized garages including how they can add value to homes and make them more livable.

General Trends

• Two-car garages…outdated? Yes, it’s true. Even the standard bearer is too small for America’s growing families with lots of stuff and driving teenagers.
• Don’t just add bays – make them bigger. Homeowners need more room for larger cars and want extra space for things like workshops, hobby rooms, playrooms, wood shops, etc. And thanks to insulated garage doors, which can make the garage as warm as the inside of the home, they’re able to use all of these spaces year-round.
• Everyone knows side-load garages are more popular than front-load garages, but these days, garages are also moving to the rear of the home; many people are even opting for detached garages.
• Another trend is elevators for cars. These contraptions, which cost less than a used Honda and allow you to park cars on top of each other, are being installed by space-constrained homeowners with disposable income and early adopters who love gadgets.

Garage Design

Sure, garages are utilitarian, but that doesn’t mean homeowners are willing to sacrifice style.

• More builders are integrating garages into the design of the home for a seamless feel. Concrete floors and unfinished walls are being replaced with painted and sealed or polypropylene tiled floors and finished walls and ceilings for a clean, polished look.
• Want to show off your gorgeous car or orderly workshop? Garage doors made of glass and aluminum are operated like any other garage door but integrate an eye-catching design element. For more privacy, choose frosted glass.
• You can have the look and feel of wood without the cost or hassle. A garage door that looks like wood (but isn’t) stands up to the elements and is inexpensive to maintain.
• Get the look of an old carriage house. These doors appear to swing open from the middle, but they open like any other garage door.
• Fluorescent lighting, especially the natural variety, is easy on the eyes. It’s also inexpensive, an important point since many of us tend to leave our garage lights burning.

Garage Storage

Smart design contributes to smart organization. Let’s face it – most of us have a lot of stuff. The demand for products like outdoor shelving and similar products is outpacing the demand for indoor products, and it should continue to grow. Toys and other “clutter” that used to live in the basement or family room are migrating to the garage. That means homeowners are on the hunt for products like:

• Specialty racks or wall hooks for bicycles, gardening tools, fitness gear and sports equipment
• Cabinets, bins, pull-out drawers, baskets and closets to maximize space; these can store cleaning supplies, tools, craft projects and other items

These solutions add storage space to the home’s existing footprint, eliminate clutter and create more room for cars. There are many options available, so when designing or choosing products, it’s important to think about what will be stored and where as well as how items will be accessed when cars are parked in the garage.

Getting your foot in the (garage) door now could give your business a nice lift. Which of these strategies will you implement in your designs?