Garages and carports are major parts of many houses these days. In some cases where a property has no garage, homeowners would typically just have a commercial carport canopy system installed on their property. But on properties that do have built-in garages, a lot of homeowners don’t pay much attention to them. A lot of garages aren’t exactly eye candy. In fact, there are more messy and unkempt garages than there are organized and clean ones.
If you’ve been wanting to give your garage a much-needed update, here are some great ideas to transform it from drab to fab:
1. Paint the floor and walls
A great but inexpensive way to give your garage an update is to give it a new paint job. Paint the walls with moisture-blocking paint and if you can find one near you, epoxy on the floor. It looks a lot better than just a plain concrete finish plus it’s a lot easier to clean.
2. Upgrade the garage door
While most garage doors are functional, you can choose to upgrade to one that’s also aesthetic. Replacing your existing garage door with a newer model can add to your home’s curb appeal. Giving it an automated upgrade is even better.
3. Add a few windows to it
Installing a few windows in your garage allows for better natural lighting and ventilation inside. It takes away the feel of a storage room and makes it feel like an extension of your home’s interior and not a completely separate purely functional space. You may also choose to install screen doors and windows for better air circulation.
4. Convert it into a living space
Speaking of interiors, if your home has a garage but you don’t own a car, you can convert it into an additional room that you can use. You can turn it into a home office, gym, man cave, guest room, or whatever suits you. At the very least, you can divide the garage into different sections so you can still use it to park your car and add some square footage to your property.
5. … Or add a loft and turn it into additional living space
If you do own a car but want to add some floor area to your property and you have a garage with a high ceiling, you can build a loft and create whatever space you’d like. Doing this can significantly increase your home’s market value, especially if the loft comes with a full kitchen and bath.
6. Soundproof it
If your garage doubles as a workshop of some sort for your craft such as woodwork, machine work, music, and dance among others, why not have the garage soundproofed? Not only will it minimize all the noise you make and keep it from being heard in your neighborhood but it also gives you better acoustics.
7. Add insulation to the walls and garage door
Insulation is important in a garage. An extra layer of protection from the harsh weather will do a lot of good. If you don’t already have insulation in your garage, it is recommended that you have it insulated, including the garage door.
8. Clean and reorganize from time to time
Understandably, it takes time to clean out a garage, not to mention messy. But if you do it regularly, it will make cleaning and organizing a lot easier compared to doing it once or twice a year.
9. Add vertical or ceiling storage
If you’re short on storage space inside the house, a garage can also double as a storage area. However, you need to do it right so that it can still serve its purpose as your car’s shelter. Installing shelves, cabinets, or overhead storage will help keep all of your things in order without eating up space that belongs to your vehicle. Slatwall and pegboards make for nice wall organizers that are also aesthetically pleasing.
10. Have a heating and cooling system installed
In most cases, heating and cooling aren’t really talked about when it comes to garages. However, it is advisable to have a heating and cooling system installed in your garage, even a small one, to help regulate the temperature inside and make it comfortable.
Giving your garage the attention and care it needs can help make your home a much more pleasant place and add significant value to it. Do you have other great ideas for turning a dull garage into a “wow” garage? Feel free to share them with us in the comments section below.
