The garage is no longer just a place to park your cars. They have become part of the houses as well as part of the entertainment area. Have a group of friends over and if you have a cool garage I’ll bet the living room and kitchen grows quiet and the women start to ask where the guys are. If you have a great garage, I can tell you where they are. (A cool car also helps.)
It all starts with great space planning and a good idea to expand the area.
The first thing people should do is add extra power to your electric panel and feed the area with outlets because you’re going to need them. The flat screen on the wall and the Sonos music sound system is a nice touch as well
The second thing is to add a HotDog heater to the ceiling. If you live in Wisconsin this is a luxury but to quote the four most common and expensive words in any remodel “while you’re at it” you may as well add this too. You will thank me later. What’s better than getting into a warm car when it’s cold outside.
The third thing you’re going to need to do is to add cabinets and shelving along with a countertop. Great garage spaces like this need these essential items. They actually cause you to spend more time on hobbies and keeping it clean. Adding the counter space with outlets allows you to extend the kitchen by adding cooking items that can save space during the holidays. A Nesco roaster, the Wolf countertop oven or a slow cooker. I can’t tell you how many times our garage has been used for this very purpose twice a year. Just step out the back door and all those items are cooking away while the other dishes are being prepared in the kitchen. A great garage allows this to happen.
The cabinets come into play a lot more then you would think. They’re used for everything you can think and at our house I don’t work on the car but the cabinets store everything but car stuff. (I wash and wax the car. That’s it. I have no other car skills.)
There are all kinds of cabinet styles to choose from but for a garage, I prefer a flat front finish with a push to open mechanism. It’s a clean look and perfect for a garage.
Taller cabinets can store all your winter jackets, coats and athletic gear to free up the basement and laundry room. I know some people who use the garage shelving area like a mudroom with a bench and lockers right there to hang up jackets and muddy shoes. It’s perfect.
If you really get creative you can make the garage into a ping pong area with a folding table and a great floor. If the heater is turned on you can play all day and night. Add a beverage center under the cabinets and you turned your once tired old garage into a dynamic space for entertaining.
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