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Pandemic restrictions have many families transforming their garages
Everest takes you from dark dungeon to cozy hangout in 6 easy steps
Throughout COVID-19, countless families spent their days repurposing their homes’ various spaces for work, play, relaxation, and entertainment. Last summer, backyards, gardens, pools, and patios had a huge moment. But once cooler weather crept in, homeowners turned their sights toward an area of the home that was previously off limits: the garage.
For years, your car’s headquarters served as dad’s workshop or mom’s pantry. Once in a while, a handy homeowner might convert the garage into a guest bedroom or grandparents’ apartment. But even then, garages held a certain stigma—dark, gloomy, cold, and cluttered.
Flash forward to 2021, and even prospective homebuyers are expecting this once separate bay to be a fully functional, livable space for the entire family to enjoy. Yes—the garage is now considered an extension of the actual home.
What’s driving the trend?
Of course, quarantine restrictions have many American families staying home. But beyond the pandemic, builders are also well aware of people’s changing needs. According to Lauren Shanesy of BuilderOnline, today’s garages serve a multitude of purposes.
“From fully outfitted work stations for a variety of hobbies to an area to store equipment for outdoor recreational activities and other pastimes, consumers now expect the garage to be a fully functioning part of their home,” she says. “Successful builders will meet buyer demand by designing garages with room for cars, storage space, hobbies, and more.”
It’s no surprise that 60% of homes built over the past 20 years feature two-car garages. In the past decade, over 20% of new builds contained a three-car garage—and only 6% of homes had one-car garages. Clearly, size matters.
Shanesy makes the point that a person’s car is likely the second most costly possession they own. Still, shelter from weather doesn’t make the ‘dream garage.’ Families are now on the hunt for a beautiful flex space they can use as an additional bedroom, family room, craft room, home bar, or mancave.
With such high expectations, cement floors and unfinished walls aren’t going to cut it. Whether you’re preparing to sell or hoping to make your own indoor carport more livable, Everest has some amazing garage hacks to get you started.
6 Tips for a Successful Garage Makeover
1. Finish the walls
This part can get expensive, but it’s well worth it.
By properly insulating and drywalling your space, you’ll instantly feel like you’re ‘inside.’ Your new hangout will be more aesthetically pleasing and year-round weatherproof. Not to mention, the space will be infinitely easier to paint, decorate, and organize.
If a drywall overhaul isn’t in the cards, consider sustainable alternatives such as brick, fiberglass, or veneer concrete. And if price is your motivation, opt for pegboards, MDF boards, or PVC wall panels.
2. Use vertical storage
If you’re going for a truly livable space, you have to start by organizing the various ‘stuff’ you have in storage. Instead of boxes and equipment taking up room on the floor, look to the ceiling. Install floating shelves and hooks for small tools and equipment. Hang bicycles up high on the wall. You can also line the perimeter of the room with shelving units for larger totes and sporting equipment.
The more vertical storage, the better.
3. Redo the floors
Nothing screams ‘uninviting’ more than cold concrete. Even if a big renovation isn’t in your budget, there are many ways you can improve your garage floors quickly and affordably. Head to your local hardware store for a couple of gallons of garage floor paint. Or, for a warmer feel, interlocking tile systems come in countless colors and install in minutes. Many are also waterproof and are designed to hold a car’s weight.
4. Get the door working
The problem with many garages is that their door systems are notoriously faulty. Over time, rollers, tracks, and hinges become dirty, dry, rusted, or completely inoperable. Lazy homeowners may skip the costly maintenance and simply rely on the old pully method.
If you want to transform your space into a cozy hangout, you absolutely must have a working automatic door. This luxury makes it effortless to move inside to outdoors, especially during mild fall and spring months. Keeping the door open also lets in natural light, which many garages desperately need.
5. Install a mini-split system
Safety and comfort go hand in hand. If you want to keep your garage up to code while making it livable, a ductless mini split system is an excellent investment. For relatively low cost, this unit performs double duty, serving as both an air conditioner and heater.
Temperature control is paramount to your garage’s usability as a flex space. With heating and cooling available on demand, your dark den transforms into a cozy getaway.
6. Move in patio furniture
During the off season, don’t let your patio furniture collect dust in storage. Outdoor sofas, picnic tables, beach chairs, and bar sets can all be jazzed up for indoor use. Pile your lounge pieces high with cushions, throw blankets, and pillows for additional comfort. Toss a tablecloth over a wrought iron bistro table. The entire family will love cozying up to play games, eat snacks, and gather with neighborhood friends.
To take your décor up a notch, don’t forget an area rug, wall art, and mini fridge stocked with water and soda.
Everest says: we’re always move-in ready!