DESIGN TREND: The lowly garage is finally getting some love

Men are driving the overdue overhaul of the long-neglected garage with a bevy of sleek, high-tech, and useful products now burning up the marketplace

For decades the humble garage served as a utilitarian space to store everything from lawn maintenance equipment, to noxious chemicals like paint, gasoline, and herbicides, to grandma’s treasured-but-aging cedar chest, to Christmas decorations, and if there was any room left, a vehicle or two. Most were miserably hot and featured a hodgepodge of rickety storage solutions packed so full of flotsam and jetsam that actually finding anything when you went to look for it would’ve been a miracle.

But that’s all begun to change and in a HUGE way.

Men began to demand spaces of their own, and the trend began with a place in the house to relax and play – the mancave. You know the old saying, “All work and no play makes Jack a dull boy.” But now, the emphasis is on the work part of that equation, and the ignoble garage is the beneficiary.

From durable themed flooring options and sleek storage solutions to manly wall art and smart garage doors, the garage is no longer an afterthought. In this article, we’ll explore some of the hottest trends and options to upgrade your garage and make it a workspace any red-blooded American male would be proud to own.

Epoxy Floors

Epoxy floor coatings spruce up the look of a garage giving it a more refined feel than bare concrete and are available in a range of colors from flecks to solids to metallic finishes.

Epoxy floors are tailor made for garages. These multi-layered floors protect the underlying substrate making them moisture and stain resistant to many of the chemicals you find in garages (oil, gasoline, transmission fluid, etc.). The epoxy coating makes the surface easier to clean than bare concrete, and they also provide better traction and anti-slip properties if something does get spilled on them. On top of all that, they look AMAZING!

Interlocking Floor Tiles

Garage flooring tiles interlock to form patterned or solid coverings over the top of existing substrate. Materials range from vinyl, rubber, and even carpet.

Another popular flooring option for the garage are interlocking tiles. There are numerous materials and options in this category from vinyl, to rubber and even carpet. All have there advantages and disadvantages as well as price points.

The main advantages with tiles is that they are easily replaced if the need arises. Just pull up the bad section and fill it in with new material. Tiles also allow for some wild and interesting patterns. Race fans might opt for a black and white checkered flag-style pattern for example. Additionally, tiles are generally easier to install because there’s less prep work than with multi-layer epoxy coatings.

However, some downsides are that garage flooring tiles aren’t as durable as epoxy, and depending on the material, may require more maintenance and effort to keep clean.

Cabinets and Storage Systems

Cabinets and wall storage manufacturers offer a plethora of options to keep tools, recreational gear, and automotive equipment organized and stored safely in sleek bins, drawers, racks, and slatwall systems.

The main purpose of a garage is to store things, and storage systems for garages have come a long way. Those workbenches and shelves made from scrap lumber left over from previous DIY projects just don’t cut it anymore when you have options like the ones in the gallery above.

The first thing you really should do is assess what kinds of gear you have in your garage so you can determine the most appropriate storage solutions to suit your needs. If you have lots of automotive tools, you might want to opt for rolling tool boxes that allow you to bring tools closer to your work area. If you’re a woodworker or just need space to tinker with projects, you’ll probably need to have one or two built-in work surfaces with plenty of lighting. Lots of lawn maintenance and gardening equipment might mean you need a series of peg boards or slatwall storage panels mounted to the walls which will allow you to hang ladders, rakes, hedge trimmers, garden hoses, etc. Got a lot of holiday decorations you’re not sure what to do with? Perhaps a series of overhead racks that accommodate deep storage bins are the answer.

The whole idea of these storage systems is to de-clutter the space. Cabinets are the workhorse here, and they also have arguably the biggest impact on the overall look and feel of your garage. Today’s cabinet manufacturers offer products in a wide array of colors, styles, and materials. So, it’s important to not only decide which components will work best to store your stuff, but also what you want the finish of the cabinets to be in order to match the look you’re going for in terms of the design of the garage’s decor.

All of these components will allow you to maximize the space you have in your garage while still keeping the items available for use when you need them. If used properly, these modern storage systems keep tools at your fingertips so you can find them at a moment’s notice.

Garage Doors

Bold colors and a mix of modern and traditional styling cues are among the hottest trends in garage door design.

As with most things associated with the garage, the garage door has always been mostly about practicality. But style is important too, especially with an element that can influence a home’s curb appeal to the degree a garage door can. Depending on the design of the house, a garage door can occupy 1/3 to 1/2 of a home’s exterior facade and dictate to a large degree the way a home looks from the street.

Increasingly, homeowners are no longer content with nondescript, vanilla garage doors. They’re demanding styles that make a statement and elevate curb appeal. Manufacturers are responding with striking garage door designs that feature both modern and classic looks like mid-century modern styling elements as well as traditional but updated carriage-house highlights as two examples of popular garage door styles currently on the market.

Bold colors are also all the rage. The philosophy used to be to try to de-emphasize the boring garage door and make it blend in with subtle paint choices, but now smoky grays, deep browns, and even bright reds are among the most popular choices.

Materials are also part of the equation. Steel is still the most ubiquitous choice, but manufacturers are also selling more wood and even glass garage doors these days as homeowners want more sophisticated and refined to help their homes make a great first impression.

Garage wall decor

Popular garage wall decor options range from vintage signs and license plates, to large-scale automotive themed murals to rustic pallet wood accent walls.

Last but not least, it’s time to put on the finishing touches, and there’s no better way to do that than to decorate the walls of your new efficient and organized garage.

The options here are practically limitless. If you’re into collecting retro automotive memorabilia, the garage is the perfect place to display your vintage collectibles. Are you a race fan who appreciates the history of the sport? You could opt for a race-themed mural or a series of large-scale photos from your favorite moments in racing history. If you’re into woodworking, you might consider doing an accent wall using pallet wood (see image gallery above). It’s not only beautiful but also allows you to affix mounting brackets and hooks so you can hang your tools or recreational gear as well.

The idea here is to make a statement and inject some of your personality into the fit and finish. We hope the suggestions above provide a springboard for your imagination to start enjoying a space that has simply been an afterthought in the mind of most homeowners. It’s exciting to see it finally coming into its own.