By Kai Iris
Often the first thing people notice about your home is the garage door. It takes up a lot of real estate on your property. Some homeowners today are looking for unique garage doors and those that make a statement. And with more garages being transformed into living spaces, garage doors do more than protect vehicles.
Today more than ever, people are utilizing their garage in new and innovative ways. Instead of moving to a larger property, they are using their garage as an extra room. Often it turns into a man cave, she-shed, home gym, or lounging area when friends are over.
With garages doing double duty, it is more important than ever to pay extra attention to the garage door. It can be more than just a closure, like the rest of the home, it can be a design element.
Garages Conversions
Home expert Bob Vila has some great ideas if you are looking to expand your living space into the garage. If you are looking for some great ideas and inspiration to transform your garage into a viable living space, you should find some here.
- Home Gym: The wide-open space in the garage is ideal for a home gym. Ceiling beams are great for hanging equipment. When it’s nice outside, you can open the garage door and enjoy an open-air workout.
- Home Office:With a glass garage door bringing in natural light, a garage can be turned into a home office. The garage is a private location away from the rest of the house that can become a great workspace.
- Playroom:As long as the area is secure, a garage can become an extra room used as a child’s playroom. You’ll want to make sure the room is safe, secure, and suitable for kids first, though.
- Man Cave:Most garages do not need much to become a man cave, a refrigerator for beer, a big-screen TV, and a place to sit. DONE!
- Craft Room:Instead of taking up a room in the house, crafters can turn their garage into a dedicated craft room. Garages are perfect for storing craft materials that do not have a place in the home.
Garage Doors That Make a Statement
No matter how you use your garage, the garage door help makes a statement. And depending on how you plan to use your garage, there is a garage door that will meet your needs.
Many homeowners are content with the ho-hum, generic garage doors installed as part of their home package. Those repurposing their garage into a room usually choose a garage door that better suits their needs.
Here are some great ideas from Houzz.com for upgrading your garage door.
- Single panel: These doors go up and over the room. When they are open, they align with the ceiling, or if they are not all the way up can act as an awning.
- Carriage house/swing hung doors: These hang like single panel doors that swing out when open. To get an authentic look, use authentic-looking hardware.
- Glass doors:If you are looking to let in light, a garage door made of glass may be the perfect option.
