Traditionally one of the most overlooked of spaces, today's garages now provide a wealth of multifunctional opportunities for the family. The days of the garage used merely to house vehicles, seasonal decorations, work benches, and tools have made way for fashion-forward designs that attractively maximize storage, as well as allow for usable hobby and play areas enjoyed by adults and children alike.
The process of creating an effective garage design begins with a thoughtful plan. Paint and color provide simple tools that assist homeowners in achieving a customized garage.
"Bump-out" areas on the side of a garage may be designed to incorporate storage and work areas and are increasingly popular options found in newly designed and remodeled homes. As most people employ their garages for various types of storage, a wide variety of shelving and cabinets provides ways of maximizing space.
Plywood, slat-board, or specially designed organizing systems are effective options that can be handsomely painted.
Cabinetry can be customized with an attractive paint color scheme to delineate storage for specific items. Upper cabinets may be painted one color and lower cabinets another color within the palette. Introduce a third color from the desired scheme into the mix by using it to highlight cabinet drawer fronts.
A fourth color can be implemented on the interior back wall of the cabinets. Painting the inside of cabinet drawers using different hues within the color scheme provides assistance with the organization of small, hard-to-find items. Even the most inexpensive and insignificant wall hooks can be easily painted enticing colors within the scheme.
Not limited to strictly new home design, it is not surprising to find a growing number of home additions expanding their existing garage space by one or more garage bays. According to experts in the home building industry, one out of every six new homes has a garage space for three or more cars. Taking the home's exterior paint colors into consideration, explore the possibility of selecting different hues for each garage bay. Or, for more of an understated appearance, select a monochromatic garage color scheme; choosing a neutral hue and painting the walls of each bay a distinctively different intensity of the shade.
Treat the garage to the same thoughtful consideration and creative imagination that you would expend on your home's interior. Lackluster light fixtures can be painted a cheerful palette of primary colors, such as sunflower yellow highlighted with ocean blue within a child's hobby space; or, for a more sophisticated look, give them a copper or stone finish.
Hand-painted freeform border designs can be applied around the perimeter of a garage by even a novice painter; a hand-painted mural becomes an instant focal point and can be used to highlight a treasured vintage vehicle within the garage space.
Stylish ceiling fans are available in fashionable colors and several styles of decor to provide additional light and efficient air circulation; a stylish decorative accessory, ceiling fan blades and hardware can be selected to coordinate with both ceiling and wall covering paint colors to unify the entire garage area.
Copyright PQI. All rights reserved.
