Garage Design Ideas 

CONSIDERATIONS BEFORE DESIGNING

You’ll want to look at a few key factors before designing your garage.

Goals of Design

Do you want a clean space that efficiently stores your tools and gear? Or do you want an extra room in your home to transform into a gym, work area, entertaining space or something else? Deciding what you want out of your garage before designing it will help you build a more cohesive space.

Garage Size

Next, you’ll want to consider the size of your garage. With a two or three car garage, you can have more room to play with, whether it’s expanded storage, an extra room of the house, or a combination of the two.

While three car garages can offer much more space and possibility than a one car garage, smaller garages can still become the extra room that you desire. However, you may be a bit more limited on your garage’s design and may want to consider items that maximize your space, such as overhead storage.

Home Aesthetics

A final consideration may be the style of your home. A popular choice is to match the aesthetics of your garage to your home, at least on the exterior. However, you may want your garage to follow a different style than your home. This may or may not be an important factor as you design your garage, but it is something to consider when you undertake this project. Keep reading to find design ideas for both inside and outside of your garage.

GARAGE INTERIOR IDEAS

After you decide on the purpose of your garage, you’ll want to review your storage options. It's important to have storage that fits your space both functionally and aesthetically. 

Maximizing Space

If you are short on space, you may want to think about choosing items that can help maximize your storage to better suit your area, such as wall organization and overhead storage. Gladiator® wall organization uses panels, baskets and more accessories to hang items directly to the wall, utilizing it as an extra storage option. Gladiator® overhead storage, on the other hand, helps lift items off the ground. This can help free up floor space, leaving room for a workshop below. 

Storage Options

Beyond wall and overhead storage, you’ll want to consider items like cabinets or shelving to store the rest of your gear. Gladiator brand has a variety of  options to help meet your storage needs.

Cabinets are some of the most common items that come to mind when thinking of storage. With a range of sizes and configurations, Gladiator® cabinets help keep items out of sight and provide a visually clean space. Check out the Premier Pre-Assembled 84" Tall Cabinet, which holds up to 400 lbs per shelf and up to 2000 lbs per cabinet to help maximize your storage, or read our garage cabinet buying guide to help decide what cabinets are best for your garage. 

If you have a lot of bulky items that may not fit in a cabinet, shelving may be a good option. These racks keep items organized while also keeping them within sight, ideal for sporting equipment, large bins and more. Most Gladiator® storage racks can even hold up to 2,000 pounds per shelf. 

For those looking to turn their garage into a workspace, tool storage and workbenches may be a good addition. Gladiator® workbenches can help provide space for any project, offering adjustable height and a heavy weight capacity. Tool storage can help organize your equipment, keeping it handy for when you need it. Select Gladiator® tool storage even has tool-safe locking drawers to help keep items secure.

If you have bulky items that may not fit in a cabinet or rack shelving, consider wall storage. Gladiator brand offers a variety of wall storage accessories. Hang your bike for more floor space or even organize your golf gear with the Gladiator® Golf GearTrack® Pack. There are plenty of options to keep your garage neat. 

Aesthetics

Once you have your storage and organization, you can start thinking about the finishing touches like paint, decorations, lighting and flooring options to help curate your garage’s design.  

Walls

What color paint you select depends on the vibe you are hoping to achieve. For example, lighter colors can make a room feel larger, while darker colors can help curate a cozy environment. 

You may also want to keep your garage walls neutral and use your storage and organization to showcase your creativity. Gladiator® cabinets come in a variety of colors—Red Tread, Gray Slate, Hammered Granite and Silver Tread to help give you a wide range of options. 

An alternative to painting your walls is to use wall panels. Gladiator brand offers two color options for these types of panels: Light Gray for a neutral feel or, for a bold choice, Smoke. 

Flooring

With a clear floor, you can start thinking about flooring options. Epoxy coatings are a popular option for the garage, offering a polished look and a lasting durable finish. This kind of floor can handle heavy duty use, making it ideal for DIYers. 

Another option is interlocking or carpet tiles. These can be easily customizable and provide a soft surface for the garage. 

If you’re looking to turn your garage into a home gym, consider rubber flooring. This resilient surface can withstand spills and high traffic and can help with insulation.

Lighting

There are plenty of options for lighting in the garage. Shop lights are some of the most common choices and can either be mounted on the ceiling or hang by a chain assembly. 

Strip light fixtures are another lighting option. Easy to install and fully customizable, these lights can help light up high ceiling garages. If you’re looking for a different high ceiling alternative, use high bay light fixtures. These fixtures are ideal for ceilings that exceed 15 feet. 

For lower ceilings, try wraparound lights. These lights don’t hang as low as shop lights, keeping them out of the way of ladders, storage and other items.

Decor

Add some final touches to help make your garage cozier. Lamps, rugs and additional seating options can help with this. You can also add a dartboard or a pool table for entertaining, or speakers for playing music. What you add to your garage depends on your wants and needs and can be ever-changing.

More Considerations

Beyond storage and aesthetics, you’ll also want to think about the safety of storing certain items as well as climate control. Certain items, like gasoline or propane, may not be suitable to store in your garage due to fire hazards. Be sure to always follow your manufacturer’s storage instructions to ensure your safety. 

You may also want to consider storage items that lock. Certain tools and equipment should be locked away so that children or pets cannot easily access them. 

In terms of climate control, you’ll want to think about how your garage’s design may change between seasons. If you are in a climate that experiences cold weather, you may want to install an insulated garage door or purchase a space heater. If you are in a climate that experiences warm weather, you may want to use a dehumidifier or install fans or windows to keep your garage cool. 

Beyond weatherizing your garage, consider how fluctuating temperatures can affect garage storage. Paint, for example, can change consistency and become unusable, while wooden furniture can warp and crack in humid conditions. You may want to invest in cabinets that are made with steel rather than wood to extend the lifespan of your storage. Electronics are also not recommended, unless they are built to withstand garage temperatures, like the Gladiator® beverage cooler. This garage-ready appliance can handle extreme outdoor temperatures from 0-110 degrees Fahrenheit.

OUTSIDE OF THE GARAGE

Once you complete the inside design of your garage, you’ll want to move on to the exterior. Garage doors and driveway space can all help curate first impressions of your space. 

Garage Doors

While the design of your garage door may be heavily influenced by the style of your home, it's ultimately up to you on what design you choose. Some types may include: traditional, contemporary, farmhouse, craftsman and carriage-style. 

Traditional garage doors can work with a variety of classic home styles and are often made of steel with raised panels arranged in rows. 

Contemporary garage doors are usually found with more modern homes. These doors often have clean, simple lines and can also be made of steel. Glass doors, popular with contemporary homes, allow for natural light and offer a sleek, minimal design. 

Drawing inspiration from barns in the countryside, farmhouse garage doors may often have single or double cross panels, arched and grid-pane windows and vintage-style hardware. These doors are commonly made from wood and may feature a light, medium or dark brown finish. 

Pairing well with classic architectural styles, craftsman garage doors offer timeless details with clean, straight lines, vertical recessed panels and square or rectangular windows. These doors can be made from a number of materials and often come in a wide range of colors. 

Another popular design idea is carriage garage doors. This classic door design features horizontal or vertical raised panels with vintage-style decorative hardware and can be made with a variety of materials that are finished to resemble wood.  

Driveways

What you are using your garage for can help influence how you style your driveway. If you are using your garage for car storage, you may want to focus on the functionality of your driveway by paving a practical, yet attractive, path that may include lights or space for multiple cars. 

If you are looking for more space to entertain, you can add a patio set or firepit, or even an area for a basketball hoop or bocce ball court. This can be a great option for adding more recreational space to your home.