Category: Other Spaces

“The doctor must have put my pacemaker in wrong. Every time my husband kisses me, the garage door goes up.” – Minnie Pearl

Your garage door can make or break your home’s curb appeal. If you are ready to change the look of your home, then consider upgrading your home with a new garage door. Instead of choosing a basic metal door with no design, consider something unique. Choose a color other than the standard or add glass panels. Your garage door should complement the colors and architectural design of your home. 

These garage door ideas will help you do more with your garage door.

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1. Brown Garage Door

Choosing a sectional garage door in a brown color will look good with a house that already has earthy tones on the exterior. Then your overhead door will match the rest of the home by complementing the colors that are already present.

Add a custom look to your home by choosing a shade that compliments the colors already present. This could be a soft tan color or one that looks more like rust. Hold the paint chips up to the natural stone on the exterior of your home and see how it changes its look. Choosing the right color will bring out its beauty, while the wrong color can actually dull the look of the stone.

2. Roll-Up Garage Door

A roll-up garage door is a practical and space-efficient option for homeowners. This type of door operates by rolling up around a drum located above the door opening, offering a compact solution for garages with limited headroom.

Roll-up garage doors are typically made from durable materials like steel, making them a sturdy choice for both residential and commercial properties. The design flexibility allows for customization in terms of color and finish, making it easy to match the exterior of your home. Roll-up doors are also known for their low maintenance and high-security features.

3. Sectional Garage Door

The sectional garage door is a popular choice, known for its versatility and modern appearance. Composed of panel sections connected with hinges, these doors bend and move along a track as the door opens and closes. The design allows for a variety of window and color options, making it easy to personalize to your home’s aesthetic.

This type of door is space-efficient, opening vertically and requiring no extra space outside to operate. Sectional doors provide excellent thermal insulation and are ideal for keeping your garage temperature regulated.

4. Double Garage Doors

Double garage doors are an excellent solution for larger garages, designed to accommodate multiple vehicles or a spacious workshop area. These doors can be a statement piece for your home’s facade, offering an array of design options from traditional to contemporary styles. They can be customized in a variety of materials, including wood, steel, and fiberglass, to complement your home’s exterior.

Double doors also offer the convenience of a wider entrance, making it easier to move large items in and out of your garage. When choosing a double garage door, consider the added weight and ensure your garage has the appropriate support and a powerful enough opener.

5. Glass Garage Doors

Glass garage doors are a stunning and modern addition to any home, bringing a sleek and contemporary edge to your garage. These doors are typically made from a combination of glass panels and a metal frame, offering both elegance and durability. The glass allows natural light to flood into your garage, creating a bright and inviting space.

Glass garage doors are perfect for homeowners looking to blend indoor and outdoor living spaces, especially when used as a partition for living areas or patios. While offering aesthetic appeal, it’s important to consider privacy and insulation factors when opting for glass garage doors.

6. Contemporary Garage Doors with Glass Elements

If your home has a modern design, then you need a contemporary door to match. The majority of fiberglass garage doors tend to look generic and the same. You can give yours a modern feel with frosted glass panels. These windows are typically located at the top of the door. This adds decor without sacrificing security.

If you want an ultra-modern look, consider replacing your current door with an all-glass garage door. It should be frosted glass to prevent anyone from being able to see into your garage through the glass door. Consider one with multiple panes and a solid frame. The smaller glass panels will be easier to maintain.

7. Dark Garage Doors for Light Homes

A dark garage door is a beautiful contrast to a light-colored house. The contrast between light and dark creates visual interest and increases the design aspect of your home’s exterior. While you could paint your garage door the ultimate dark color, black, this will be hard to maintain. Choose a dark color that will also last for your garage door design.

Black or very dark gray garage doors tend to be used most often on modern homes. However, black carriage-style doors can give your home an interesting design. If you aren’t ready to commit to black or gray, consider other dark colors, such as navy, dark green, or maroon.

8. Gray Garage Door Shades

Gray is everywhere in modern design, so it’s no surprise you will easily find grey garage doors. Some garage door manufacturers have several shades of grey to choose from. The shade you choose will influence your garage door style.

You can buy a basic panel garage door that will appeal to the majority of future homeowners. However, if you want to have a more energy-efficient door, consider an insulated garage door. The front will look like every other raised panel door, but the back will have a thick insulation layer.

9. Metal Garage Doors in Steel and Aluminum

A metal garage door is durable and strong, making it a smart choice for your garage. You have the option of choosing from a steel garage door or aluminum garage doors. Steel doors are heavier and more durable. Aluminum doors are more affordable and lightweight.

The garage door material you choose will depend on your budget and how much wear and tear you expect your garage door to see. In addition to the door, you will likely have an aluminum frame around the opening. This cladding finishes the look of your garage door and helps your doorframe to last longer.

10. Paint Your Garage Door

Most garage doors are a standard color of white, tan, or grey. This makes the most sense for most attached garages because the neutral color gives you the more freedom when choosing the color of your home. They also help your home retain broad curb appeal.

However, they aren’t your only option. You can paint your garage door a custom color. When choosing your garage door color, think about the impact that color will make on your home. The garage door takes up a lot of visual space, and the wrong color can be overwhelming. If you want to create a unique design, you could choose two or three colors. Then use one for the main areas and another accent color for the recessed panels.

11. Keep It Rustic With Wood

If you love the farmhouse and rustic look, you can add a wood door to your garage. However, a wooden garage door is expensive and heavy. A better option is to create a custom garage door by using faux wood. This lets you have the look of a carriage-style door without the weight or expense.

If you aren’t ready to replace your garage door, consider painting your current one. Start with brown paint in the shade close to the type of wood you want to emulate. This could be a dark chocolate brown or something lighter and closer to a camel color. Then use one to three brown shades in the same family, but each darker or lighter than your first shade. Use these to create the wood grain and texture.

12. White Garage Doors for a Bright Facade

White doors are crisp and clean looking, helping to brighten up the look of your entire home. In addition, this helps to improve your home’s curb appeal. You could choose the color white for any type of door, from fiberglass to wood carriage doors. They could even be on your detached garage.

You can easily do a garage door makeover by painting your current garage door white. Start by using fine-grit sandpaper to rough up the surface of the door. This will help the paint to stick better. Then use durable outdoor paint to apply a thin layer of paint to the door. It’s better to do several thin coats than one thick coat. This will help prevent it from easily scraping off.

“A man’s home is his castle, but his garage is his sanctuary.” – Unknown

Virtually every garage is improved by the addition of a workbench. Even if you aren’t a DIY project fanatic, it’s helpful to have a strong surface for the various small projects every homeowner encounters.

A work bench also adds useful storage space to the garage, serving as the hub of your garage organization plan. If you don’t have room for a full built-in garage workshop, there are dozens of portable workbench and folding workbench designs to fit your space. Take a look at these and other options in our collection of great garage workbench ideas.

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1. Embrace Sleek, Modern Workbench Designs

Today’s modern work bench designs are not like your grandfather’s. Sleek brushed metal wall units with a bench in the center can be custom built along your garage wall. Visit your local home improvement store and purchase modular cabinets, drawers, and worktops to design your own DIY workbench.

While metal is perhaps the most modern garage workbench design material, wood can also be finished in a modern furniture style. Modern design embraces minimalism and simple lines, and most workbench plans fit this definition.

Make a simple DIY workbench design appear more modern by painting it and any connecting cabinetry in one solid matte color. Black, charcoal, and navy blue are good dark modern hues and coordinate well with any kind of metal workbench frame and wood worktop. Paint pegboard the same color for more clean visual continuity.

2. Optimize Your Space for Power Tool Storage

Power tool storage is another element to incorporate into your workbench plan. Designate specific shelves to hold your miter saw, circular saw, shop vacuum, and other large equipment. Even if you don’t own any power tools yet, leave enough room in your garage storage system to build a collection.

A table saw takes up a lot of room, so designate its own work surface to keep it from taking up too much of your primary work bench. A half-height shelf attached to the side of your garage workbench is also a good place for a large saw, especially if the top of the saw is level with your primary work surface.

Drills and other handheld power tools can be hung on pegboard over your garage workbench to free up other storage options. Drawer storage is great for small power tools, hand tools, screws, and the like. The ultimate garage workbench drawer is deep and wide, with a heavy duty plywood bottom.

3. Maximize Your Garage with Compact Workbench Solutions

If you only have room for a small DIY workbench, don’t despair—you can do a lot with a simple workbench plan. Watch this video to see how you can use plywood and 2×4 lumber to create a small workshop bench in about one hour:

If you add casters to the legs, you will be able to roll your new mobile workbench outdoors on nice days.

If having a rolling workbench isn’t a priority, a corner workbench might be the best use of limited garage floor space. If you add a shelf or two beneath a sturdy workbench worktop, you can double your storage space. Close the ends of your unit with plywood and attach hooks for hanging tools, power cords, and other woodworker necessities. Or fill the ends with pegboard for an adjustable tool storage solution. You can also add extra worktop space by including a collapsible workbench surface that folds out of the way when not in use.

4. Discover Space-Efficient Workbench Designs

When space is limited, you need every space saving solution you can find. Folding workbenches and rollable workbenches on casters are two types that take up little room when not in use. This video shows an easy DIY folding workbench that you can make in just a few hours:

If you’re shopping for a pre-built heavy duty workbench, look for models that include pop-out work surfaces. Some styles have worktop extensions on all four sides to essentially quadruple your workspace without extending the amount of floor space you need.

5. Enhance Your Workbench with Smart Storage Options

If you frequently use your workbench, you might begin having problems storing all your tools and equipment. Garage storage solution products abound, from pegboard to shelf units, from wall-mounted cabinets to heavy duty rolling toolboxes on casters.

Extend your wall storage space by attaching a layer of three-quarter inch plywood to wall studs. This creates a continuous surface for easily mounting storage shelves and containers. Because it’s fastened to the wall studs, you end up with sturdy workbench storage over a wider area. 

Look up to greatly expand your garage workbench storage options. Ceiling mounted shelves can hold a surprising amount of gear, perfect for tools or materials that you don’t use often. If you already keep a lot of items in heavy duty plastic storage bins with lids, hang a track on the ceiling that allows you to slide the bins in and out.

6. Innovate with Wall-Mounted Workbench Styles

A wall mounted garage workbench is a great option for really tight garage spaces. Simply purchase—or make—a basic foldable wall-mounted workbench, making sure that each bracket is securely attached to a wall stud. You can look online for a free workbench plan that fits your needs, or check out this $150 foldable wall workbench video:

Add storage above and around your wall mounted garage workbench by installing drawer cabinets and shelves. Because most builders only put one electrical outlet in a garage, you may need to hire an electrician to install more outlets above your wall mounted garage workbench.

“My study is a converted garage which is largely lined with bookshelves and cardboard boxes filled with manuscripts of my film scripts, plays, and books.”  –  William Nicholson

Do you have lights in and around your garage? If so, they are probably a single spotlight outside, and the light inside is the one that comes on your garage door opener. These are simply not enough lights.

You need an additional light fixture in the garage and an exterior garage light that can create a broader wash of light on your property. These garage lighting ideas will help you find the perfect lighting for in and around your garage.

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1. LED Lights

LED lighting is the modern lighting solution that is perfect for your garage. This type of lighting requires you to change out the light fixtures that you currently have to ones that are LED light bulb compatible.

Many homeowners decide against this because it represents a larger upfront investment. However, these people are missing out on the long-term benefits of LED garage lights.

Switching your garage lights to LED will save you monthly because of their low energy consumption. You also have a broader range of lumens and temperature options. These are what allow you to create a custom lighting solution. LED bulbs also last significantly longer than standard bulbs, so there’s no need to worry about replacing them.

2. Decorative Lights

Most people think of their garage as storage or workspace, so they don’t think about adding decorative lighting to their garage. However, this means they are missing out on a prime opportunity.

Add decorative lighting to your garage and make it a more enjoyable place to be while you are hanging out in your garage or driveway.

Homeowners should also add lighting to the outside of their garage. These outdoor lighting fixtures create more outdoor light. Now you can use your property when the sun goes down.

Exterior lighting also makes it safer to be outside walking around at night. Consider the color temperature of the light you choose. A yellow light isn’t as bright but is softer on the eyes. Bright white will be more effective at illumination but can feel harsh.

3. Exterior Garage Lights

Adding exterior lights to your home serves multiple purposes. The first is to make your home and property safer. Flood lights illuminate the entire area so that you can safely walk around without bumping into things and tripping.

Choose motion sensor lights to add safety by making your home less appealing to criminals who may want to target your home. Those with bad intentions tend to move around in the dark, so take that away, and they will look for an easier target.

Your outdoor lighting fixture can also add a decorative appeal to your home. Adding landscape lighting illuminates your property at night, making it look more appealing and welcoming. This is smart if you want to improve the curb appeal of your home.

4. Flush Mounted Ceiling Lights

Recessed lighting is great for a garage because it removes the light fixture that would have to hang down below the height of the ceiling. You aren’t going to accidentally hit recessed lights as you’re moving around and working in your garage. They are also great for adding task light.

Garage ceilings can also be quite low. Adding flushed mount lighting helps to keep the ceiling feeling as high as possible. The drawback of this type of lighting is that you’ll need to install more of them because they don’t work well for creating full-room ambient lighting.

5. Luxury Garage Lighting

You don’t have to treat your garage as a rugged, industrial, or commercial space. Plenty of lighting ideas can help you elevate your garage and give it a luxurious feel. Try using lighting ideas that are traditionally meant for the interior of the home.

You could hang pendant lights, mount string lights, or even hang a chandelier. Now you have a hangout space that feels more like a room than a storage facility.

Whatever light you choose, make sure it has the right light output. Pendant lights meant for a kitchen island may not have the proper lighting ability for illuminating your garage.

6. Panel Lights

Adding panel lights can give your garage a modern look. Skip the accent lighting that are just solid panels with a trim of LED light around the edge. This is a cool visual effect but does nothing for adding light to your garage.

Instead, look for lights where the entire panel is the light. You can then mount them flush to your garage’s ceiling or walls. The gentle glow is bright enough to add plenty of light, but the blocked bulbs won’t blind you. What’s nice about these panels is that you can add as few or as many as you want. This lets you customize the amount of light you have in your garage.

7. Pin Lights

Pin lights are a modern lighting solution that uses LED bulbs. These small lights come in a compact housing that makes them easy to install almost anywhere in your garage. The light you get from them is ultra-bright and directed.

These lights aren’t ideal for most homeowners because they won’t deliver enough light. This means you’ll have to install a ton of them to get enough ambient light. These are best used as spotlights when you want to highlight one specific thing, like a piece of decor, signature plant in your landscaping, or architectural element.

8. Suspended Lights

An easy solution for adding garage ceiling lights is to install fluorescent lighting. All you need to do is install some hooks in your ceiling to hang the lights from. Most come with hanging chains that allow you to adjust the height of the lights to suit your garage ceiling height.

For a clean install and permanent solution, hardwire the lights into your home’s electrical system. If this isn’t an option, you can run the electrical cable to one of your plugs in the garage. Either way, make sure there is an easy way to turn the lights on and off.

A switch by your interior garage door is the best option. That way, you don’t have to navigate a dark garage to and from the light when turning it on and off.

9. Track Lights

Track lights tend to make a home look dated and aren’t a great option for the interior of your home. However, in your garage, they can be a great option.

Adding track lighting to your garage gives you more freedom in how you use the lighting. You could arrange them in one position while you use your garage as a workspace.

Then you can reposition the lights when you decide to convert our garage into a home gym. Then perhaps you sell your home, and the next owners want to keep their car and motorcycle in the garage. They can adjust the lights to suit their new use.

When choosing track lights, think about the amount of illumination you need. The more light you want, the more individual lights on the track you need. Small spotlights will create more directed light. While larger lights can create a broader wash of light for more ambient light.

10. Tube Lights

Your garage is your workspace and storage space. You don’t need fancy lighting or elegant lighting solutions. All you need is functional and reliable ambient lighting.

Fluorescent tube lights are the lighting solution you are looking for. Fluorescent fixtures tend to lack style and design, but that’s ok. Their industrial or commercial feel doesn’t matter.

Fluorescent bulbs do not last as long as LED bulbs. Replacing them is relatively affordable, though. Just be careful handling them because they are delicate. If you do break one, you have a mess on your hands as the glass shatters into a million pieces.

11. Wall-Mounted Lights

Instead of installing lights on the ceiling, consider adding wall lights. These won’t interfere with the operation of your garage door or lower the visual height of the ceiling.

Just be sure to mount them high enough as to not be at eye level. Lights with a shade that directs the light downward can be perfect over your workbench.

You can also install lights on the outside wall of your garage. While many people install them next to entry points, such as windows and doors, you can install them anywhere. Solar-powered outdoor security lights give you the freedom to add light anywhere.

Take a walk around the average neighborhood and you’re unlikely to find two garages that look alike. Some homeowners use their garage space for vehicle storage. Some turn the space into a rec room. And others convert it into a professional-level workshop.

What do all of these hypothetical garages have in common? They all need plenty of storage space to look and function their best!

Not all garage storage solutions are built the same. So keep reading for the top garage storage ideas to try out in your own space.

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1. Wall-Mounted Storage

Maximize your garage’s vertical space with wall-mounted storage solutions. These can range from simple hooks for hanging tools and bicycles to sophisticated track systems that allow for adjustable shelving and cabinet attachments. Ideal for keeping the floor space clear, this approach makes it easy to find what you need and keeps items out of the way.

2. Built-in Storage System With Desk

Transform a section of your garage into a multifunctional workspace with a built-in storage system that includes a desk. This setup is perfect for DIY enthusiasts or those who need a home office space. Incorporate cabinets, drawers, and open shelving above or beside the desk to store tools, office supplies, and other essentials within easy reach.

3. Tiered Car Storage

For car enthusiasts or households with multiple vehicles, tiered car storage is a game-changer. This solution involves using car lifts to stack vehicles, thereby saving floor space. It’s an innovative way to store classic cars or seasonal vehicles while leaving room for daily use cars at the ground level.

4. Floating Shelves

Floating shelves add a modern touch to garage storage. These shelves are attached to the wall without visible supports, creating a clean, streamlined look. They are perfect for storing lighter items and can be arranged in creative patterns to add aesthetic appeal to the space.

5. Wooden Pallet Shelf

Embrace a rustic and cost-effective storage solution by repurposing wooden pallets into shelves. These can be mounted against walls or used as freestanding units. They are especially great for storing larger items like lawn equipment, sports gear, or large toolboxes.

6. Pegboard Organizer

A pegboard organizer is a versatile and customizable solution. It allows you to hang tools and accessories in a variety of configurations, which can be changed as your storage needs evolve. This idea keeps tools visible and easily accessible, ideal for crafting, woodworking, or mechanical work.

7. Metal Crate Shelf

For a durable and industrial look, use metal crates as shelving units. These can be stacked and secured in various configurations to suit your storage needs. They are ideal for heavy items and can add a unique, modern aesthetic to your garage space.

8. Labeled Storage Bins

Keep smaller items organized and easy to find with labeled storage bins. This approach is perfect for grouping similar items, like holiday decorations, sports equipment, or gardening supplies. Clear bins allow you to see the contents at a glance, while labels ensure everything has its place.

9. Rolling Work Desk

A rolling work desk is a flexible solution for those who need a workspace that can move around the garage. Equipped with wheels, this desk can be easily relocated to where it’s needed most, whether you’re working on a vehicle or a DIY project. Incorporate built-in storage in the desk for tools and materials to keep everything at arm’s reach.

“The garage is the space for the hacker, the tinkerer, the maker. The garage is not defined by a single field or industry; instead, it is defined by the eclectic interests of its inhabitants. It is a space where intellectual networks converge.”  –  Steven Johnson

The garage is rarely thought of as the most important room in the house, but for many DIY fanatics, the garage is where it’s at. Every detail of the garage space is important, including the often-overlooked ceiling.

Garage design ranges from bare-bones construction with an exposed ceiling, to a high-end, luxurious man cave. Whether you’re at one end of the spectrum or somewhere in the middle, we have plenty of garage ceiling ideas for you!

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1. Paint It Black

Black is a dramatic color to use in your garage space. Whether it appears on the ceiling, floor, or wall, black adds a solid contemporary feeling to your garage plan.

Black also has the magical quality of being able to hide flaws. For example, the messy look of an open garage ceiling with exposed joists can easily be fixed by painting everything black.

Black garage ceiling ideas pair well with black tile or painted concrete floors. Painting the garage ceiling black makes the roof feel lower—an effect you might want if your garage has an exceptionally high or vaulted ceiling.

2. Corrugated Metal Ceiling

Corrugated metal sheeting is a low-cost, industrial style material suitable for garage ceilings. It can take on a rustic or contemporary look when paired with certain garage wall treatments.

Certain types of metal ceiling panels look like the inside of a rolling garage door. Other types of metal panels mimic a rough industrial warehouse interior. Shiny metal panels help reflect available garage lighting—helpful if you spend a lot of time working on cars or DIY projects.

3. Drywall

Drywall provides a strong foundation for attaching any type of ceiling finish. Before adding drywall to your garage ceiling, apply insulation between each ceiling joist if needed. Insulation may be optional in a detached garage but it’s a must if there’s living space above the garage.

While drywall may seem like an easy DIY project, it’s best to hire a professional contractor. Any added expense will be worth it, as you won’t have to rent a drywall lift or other expensive installation tools.

Additionally, even seasoned DIYers are usually surprised to learn how hard it is to create smooth seams between drywall panels.

4. Exposed

An exposed ceiling gives a rugged, work-in-progress look to the garage. If you don’t mind the way it looks, you don’t need to bother with any other garage ceiling ideas. Attach your light fixture to a bare ceiling joist and include a ceiling fan to cool down the space in the summertime.

To add storage space to the garage, lay sheets of plywood on top of your exposed wood ceiling beams. This creates an inexpensive loft style shelving that’s perfect for stacking storage bins, luggage, or other difficult to store items.

5. LED Lights

While most garage lighting is comprised of simple fluorescent fixtures, virtually any type of lighting can work in the garage. If you want to get creative, even basic fluorescent tubes can be arranged in a grid or other pattern for a dramatic lighting option.

Recessed can lighting looks great in a finished garage ceiling, especially in a high-end designer garage. Track lighting allows you to direct light onto certain areas of your garage cabinets and countertops—helpful if you do a lot of DIY work.

Read more: 34 Garage Lighting Ideas

6. Steel Truss Construction

Steel truss construction is an innovative and sturdy choice for your garage ceiling, offering both durability and a modern aesthetic. Utilizing lightweight steel, these trusses provide exceptional support, ensuring a safe and long-lasting structure. Their design allows for a clear, open space beneath, ideal for storing large items or creating a more spacious feel in your garage.

An added advantage is their compatibility with various types of roofing materials, allowing for flexibility in design choices. The sleek look of steel trusses can be left exposed for an industrial feel, or easily covered with drywall or paneling for a more traditional appearance.

7. Ceiling Storage

Ceiling storage is one of the most overlooked options for garage storage, but the garage ceiling is one of the best places to stow certain gear. There’s a shelf, hook, or rack for virtually any type of garage ceiling storage. Look for bike hooks, hanging shelves, and premade garage storage racks that anchor to a wall stud for extra stability.

Overhead storage helps keep your garage floor clear, freeing up floor space for a storage cabinet or even another vehicle. Just be sure to not exceed the weight limit on your ceiling storage and make sure you can walk comfortably under or around hanging items.

8. Wood

Wood and metal are classic materials to use for rustic design. Any combination of these can be used for a rustic garage makeover. Wood paneling on the walls and ceiling add a lodge-like atmosphere to a garage man cave.

If you have interior garage walls made of exposed brick, a wood beam ceiling adds a lot of rustic character to the space. Alternate corrugated metal panels and plywood panels for an interesting texture variation on the ceiling.

9. Unfinished

Builders often leave garage interiors unfinished in new homes because they’re only required to provide a basic finish. If your home isn’t new, the garage may still be unfinished because the previous owners lacked the time or money to paint it.

Nothing says that you have to finish your garage ceiling. In fact, you may prefer the simplicity of bare drywall or wooden panels. For many people, the garage is purely a work and storage space—not an area where interior design is a priority.