Detached Garage Inspiration for 2020

Welcome to 2020: the year we spent at home!

Or at least it feels that way, right?

On the bright side, I’ve fallen in love with our house- especially the porch our two littlest ones love so much, and the view of those iconic Pennsylvanian rolling hills out our windows…

But just like you we haven’t had too many opportunities to get out.

Do you feel you could use a little more space to stretch out?

During our busy summer build season at Martin, Vern is always talking with homeowners about additions. But staying home this year has brought more people through our doors looking for a way to stretch their space without investing in a full-out integrated build.

After all, home additions have their own challenges. If your home hasn’t been built in the last few years, matching materials isn’t easy if you aren’t budgeting for a full exterior overhaul. Not to mention the floorplan of your existing home can limit the size and scope of what you can add.

I’ve got the perfect solution for you to dream about today, wrapped up in an unexpected structure you might not have thought about before: The detached garage.

What Makes Modern Detached Garages Different

Growing up, my best friend’s house had a small 2-car garage- the kind you don’t use for much else but keeping the snow off your truck and storing a spare chest freezer. At some point, they added a tiny detached garage that, in theory, could’ve stored another car? It was more like a nice tool shed with a poured concrete floor.

As a kid, all I remember was that I liked how small it was…and how the concrete was perfect for sidewalk chalk.

Looking back? It wasn’t anything special. That’s probably why when homeowners outgrow their house, adding a separate garage isn’t the first thing that comes to mind.

But today’s detached garages are so much more than a place to store the riding lawn mower- they function as full living spaces beyond our home.

Let me give you some examples…

• • #WFH Ready: Working from home? Find your in-home office constantly under siege from your kids? Solution: How about building a studio in a detached garage? The separate space gives you boundaries and brings balance your “work” and “home” life….especially in times like this where they overlap more than ever.
  • Hobby Heaven: Has quarantine brought with it the growth of a new hobby? Is your spouse wondering when they’ll ever have their kitchen table or mudroom back? A detached garage is perfect woodworking, crafting, guitar-building, furniture refurbishing, and more.
  • Give Mom Some Room: Don’t have a good space to host guests? Need a little privacy when your mother-in-law comes to visit? A detached garage frees up space in your house and host a cozy guest room.

In fact, the biggest advantage of building a detached garage over a traditional addition to your home is flexibility.

With a home addition, your options are limited by what works within the existing structure of your house. But when you build a detached garage? You have the freedom to design around what you need.

So go ahead and dream a little. Here are a few of my favorite trends for separate garages this season.

When You Need A Workshop

Sometimes the things we love really need a separate place. Especially a messy hobby…

Staying at home has given a lot of us a chance to rediscover something we love. I’m seeing friends and family doing everything from chainsaw sculptures to furniture building to finally fixing up that old 1970’s VW Karmann Ghia.

The creativity is great! But tracking sawdust into your kitchen or leaving oil spots in your driveway? Not the best long term solution.

Enter: The Workshop Garage.

A compact two-bay garage like the one above, something with a little pull-down storage above? It’s the perfect place to host your hobby.

Imagine…

…..a place where instead of hunting around with an extension cord, the outlets are right where you need them!…

….where you aren’t worried about someone sticking their fingers in the varnish you just laid down….

….a perfect workshop where the workspaces are well lit, your tools in reach, and everything stays where you put it…

The detached option is perfect for this.

And bonus: If that hobby grows into the ‘next big thing’? You can join the ranks of entrepreneurs like Hewlett & Packard, Bezos, and Steve Jobs by saying you also built your empire from the garage.

Storage for Your Recreational Equipment

Is your family cabin seeing more use than ever? Running out of space for your RVs, sea-doos, ATVs, pool floaties, lifejackets…? The list goes on!

It’s great you’re spending so much time on the water, but you need a place to keep things out of our Pennsylvania rain.

I love it when customers come to us with the challenge of building spaces that look perfect on their property… which is why I really love these rustic cabin-inspired detached garage designs.

Separate structures can complement your existing home (or cabin) and emphasize the look you want for your property as a whole. You can design your detached garage to look like an old farmhouse barn, a log cabin, a beautiful countryside cottage.

Design should always take into account the utility of the space. That means if you have a big asset, like an RV, we can create a structure that makes storage and maintenance easy.

The Man Cave (or She-Shed!) of Your Dreams

Did the pandemic put a damper on your Father’s Day plans?

Here’s possibly the best Christmas/Birthday/Father’s Day/You’re Awesome gift ever:

A built-for-you retreat.

We all have keepsakes that don’t fit into our homes (or…our spouse’s style). Show your love by creating a place that brings those treasures out of the basement and into a space of their own.

There’s something wonderful about having a space designed just for you. And we’re not just talking about the guys who want to hang up the neon signs and display their collegiate trophies…

I’ve flipped through plenty of beautiful design magazines knowing some of my favorites are completely impractical for family life (white rugs and toddlers? nope.) or, a little too much for my husband (I love cute cottage style).

What about building a detached garage/studio as your “she shed”? Your own private getaway?

I’d love a sweet little office in a place like this to catch up on bookwork and enjoy a little peace and quiet.
Especially if it could double as a place to host family when they come to town.

Speaking of which…

A Private Retreat for Guests

Detached garages offer the perfect opportunity to build out a guest room for visitors.

While yes, you can go all out and add a restroom or a shower- you don’t have to. Just having access to a small bedroom can make your home less chaotic during the holidays.

A simple framed and insulated room above your detached garage (like this one below) can be transformed from office to guest room to recreational room in no time:

Beautiful, right?

If the thought of having more space has crossed your mind, we’d love to help. We’re more than a great construction company- we also love great design. Schedule a call here to talk to us about what your challenges are in your current home- and we’ll help you find a solution that fits into your timeline and budget.

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