You may have thought a garage was merely the external structure to house one’s automobile.
How wrong you would be. Once host to cars, cobwebs and cans of two-stroke fuel and little else, modern garages are morphing into new-age man caves, where blokes retreat from the world, tinker with mechanical things and entertain their mates. Think of your garage as the ideal space to explore your interests and prominently indulge in themes you would never express inside the house.
In a recent article 'What Your Stuff Says About You', University of Texas Professor Sam Gosling provides a psychologist’s perspective on the modern garage. “Space is very important for regulating emotions – it’s incredibly important to be in one’s own space and resonate with who one is,” he says.
Well, we think what the Professor is driving at is that turning your garage into a highly personalised space isn’t such a bad thing. So what will you need?
Get your stuff 'up'
First and foremost, a garage is the best place to store a lot of stuff, including items which are expensive, prone to rust and painful to step on with bare feet. That’s why it makes sense to store lots of it vertically by installing:
- A wall-mounted metal tool kit
- A peg wall with adjustable hooks and brackets to hang everything from whipper snippers to secateurs
- Padded bars to hold surfboards and skis
- Hanging hooks for bikes
Workbench
If you are planning to use your garage to do woodwork or anything remotely mechanical, a sturdy workbench is a necessity. Choose a bench which is super solid, has plenty of working space and lots of space below for storage.
Entertainment
Your garage is the ideal place to share a few cleansing ales and keep an eye on that make or break football game. To turn your garage into your very own rat-pack venue, you’ll need:
- Flat topped bar, ideally on rollers
- Lockable liquor cabinet
- Right-sized fridge
- Flat screen TV
- Surround-sound system
Beat the bag
Had a bad day at work? Your team throws away a first half lead to lose just seconds before the siren? Let’s face it; all of us have times when we need to withdraw and work out our frustrations. That’s where a 60kg leather punching bag hanging from a roof beam can come in very handy. It’s a great way to blow off a little steam, keep the beer gut in check, and can prove lots of fun when the gang is around.
Personalise the cave
Now that you’ve mapped out where the essential pieces will fall, we suggest you go ahead and plaster the walls and carpeting around the car space.
Think of your garage as the ideal space to explore your interests and prominently indulge in themes you would never express inside the house.
So don’t be subtle, go large with bold colours and plenty of framed posters of your favourite cars, sporting moments, movie heroes or rock stars.
Written by: Paul Thornhill
Source: realestate.com.au/
