Garage Goals
AS APPEARED IN PRESTIGE MAGAZINE
When crafted with care and detail, a garage surpasses its conventional role of simple storage to be a collector’s haven—a place to entertain, luxuriate, and more.
By Marlene Ridgway
Long before the pandemic, homeowners were unleashing their creativity upon their garages, transforming them into epicenters of luxury and style to expand living space. With the flair of a seasoned architect and some fresh ideas, your garage becomes more than the ultimate display case for your vintage or modern cars— it morphs into a jaw-dropping spectacle, an enviable entertainer’s dreamscape, or even a lavish home office. Picture turntables offering panoramic 360-degree views of your prized automobiles, opulent wine displays, captivating art installations, and more, pushing high-end home garages into a league of their own.
FANTASTIC FEATURES
The turntable has become a favorite attribute among car collectors and auto enthusiasts. “It’s not just practical for maneuvering cars, but it also transforms the garage into a showroom, giving each car its moment in the spotlight,” says Michael Vincent, CEO and president at Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices Portugal Property. A rotating platform alone can elevate your car collection while adding the right lighting and decor, such as framed instruments, vintage signs, and other relished items, will complete the overall look. Vincent adds that the turntables and luxury garages, “cater to car enthusiasts who see their collection as an art form. It’s a functional space that doubles as a personal gallery.”
Wine displays have also become an element that homeowners value in elevated garages. Sommi Custom Wine Cellars, a company based in Portland, Oregon, specializes in converting garage space and more into wine storage that is not only functional but also aesthetically turns heads. These displays are a bold statement with elegant designs, especially against the backdrop of luxury sports cars and other collections.
MAKING THE MOST OF GARAGE SPACE
More luxury living space to enjoy is always a sought-after element. It’s no surprise to find that multifunctional garages in high-end real estate are becoming more popular. Everything from lavish lounge/bar areas and game rooms to sophisticated studies and luxe libraries have a place among car collections.
In fact, the whole premise of Garage Deluxe, a company dedicated to creating luxury spaces for unforgettable automobiles, is to offer much more than storage. “It is all about the enjoyment of your car collection by combining it with leisure spaces, for example, a home office, gymnasium, a sunken seating area with a cinema screen, a bar area, et cetera,” says Jonathan Clark, the founder of Garage Deluxe, which is under the parent company Jonathan Clark Architects—an award-winning RIBA Chartered Practice. “This way you can view and appreciate your cars on a daily basis whether privately or with friends and colleagues.”
The often larger space and high ceilings in the garage make prominently displaying art and other collections a simple feat. The look and feel of an art gallery becomes possible in the vast rooms, and the cars often serve as the artful centerpiece of the show.
GARAGES ON ANOTHER LEVEL
Chad Haas refers to himself as the ‘Chief Gearhead’ at his company, VAULT, which prides itself on crafting functional—as well as breathtaking—luxury garages. With more than 20 years of experience, Haas makes note of a new trend that’s becoming more common among serious car collectors. “With restrictions on lot sizes and limits on garage dimensions, it’s getting tougher to make room for car collections at home. This is why car condos are becoming more popular,” Haas says when asked about what’s trending in the world of garages. “People need that extra space for their collections, and an area where they can also work or entertain.”
Clients who don’t have the space or run into restrictions when expanding are choosing to build garages on land that’s separate from their homes. Haas adds, “These structures may look like warehouses from the outside, but inside, they are impressively furnished,” often with the finest luxury car collections.
QUESTION AND ANSWER SESSION WITH VAULT FOUNDER CHAD HAAS CONTINUED
Question #1: What is your favorite part of designing luxury garages?
“What I enjoy most about designing and furnishing garages is connecting with my clients. Witnessing their awe at the project’s completion is incredibly rewarding, especially when they see possibilities they never imagined. Conceiving unique designs from my imagination and having my work appreciated brings me the greatest joy.”
Question #2: What are some of the challenges when it comes to designing garages?
“Each project presents its own unique challenges. The most common obstacle I encounter is the need to rework existing structures due to inadequate planning during the initial design and construction phases. Often, I find elements like plumbing, electrical components, and appliances placed haphazardly, without consideration for their impact on the space’s functionality. My role is to streamline and simplify the design, creating a timeless, beautiful, and efficient space that makes the best use of every inch.”
Question #3: Is there a particular project that you’ve worked on that stands out?
“One project that stands out involved a client who was unsatisfied with the ideas proposed for his dream home by his architect and interior designer. He felt frustrated by the generic ideas and off-the-shelf products suggested by other professionals and needed someone who specialized in garages, so he found me online and brought me on board. After we finished the project, he called me, emotional and deeply grateful for the uniquely personalized garage I’d designed for him, which included themes that reminded him of his father, his son, and his journey as an entrepreneur. He told me it was his favorite room in the entire house, which, given the grandeur of his residence, was an enormous compliment. It was a heartfelt moment I’ll never forget.”
Question #4: What are some unexpected ways to utilize a garage that some customers might not think of?
“With restrictions on lot sizes and limits on garage dimensions, fitting car collections into average-sized garages can be challenging, which is the why car condos are gaining popularity—they provide extra space for collections and areas for work or entertaining. I’ve been engaged by developers to contribute to their design and by individual condo owners to furnish them.
Some clients are also choosing to build garages on land separate from their homes. These structures may look like warehouses from the outside, but inside, they are impressively furnished.”