Is this really a garage?

The arrival of a new year always has me looking forward. I thought I would look at some of the newest trends in remodeling. The first one I stumbled across is not one my company has been called upon to do yet.

I am just a little curious as to how the rest of you view the garage. I personally see it as space most homes use for storage, and some people even use it to park their car. Since I have been married for over 23 years to a remodeler, I have never parked my car in the garage. I know the garage as a workshop, tool storage space and that it can even be organized to provide space to park a motorcycle.

I consider myself fortunate to have a section devoted to gardening supplies, a potting workbench and birdseed. It was solely mine until the motorcycle came in and usurped a section.

I grew up in a house with a two-car garage. My father was quite handy so the garage also housed a workbench and numerous tools. My mom did get to park her car in the other stall. As one of four children, I considered myself lucky to have a spot on the driveway that was considered mine. Twenty-five years later, I am still parking outside the garage.

Now I discover that the garage has gone upscale. Yes, for most folks, it is still a space to park the cars and store a variety of stuff. However, now there is a trend toward adding several amenities. It used to be that a really finished garage was drywalled, perhaps even painted and concrete paint was applied underfoot.

You should see the garage now. The new garage is a pristine, organized space incorporating decorative details. In the past we might have hung old kitchen cabinetry in the garage if we were remodeling the kitchen. In the new garage, the cabinetry would be bought specifically for that space and might even be oak or maple. It could also be topped with granite.

I know, this is mind-boggling for those of us who don't even have granite tops in our kitchens. Some of these upscale garages are heated, air-conditioned and include a new matching refrigerator. The energy conservationist in me appreciates the new refrigerator.

Many people put their 15- or 20-year-old refrigerator in the garage when they purchase a new model. The problem is that refrigerators use a great deal of energy. The older ones are not at all efficient, so it makes sense to have a new energy-efficient model if you need an additional refrigerator or freezer. That last sentence should not be ignored. You should only have an additional appliance that uses a significant amount of energy if you need it. If you cook large batches of food and freeze them, or buy in bulk and stock up, you can justify the expense of the extra power by the savings in food preparation time or expense.

The new garage will also have upscale storage solutions for items typically stored in the garage. This would include sporting equipment, bicycles and gardening supplies. I will admit if you have one these garages, you might also need an outdoor sink to wash all of your garden implements prior to bringing them back into the garage.

These garages often boast expensive floors. I am talking about marble. I don't even promote marble flooring for high foot traffic areas in the home because marble is porous. I cannot support the idea of a marble garage floor.

Imagine a typical Chicago winter. You come home from a long day of work after sitting in traffic for a couple of hours because it is snowing. Your car is dripping wet and covered with road salt and dirty slush. There is no way you are going to bring this filthy piece of machinery into your pristine, newly remodeled garage.

Instead you can leave your car outside and deal with the frozen door locks and scraping the additional six inches of snow that will fall on it overnight. I am having a difficult time with this concept. Of course, as one who has never parked in a garage, this scenario does elicit a chuckle.

I think we have gone just a little too far. The garage should house the car, clean or not. The garage is expected to hold the lawnmower, even if the tires are covered with grass clippings. I am all for keeping the space organized and tidy, but spending thousands of dollars to remodel and outfit it in a manner befitting living space seems a tad excessive.

There are about 500 custom garage shops across the country. As you peruse these, you will notice that some are more practical and offer countertops of polyurethane material that can resist stains from spills, and flooring that is designed for cars, lawn equipment and possible oil leaks, road salt, antifreeze, battery acid or typical contaminants found in a garage environment. You can buy door guards to attach to the walls or posts of your garage to protect car doors if your garage space is tight.

This type of stuff makes sense for a garage. Or at least it would if I was ever lucky enough to park in the garage.

Linda Holmes is chairman of the board of directors of the National Association of the Remodeling Industry of Greater Chicagoland, and a certified remodeler with a home improvement and remodeling business based in Aurora. She may be contacted at the e-mail address ccremodelers@sbcglobal.net.