The Garage Plan Shop Blog

Currently, there is a growing trend among those wishing to build a garage. Many are opting for garage apartment plans. These floor plans incorporate a fully functional living space with the garage either on the same level or above the garage. Garage apartment plans range from a parking area with a studio apartment to a one to three bedroom layout. They include at least one full bath and a modest kitchen in most cases. Some even include special extras such as a fireplace, walk-in closet, laundry facilities or organizational built-ins. So, why are people choosing garage apartment plans? Below is a list of some of the top reasons for their popularity.

1.    Guest or In-Law Suite – Many families enjoy out-of-town guests, overnight visitors and weekend visits from family and friends. A garage apartment provides guests with privacy and comfort.

2.    Added Value – A garage apartment contributes street appeal and adds functionality and value to your property. It is a great way to complement your home and gain usable space.

3.    Home Office – Many working Americans run home-based businesses. The apartment easily converts to an office and meeting area providing a space to work or meet with clients without disturbing the main home.

4.    Work Space – For those who enjoy hobbies, the living area of a garage apartment plan comes in handy for use as a hobby room, craft area, etc. The living area can easily serve as a work space for all your projects, and you having to clear off the dining room table every evening for dinner. Plus, you’ll always have an extra bedroom and bath when visitors drop by.

5.    Weekend Retreat/Secondary Residence – For those who like to get away from it all, a garage apartment is the ideal alternative to a vacation home. Use the garage for storage of outdoor sporting gear, a boat, ATV, bikes, etc. The apartment will give you a great place to kick back and relax after a fun day on the lake or hunting expedition. Some designs have multiple bedrooms offering plenty of room to bring a couple of friends along for a fun and relaxing weekend. To make the structure more energy-efficient, you may add a commercial foam insulation in its walls.

6.    Income – If you are in need of garage space, but can’t quite afford a new garage, consider a garage apartment plan. You can use the garage space as you wish and rent out the living quarters earning income that will help you pay for the garage. Once the garage is paid for, you’ll be making money off your garage apartment. Also, most maintenance expenses are tax deductible. If you wish to use the space for your business, you may seek luxury commercial contracting services to build the structure based on your needs and preferences.

7.    Multi-purpose Space – Sometimes families need a flexible space that can accommodate many different needs. Consider a garage apartment with an open floor plan. The open living space can serve as an entertainment area for family and friends such as a recreation room, game room, home theater and more. Or it can be a game room tonight and convert to a meeting space for your wife’s scrap-booking club tomorrow. Possibilities are endless with an open floor plan. As you family grows and changes, you can adapt the living space to satisfy your needs. If you’ll be using the space mainly for car storage, you may add a custom driveway paver install.

If you are considering building a new garage, take time to think about the additional value and possibilities of choosing a garage apartment plan.

Browse garage apartment plans at The Garage Plan Shop.

Tags: Detached Garage Plans, finished living area, Garage Apartment Plans, garage apartments, living space

Sporting the charm of the Eastern Seaboard, this garage apartment plan displays classic Cape Cod styling with its simple facade, shuttered windows, steep roofline and dormer windows. You may hire a contractor that offers roofing installation and residential roof repair services to help build and install the roof of your apartment garage. A debris chute scaffolding installation may also be needed to construct the whole structure.

An overhead garage door provides side-entry access to the 839 square foot garage/workshop. Extra deep bays are perfect for oversized vehicles such as trucks and SUVs. Furthermore, the fisherman in your family will easily recognize this design as the perfect boat storage garage plan. Whether you need a place to store vehicles and other motorized items or a large workspace for your home workshop, this garage apartment plan delivers with its roomy main level. A storage area offers space for the laundry facilities accommodating those living on the upper level. Interior stairs lead the way to the second floor living quarters. 

With 688 square feet of finished living space, the second floor neatly separates the private spaces by situating the common areas in the center of the floor plan. The apartment delivers a combined living area and kitchenette. Two bedrooms flank the gathering spaces, each revealing a private bath and a walk-in closet. Don’t miss the dormers spilling natural light into each living space. Perfect for rental property, a guest retreat or even an alternative to a vacation home at the lake, this Cape Cod style garage apartment plan is worth taking a closer look.

For more garage apartment plans like this one, visit The Garage Plan Shop.

Tags: apartment garage, Garage Apartment Plans, garage apartments, garage with living quarters

Typically, garage apartment plans are detached garages with living quarters arranged on the upper level above the parking area. They usually provide parking bays for two or three cars on the main level with the second floor living space delivering anything from a studio apartment or “loft” style living space to two or more private bedrooms and baths combined with a dedicated living area, compact kitchen and sometimes even a dining area. Most garage apartment plans offer basic and modest amenities due to lack of space. For instance, a small closet may provide enough room for a stacked washer and dryer instead of separate appliances. Garage apartment plans usually have the outward appearance of a simple house with the exterior displaying a particular architectural style such as Craftsman or Traditional. A broad selection of rooflines and various garage door configurations lend character and charm while giving each design a look all its own. 

Garage apartment plans are designed with various widths and depths ensuring you’ll find the right one for your lot. Because there are so many sizes, it is easy to find a garage floor plan with the garage space you need for storing the family cars, an RV, a boat, a trailer or even lawn equipment.

Garage apartment plans are available with a variety of features. Interior elements in the living space might include a snack bar, fireplace or walk-in closet. Other special extras not in the finished living area could include interior stairs accessing the living quarters, a covered porch or deck, a drive-thru bay, a built-in workbench in the garage or extra storage space. If you need help installing a roof to your garage apartment, you may seek the services of Metal Roof Professionals. You may also contact an electrician to help you install the wiring and lighting fixtures.

There are many reasons why owners build with garage apartment plans. The living space makes a comfortable guest or in-law suite, works well for living quarters for the maid or nanny, provides privacy for your college student, offers comfortable accommodations for a weekend retreat, and is well suited for rental property and income. Furthermore, the garage apartment provides flexible living space that can be used for a home office, hobby room, entertainment space such as a home theater, or an art studio. Contact a local air conditioning repair contractor to install an hvac unit inside your garage apartment. This will provide a comfortable temperature in your additional living space.

Some garage apartment plans are designed on one level with the garage on one side of the structure and the living quarters on the other. This type of layout is ideal for families who have an aging relative in their care. The relative can live independently safely and still be near enough to receive assistance from others with necessary. 

Garage apartment plans are the perfect solution to your additional parking and living space needs. Garage loft plans and  garage plans with flex space share some commonalities with these designs.

Take some time to browse the entire collection of garage apartment plans at The Garage Plan Shop.

Tags: Detached Garage Plans, Garage Apartment Plans, garage apartments, garage plans

Living in a limited space is tough, but many make do with the space they have. When considering garage apartment plans and studio apartments, one-room living is about as tricky as you can get. This challenge is most often faced by city dwellers, seniors and students. So how do you make the most of living is a garage studio apartment? The Garage Plan Shop has some tips that will help you turn your one-room living space into a functional and stylish abode.

First, you must assess how you live. Do you like to entertain? Do you work from home? Will you have occasional or frequent overnight guests?

Next you must edit your belongings. What do you absolutely need in your studio apartment? What items can you donate to charity? What items can be put in storage?

The next step is to divide the room into public and private spaces. Depending on the way you live will determine how much public and private space you need. You’ll probably want a sleeping area, sitting/entertaining area, a workspace/office area, a dining space and kitchen. Try separating the sleeping area from the rest of the room using a bookcase as a room divider or perhaps a folding screen. You may even want to include your desk in the private space.

Now, it is time to create zones with the remaining common areas. This can be done using furniture, bamboo rugs, or even lighting. There are sites online that showcase Discount oriental rugs which can truly add appeal to a room. You may hire a residential electrical contractor to help install wiring and lighting in your garage apartment.

For excess furniture that doesn’t add value to your home design anymore, rather than throwing them away, you can donate them through services like Salvation Army Pickup, for example. For instance, hang a chandelier over the entertaining space and place and area rug beneath it with a couch along one edge designating this space as the entertaining space. This entertaining space might also be your socializing and eating space as well.

From this point, the rest is all in the way you arrange, furnish and organize your one-room living space. These pointers will help you finish your space with style and function.

·       Choose multi-functional furniture such as a coffee table that can double for dining or a bench with storage inside.

·         Select furniture on legs so you can see under each piece making the room feel more spacious. You can also incorporate items like vintage runner rugs in order to elevate the appeal of the room.

·         Use a few big pieces of furniture. A bunch of small pieces make a room feel cluttered.

·        Decorate with one color and incorporate different textures through furniture pieces, epoxy garage flooring, rugs and window treatments. A tight palette creates visual cohesion. Take a look this Selected Hardwood Flooring: hardwood floors in Illinois.

·         Choose decorative boxes, bins and baskets of different shapes, colors and textures to store small belongings. Stack them in open spaces at the bottoms of desks and end tables.

·         Think vertical when it comes to storage. Shelves, wall-mounted cubes and bookshelves are must haves.

·         Select space saving furniture and entertainment units that can be hanged on the wall. 

·         Let your space dictate the quantity of your belongings.

·         Incorporate a few movable furniture pieces like wicker furniture to accommodate guests. Consider ottomans, a bench or a few wooden chairs that can be moved near the sofa when visitors arrive.

Tags: garage apartment, Garage Apartment Plans, one-room living, studio apartments

If you are challenged by a sloping lot but wish to add extra living and parking space to your residence, this unique garage apartment plan is worth taking a second look.  Arts and Crafts styling dresses up the exterior ensuring it will blend nicely with your Craftsman style home. The drive-under garage tucks neatly into any hillside with side-entry stalls for two vehicles. This two-car garage offers 880 square feet of unfinished parking space complete with dual overhead doors and a convenient service entry, if your parking space ever gets damaged, consider getting a parking lot repair to have it looking brand new. Furthermore, the extra deep bays easily handle oversized vehicles and work well for boat storage. Handy exterior stairs offer access to the living quarters from the lower level, or you can enter from the covered front porch where sturdy columns atop stone pediments greet all. Inside the living quarters, two coat closets stand at the ready in the entry, which directs traffic to the open floor plan beyond. Here, the studio apartment with full bath delivers comfortable accommodations for weekend visitors, the in-laws or even you college student. Thoughtful extras include a meal-prep island and vaulted ceilings paired with sparkling windows making the living areas feel spacious and comfortable. Stylish and functional, this unique garage apartment plan can’t be beat.

Tags: Garage Apartment Plans, garage plans, Unique Garage Plans