A good garage is at home with the surrounding landscape. We spotted ten garage facades worth appreciating from our favorite designers and architects (including members of the Remodelista + Gardenista Architect/Designer Directory):
Below Grade
Above: Photograph by Reto Guntli courtesy of BarlisWedlick Architects. A below-grade garage has a Tesla charging station and a green roof. “We tucked the garage into the earth so you wouldn’t notice it and it wouldn’t distract you from the view of the Berkshires,” says architect Alan Barlis. For more, see Architect Visit: A Natural Pool and Passive House in New York’s Hudson Valley.
Roof Garden
Above: Photograph by Gentl & Hyers.
Garden designer Geoffrey Nimmer planted a hydroponic roof garden above a Shelter Island garage belonging to design couple Andrew Corrie and Harriet Maxwell. See more at Garden Visit: A Design Couple’s Scenic Shelter Island Retreat.
On the Alley
Above: Photograph courtesy of Tim Cuppett Architects.
In the historic Texas neighborhood of Old West Austin, clients asked architect Tim Cuppett to add sleeping quarters to a one-bedroom house (circa 1908). To avoid disfiguring the vintage facade with an attic dormer (or worse), Cuppett came up with a charming solution: the back alley guest house. For more see Outbuilding of the Week: Back Alley House.
Full Transparency
Above: Photograph by Paul Dyer. SF-based contractor Jeff King from Jeff King & Company designed a glazed garage door to allow for transparency and daylight. The window panes are maximized because the aluminum frame is so durable. See more in A Carport Makes a Difference.
Understated Remodel
Above: Architect Cary Bernstein did a complete remodel of a San Francisco garage, retaining parking while adding usable space in the basement. When they drive into the garage, the owners now see across a landscaped courtyard to the back of their home. Says the architect, “By giving the garage a real architecture, the owners are already ‘inside’ when they arrive home by car.” See more in Architect Visit: Cary Bernstein Resurrects a Circa-1908 Garage.
Softened by Succulents
Above: Designers Cameron and Stephanie Paterson of Grounded Gardens softened the facade of a garage with a front path of free-form bluestone pavers lined by drought tolerant plants including Anigozanthos (commonly known as kangaroo paw), a silver bush of Leucophyta brownii, and Dieties Iridiodies (African iris). See more in A Courtyard to Covet in a Modern Melbourne Garden.
Slim Profile
Above: Feldman Architecture added a 10-foot-wide garage to the left of this 1860s San Francisco cottage during a renovation, but made the design discreet due to historic concerns. From the back, however, the addition is a modern two-story glass tower. For more from the architect, see Feldman Architecture: Cottages in the Mill Valley Forest.
Rustic Siding
Above: This barn garage by CCS Architecture is part of a Santa Cruz “country compound” belonging to a San Francisco couple with six children. The family wanted a rustic feel for their second home and versatility among the buildings for each member’s various activities.
Lofty Ceiling
Above: This two-door garage from Seattle-based Balance Associates features polished concrete floors, lofted ceilings, and frosted glass doors. Read about the project in Architect Visit: Balance Associates Garage. Photograph by Steve Keating.
Guest Quarters
Above: Located in Washington state’s Methow Valley, this 1,500-square-foot cabin and garage by Seattle-based FINNE Architects is the guest quarters to a larger main house on the property. Read more about the Mazama Cabin at FINNE.
For stylish garage storage, see:
Have a Question or Comment About This Post?
Start the Conversation