330 Homes Fall 2021

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by MICHAEL NIED and photos provided by ENCORE GARAGE OHIO

LIFT OFF Make your garage fit your home’s style and needs with a remodel.

M ike Padden thinks garages hold untapped potential. “They’re basically a new frontier of home renova tion,” says Padden, owner of Encore Garage Ohio, which has Akron-Canton and Medina-Strongsville Cleveland offices. Carol Null, director of inside sales and marketing for

Encore, says the pandemic made the idea of a garage renovation doubly appealing. People are spending time at home identifying projects, and garage space is readily available to reclaim. To begin, find what Padden calls a utility space. Think of it as underutilized square footage begging to become a multifunctional escape. For instance, Padden references a Hudson client who had workout equipment scat tered across his home. They

transformed an unused bay in a three-car garage into a tricked-out gym (pictured above). A garage can also house a child’s playroom, a hangout for friends, a spot to groom the dog or storage for off season clothing. All it takes is imagination. “Before it was a dungeon,” Padden says. “All of a sudden it becomes a vibrant space.” These are some improve ments Padden recommends.

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