How can I make my unfinished garage look better?

Quick Tips for Improving the Look of an Unfinished Garage

An unfinished garage can be an eyesore – exposed studs, bare concrete floors, and unfinished drywall make the space look unappealing and unfinished. However, there are several quick and easy things you can do to improve the look of your unfinished garage without a full remodel. Here are some tips:

Paint the Walls and Ceiling

Painting the walls and ceiling of your unfinished garage is an easy way to make the space look cleaner and more put together. Opt for bright white paint with semi-gloss or eggshell finish to reflect light and make the space appear larger. Primer will also help cover any stains on concrete walls. Painting makes a huge visual impact for little time and money invested.

Install Temporary Wall Paneling

Wall paneling, like beadboard or faux wood paneling, can lend a polished finished look to unfinished walls. These wall panels are inexpensive and easy to install with adhesive, nails, or screws. Choose panels that are moisture-resistant to stand up to the conditions inside a garage. Install them over studs for a clean, finished look.

Cover Floors with Interlocking Floor Tiles

Bare concrete garage floors look uninviting. Interlocking plastic or rubber floor tiles are an affordable and easy solution for covering concrete floors. They are durable, easy to clean, and provide comfort underfoot. Measuring and cutting tiles to fit is straightforward. Lay the tiles directly over concrete for instant floor coverage that looks much better than bare concrete.

Add Inexpensive Storage with Wire Shelving

Garages easily become disorganized messy spaces. Adding inexpensive wire shelving units will instantly provide storage to help organize the contents of your garage. Wire shelving is easy to install, customizable to your space, and offers open visibility so items don’t get lost in the back of cabinets or closets. Keeping your garage organized with storage makes the space seem more orderly and put together.

Hang Storage on the Walls

Take advantage of vertical wall space to get clutter and items up off the garage floor. Pegboard panels and slatwall panels both allow you to hang storage hooks, baskets, and cabinets to store items up on the walls. Arrange tools, sporting goods, gardening supplies or workshop items on the wall to keep the floor clear. Vertical storage helps maximize space efficiently.

Conceal with Suspended Ceiling

Exposed joists and ductwork on the garage ceiling look unsightly and unfinished. Installing an inexpensive suspended ceiling system with ceiling tiles creates a cleaner, more refined appearance. Suspended ceiling systems easily mount to the underside of roof joists with wires. The ceiling panels conceal joists, creating a smooth surface.

Creative Ideas for Enhancing Garage Style

Once you’ve covered the basics of making your unfinished garage look more orderly, you can get creative with ideas to enhance the garage’s style. These ideas add personality and visual appeal to upgrade your garage:

Add Lighting

Proper lighting transforms any space. Exchange the single bulb hanging from the ceiling for suspended shop lights. Add track lighting or wall sconces for task lighting. Installing lighting focused on garage work zones or storage areas makes the space feel brighter and more welcoming.

Paint an Accent Wall

Painting all four walls of your garage bright white keeps the room looking clean. For extra style, use a complementary color like a pale blue or light gray to paint one accent wall. This creates visual interest and makes your garage feel more like a room of the house versus a separate unfinished space.

Stencil a Faux Ceiling

For garages with exposed rafters or open joists overhead, stenciling a faux ceiling is brilliant. Use wood-grained paint or faux tile patterns to decorate the ceiling with stencils. This adds decorative detail overhead and tricks the eye to look like a finished space.

Add Attractive Garage Floor Coating

Painting the concrete floor using an epoxy coating system transforms a drab garage floor into an eye-catching focal point. Coatings come in solid colors, patterns like coin or flakes, or mimic expensive finishes like stained concrete at a fraction of the price. A floor coating in gray or tan can make your garage floor look polished.

Paint and Organize Shelving Units

Any shelving units or storage cabinets you add to your garage should be painted or finished to coordinate with the room’s style. Wood tones like walnut work well in a garage setting. Organize shelves neatly with matching bins and baskets to conceal clutter. Mismatched storage containers make the space look disjointed.

Add an Accent Rug

Area rugs are unexpected in garages but can define a space visually. Use a low-pile outdoor rug secured with garage floor tape in front of a workbench or under a sitting area. The rug texture and color help segment functional spaces within the overall garage.

Display Tools and Decor

Instead of hiding tools in drawers and cabinets, creatively display them on the wall to show off your style. Arrange tools on pegboard to create an artistic look. Integrate garage-themed wall decor like vintage signs. Displaying, not merely storing, items makes your garage design feel cohesive. Add artwork and decor you would in any room of the home.

Incorporate Textures and Fabrics

Garages tend to have hard surfaces – concrete floors and drywall. Incorporate textural interest using fabrics. Mount a tapestry or faux sheepskin rug on one wall as art. Drape unfinished basement ceilings with burlap or muslin. Use rubber floor mats or woven garage floor runner rugs. Textures provide visual warmth and interest.

Clever Garage Storage Solutions

Any garage needs well-organized storage to contain all the items housed there and keep clutter at bay. These creative storage solutions make it easy to organize and conceal the contents of your garage:

Add Drawers Under Workbenches

Customizing or building workbenches with drawers built in provides hidden storage under the bench top to tuck away tools, hardware, or painting supplies. Mounting the bench against the wall allows for storage drawers accessible from the front side. Add a work surface on top to create a convenient garage workspace.

Use Wall-Mounted Storage Rails

Wall-mounted steel rails with adjustable hooks allow you to hang bicycles, extension cords, hoses, sports equipment, and more overhead and up off the floor completely. The rails mount easily to wall studs, and the hooks glide and adjust along the rail wherever you need them. Hang items overhead to open up valuable floor space.

Install Tension Rod Shelving

Tension rods braced into the corner of a garage allow you to suspend shelving to utilize wasted vertical space. Rods fit tightly into place then hold up shelves, creating tiers of storage. Use tension rod shelves to store paint cans, cleaning products or other supplies to keep them up off the floor yet easily accessible.

Make a Hose Hanger

Neatly winding up the garden hose keeps it readily accessible yet off the floor so it’s not in the way. Mount a hose hanger or an old towel rod to hang and wrap your hose on the wall by the spigot. Place it by the garage side door to keep a hose nearby when washing cars or watering plants.

Use Bins and Baskets

Contain all the bits and bobs like nails, screws, bungee cords, soap bottles, sponges, and so on in matching storage bins. Bins corral all the odds and ends into organized units. Store bins on shelves or in cabinets out of sight. Matching the bins creates uniformity for a tidier look. Label them so you can easily find needed items.

Rack Garden Tools Up High

Take advantage of empty vertical wall space by storing long-handled garden tools up high out of the way. Use a sturdy metal rack that hangs on the wall with hooks to organize rakes, hoes, brooms, and shovels up overhead. The tools hang neatly so their handles are accessible but the heads are lifted up off the floor.

Build Custom Cabinets Around Poles

Structural poles in a garage can make furniture positioning a challenge. Custom build cabinets or shelving to surround the poles neatly. Box in the poles with cabinetry for a built-in look. Then use the pole cabinets for storing supplies, sporting goods, or other items needing a home in the garage.

Make a Built-In Tool Cabinet

For the avid DIYer, build a custom tool cabinet recessed into the wall studs, like in the kitchen. A built-in with doors keeps all your tools organized yet out of sight for a streamlined look. Built-ins maximize space efficiently and make tools easily accessible when you need them without cluttering up the garage.

Conclusion

With some strategic paint, storage solutions, floors, and decor, you can transform the look and feel of an unfinished garage without the investment of a full remodel and build-out. Use these clever tips and ideas to makeover your garage, both functionally and aesthetically, within a reasonable budget. A well-organized, freshly painted garage with neat storage feels as welcoming and cleanly as any other room in your home. With a little creativity and elbow grease, you can craft a garage space you’ll be excited to spend time in. Create a space suited to your needs that reflects your style.

Quick Tips	Details
Paint the walls and ceiling	Use bright white paint to make the space look clean and reflective. Eggshell or semi-gloss finish will also make it durable and washable.
Install temporary wall paneling	Beadboard or faux wood panels create the look of finished walls affordably. Use moisture-resistant panels.
Cover floors with interlocking tiles	Plastic or rubber tiles lay down over concrete easily to provide flooring. Cut tiles to fit the garage space.
Add wire shelving	Inexpensive wire units offer plenty of storage for garage items to keep organized.
Hang storage on walls	Pegboards, slatwall panels, rails, and hooks allow versatile wall storage for many items.
Install suspended ceiling	A grid and ceiling tile system hides ductwork, joists, and wiring overhead.

Creative Ideas	Details
Add lighting	New lighting makes the garage space brighter and easier to use. Try shop lights or track lighting.
Paint an accent wall	One colorful wall adds interest against the backdrop of white walls. Blue or gray work well.
Stencil a faux ceiling	Use stencils and paint to create faux beams, wood grain, or tiles overhead.
Add floor coating	An epoxy coating comes in colors and patterns to customize the concrete floor.
Organize and paint storage	Match bins and baskets. Paint cabinets and shelving to coordinate.
Add an accent rug	Indoor/outdoor rugs define spaces like a sitting area within the garage.
Display tools and decor	Create an artistic arrangement of tools on pegboard. Add decor to make it feel like a room.
Incorporate fabrics	Burlap, tapestries, and rugs add visual warmth and texture.

Storage Solutions	Details
Add drawers under workbenches	Hidden storage keeps items neat but easily accessible.
Use wall-mounted storage rails	Hang bicycles, hoses, and extension cords vertically overhead.
Install tension rod shelving	Rods hold up shelves in wasted corner space storage.
Make a hose hanger	Neatly hang and wrap hoses on a wall mount by the spigot.
Use matching bins and baskets	Uniform labeled bins keep garage items organized and tidy.
Rack garden tools overhead	A wall-mounted rack keeps long-handled tools up and out of the way.
Build cabinets around poles	Use awkward poles for building wrap-around cabinet storage.
Make built-in tool cabinet	Recess tool storage into the studs for concealed organization.