Reinventing the garage
By Ken McEntee
The first question that may come to mind when rolling up to Leigh and Heather Guilkey’s Medina home, is why do they park their cars in their family room.
As it turns out, the large, clean-as-a-whistle “room,” adorned with framed travel posters and other artwork, a refrigerator and a set of wicker furniture to relax on, is the Guilkey’s three-car garage.
“I call it our multi-purpose room,” Leigh reveals. “It’s nice to hang out in here. We can sit in here with the doors up and watch the kids play in the driveway, or just lounge around. It’s like a covered patio. We can pull the cars out and it’s a perfect party room.”
The transformation from garage to multi-purpose room was done mainly by Ohio Garage Interiors, owned by the father and son team of Scott and Chad Gleske. Ohio Garage Interiors specializes in garage enhancement, which includes the installation of high-end polymer floor coatings, rugged custom-made cabinets and organizational systems that eliminate clutter and create a warm, inviting atmosphere for family and guests, Chad says.
“The garage is becoming the new front door through which everybody enters your home,” he observes. “That’s why more people are beginning to look at their garage from an aesthetic perspective. Usually being the largest room in the home, the garage is something people can take pride in.”
An admitted stickler for cleanliness and organization, Leigh says an upgraded garage was on his wish list from the time he and Heather bought their home six years ago.
“The concrete garage floor at our last home was chipping and it drove me crazy,” he recalls.
“We met Ohio Garage Interiors at a home and garden show. We did some research, then had them come out to create a plan for the garage.”
They started by installing the floor. Unlike the porous stone and epoxy coating used by some companies, Ohio Garage Interiors’ polyaspartic coating is a high quality, non-porous, stain-resistant, easy-to-maintain surface, Chad explains.
“The floor made a big difference,” Leigh says. “There are no tire marks and no stains. It is low maintenance. We just hose it off and mop.”
With the new floor in place, Leigh and Heather painted the walls, then had Ohio Garage Interiors come back to install custom-made cabinets that keep tools, toys and other items organized and hidden from view.
“We invested in the machinery to make our own cabinets,” Chad says. “That means you’ll have a perfect fit every time.”
The cabinets, available in 10 colors, are crafted from a thermo-fused laminate so they won’t peel or discolor. They are mounted directly to the studs so they are secure and solid, and they are situated six inches off the ground to inhibit water and pests, Chad says.
Ohio Garage Interiors can enhance the cabinets with handy and convenient wall hangers and other storage solutions that keep tools, yard equipment and gardening supplies organized and easy to access.
“The Guilkeys have a spectacular garage,” Chad says.
“But we do more than luxury garages. No matter what size garage you have, we can replace your cracked and chipped floor and/or recover a lot of cluttered space with cabinet and organizational systems.”
To eliminate the aggravation of a cluttered garage, or to beautify your garage with sleek cabinets and a rugged, gorgeous polymer floor, you can schedule a no-cost consultation with Chad or Scott by calling 330-835-8111 (Akron/Canton), 216-767-6363 (Cleveland East) or 440-520-9370 (Cleveland West). You can get more information at OhioGarageInteriors.com.