As a home builder, John Hall Jr. knows everyone’s idea of the “perfect garage” can vary widely.

But when Hall builds his own new garage in the coming months, he said his unit will almost certainly include enough space for his indoor golf simulator, allowing him to practice his golf game anytime, while his vehicles remain snug nearby, safely out of the elements.

“People are definitely treating their garages differently these days,” said Hall, owner of Hall Custom Homes in St. Charles. “They want to have their garage not feel so much like a garage, even when the cars are parked in there.”

Throughout the U.S., a growing number of homeowners have turned their attention to what Hall and others in the home improvement and design business consider to be an often-neglected space: the garage.

According to a survey commissioned by tool maker Stanley Black & Decker in 2024, more than three-quarters of homeowners believe their garage could become “the most productive room in their house.”

In reporting the results, the company said the survey shows homeowners no longer see garages as merely a “place just to store cars and tools,” but now view the ubiquitous spaces — particularly common in suburban environments — as “a hub of productivity, creativity and even a source of income for some homeowners.”

According to the survey, nearly 80% of homeowners said they intend to at least declutter and organize their garage.

But the survey said a growing number of homeowners are not stopping there, with nearly 40% now using their garages as a gym or physical fitness space and 28% saying they put their garages to work to aid them in “side hustles,” or other self-employment or entrepreneurial ventures.

Those trends are not losing steam, said Hall and Jaime Sabado, a sales manager for Complete Closet Design.

Based in Naperville, Complete Closet Design provides organizational and improvement strategies and solutions for many home spaces, including garages, for homeowners in the Fox Valley area and beyond.

Sabado said the drive to renovate garages for alternative uses began gaining popularity around 2020-2021, amid the COVID pandemic, as people’s attention turned to “maximizing their space” at home.

“Design in garage spaces have really become much more elevated,” said Sabado. “It’s become an extension of their homes.”

She noted home fitness centers have consistently ranked among the most common alternative concepts for garage spaces, as homeowners seek private gym and training areas that are available whenever they like or need.

Sabado said homeowners are also seeking to carve out portions of their garages to serve as better and larger “mud rooms.”

“Here in this part of the country, we know that for most of the year, the weather is going to throw rain at us, mud, snow, slush,” said Sabado. “We have clients who are saying, ‘You know, we want to make sure we have space to dump those dirty and wet boots or coats, or drop the muddy, smelly sports equipment or whatever, before we get in the house.’”

Still other homeowners, she said, are opting to convert their garages into three-seasons-room-style hybrid entertainment spaces, often complete with big-screen televisions and outdoor-style bars.

“We have four seasons here, so in a lot of ways, it makes more sense to put that entertaining space in the garage, instead of just out in your backyard,” Sabado said — laughing as she agreed the concept “could be more of a Midwestern thing, for sure.”

Many homeowners are also designing their garages to serve as gleaming workshops or to support favorite hobbies and pastimes, whether woodworking, automotive repair and restoration, or virtually maintaining their golf swing with indoor golf simulators.

Hall noted such garage projects are no longer just renovation ideas, but are increasingly becoming in-demand features for custom-built homes in the region.

“People are designing their garages for these purposes before they ever move in,” said Hall. “They want the garage to reflect them and their interests.”

He said customers are now spending more time than in the past ensuring garages are properly lit and supplied with electricity in the right spaces to support projects and recreation, while also insulating, heating and cooling the space and installing premium flooring and coating options.

Sabado said successful projects are built around proper design and quality products. She said her company installs customizable Swisstrax flooring and full organizational systems with adjustable slat walls, work benches, overhead storage and cabinets.

“We provide the sleek cabinetry, flooring, lighting and other technology and solutions to elevate those spaces,” said Sabado. “We transform the garage into a space you want to be and bring your home outside, too.”