Columnist Lisa Ferguson: Sun Lite for July 14, 2003

Lisa Ferguson

Monday, July 14, 2003 | 8:50 a.m.

Spaced out

For some, it's a sanctuary. For others, it's the dark, dirty, clutter-collecting space behind the house. Call it what you will, but the oft-neglected garage is finally garnering some attention from homeowners looking to stretch their living space.

For years folks have been backing their cars out of the garage and instead parking sofas, TVs, pool tables and refrigerators there. But according to a recent survey conducted by The Chamberlain Group Inc., an Elmhurst, Ill.,-based manufacturer of what else? garage-door openers and accessories, 45 percent of Americans have renovated their garages, transforming them into home gyms, bedrooms/living rooms, playrooms, home offices and party rooms.

Why the garage? Chicago-area home-improvement expert Bill Keller, a contributing writer to the book, "Cut the Clutter and Stow the Stuff: The Q.U.I.C.K. Way to Bring Lasting Order to Household Chaos," (Rodale Press, 2002), explains, "The average attached two-car garage is 400 square feet of prime real estate ready for development ... The bottom line is: Fixing up the garage is a lot cheaper than adding an addition" to a house.

But not by much. It seems there's more to the redesign process than tossing out boxes of junk and slapping a coat of paint on the garage walls. The bulk of survey respondents (80 percent) reported they were willing to spend about $5,000 on changes. Nearly 4 percent of those polled said they'd drop at least $25,000 on the improvement project. For that kind of cash, why not buy a new car and pretty up the garage the old-fashioned way?

Rumbling over rake?

On a positive note, converting the garage could help keep married couples out of divorce court so long as at the husbands and wives live in Long Island, N.Y. Last spring the makers of Syosset, N.J.-headquartered GarageTek shelving and storage systems polled 247 residents of that city who attended a home-improvement show at the Nassau Coliseum. According to respondents, the garage is the topic of nearly two out of three household arguments specifically, its clutter factor.

More findings: 61 percent of married folks complained their beloved maintains a messy garage, a habit the fed-up spouse would like to change. One thing 78 percent of couples could agree on was that their garages just aren't large enough. No wonder: Only one-quarter of Long Islanders park their cars in the garage, as three out of four garages are packed to the rafters with tools and other household gizmos.

Curbing

Here's a thought: How about sifting through those towers of tools and unearthing those that can help gussy up the front of your home? Better yet, have a professional do it for you.

A $10,000 front-yard facelift will be awarded to the winner of Rust-Oleum's Curb Allure Contest. Enter a 100-word-or-less essay by July 31 at curballure.com, explaining why your humble abode could use a makeover, be it a a new paint job, landscaping or even a bit of reconstructive surgery.

While you're at it, take a look around the neighborhood. Is the house four doors down falling apart? Does the family up the street need a nudge before they'll mow the lawn? Let your nags be known anonymously, of course via Rust-Oleum's "friendly advice" form. Disguised as a contest entry form, it's available on the website; print it out and simply leave it in the nuisance's mailbox. You can hide out in the garage and watch to see if the offending neighbor actually gets the message.