PARK AND RECREATIONS

With the rise of electric vehicles and a fresh focus on design, the once overlooked garage is becoming a future-forward source of joy and energy at home.

- Lydia Lee

Despite its exotic French name, the garage has often been the most prosaic part of a home, the site of industrial grime and clutter. But a sea change is upon us. "The garage is now a considered space," says architectural designer Jessica Pell, founder of Manola Studio in Los Angeles. "People are doing more millwork and giving them better finishes, so they're more like flex areas." Whether it's a home gym or home to the car of your dreams or both the garage no longer has to be grungy.

The rise of electric vehicles (EVs) dovetails nicely with the evolution of the garage into a more meaningful place. EVs don't emit fumes, and their motors don't use motor oil, so you can bid farewell to unsightly oil stains on garage floors. "The same reasons why EVs are better for the environment are also why they are cleaner at home," says Eric Sweet, the cofounder of emeraldECO, a San Francisco Bay Area company that retrofits homes with all-electric systems and solar panels.