Garages are becoming a design centerpiece in homes at The Cliffs
When the first garages were implemented in home design, the concept, while a luxury, was simple—a room to house a car.
And while in later years they’ve been upgraded to hold multiple vehicles — and let’s be honest, infrequently used appliances — the garage has become a sideshow. It’s the room you omit when giving guests a tour, or the place where you hide the boxes of stuff you haven’t used in ages (it’s called a garage sale for a reason).
But modern home design recognizes the garage is meant for more, as multiple homes at The Cliffs can attest to. Dog-washing stations, home delivery rooms, glass walls highlighting panoramic views—these singular garages combine function and form to make a memorable impression.
Smooth as Glass
THE FERRIS BUELLER GARAGE
We all remember that gut-wrenching scene in “Ferris Bueller’s Day Off” when Cameron’s dad’s beloved Ferrari slowly crashes through the garage’s glass windows to the forest below. Well, picture that garage, except on a mountain as part of a chic modern house with stunning vistas. When Mark Zilbert and Ralph Bias worked on the design of their home at The Cliffs at Walnut Cove with Young & Young Architects, they wanted the building to follow the contours of the ridgeline property. The result, constructed in 2022 by Hendersonville, North Carolina-based and preferred builder at The Cliffs, Glenwood Custom Builders, is an all-glass structure that showcases the surrounding views. The three-car glass garage with massive back windows is a nod to the famous Ferris Bueller design..
Prime Time
THE HOME-DELIVERY CENTER
With the rise of Amazon and online purchasing comes porch delivery at unspecified times, and to be sure, many a package has gone astray while the unlucky owner is not at home. So why not have a locked room attached to the garage designed specifically for package delivery? Known for its luxury builds across the Southeast, AR Homes by Arthur Rutenburg agrees, and at its brand-new Palmetto model at The Cliffs at Keowee Springs, the home-delivery center is a debut feature.
“It’s a trend of the future that makes sense,” says Bruce Pasquarella, franchise owner of AR Homes by American Eagle Builders, a preferred builder at The Cliffs. “It’s something that came up when we were designing this model, and we’re starting to design it in more of our floor plans.”
Adjacent to the garage, the Palmetto model’s home-delivery center has its own exterior door and a one-time four-digit code that allows delivery drivers to gain access to the room, and that room only, for 24 hours. It contains a refrigerator for temperature-sensitive items, as well as shelving, ideal for storing packages while out of town. This kind of space is being seen across a few other custom-build homes in other areas, as well.
Fur Sure
THE DOG-WASHING STATION
A preferred builder at The Cliffs, Tom Dillard and the Dillard-Jones team understand the beloved place dogs hold in the home and place importance on designing pet-friendly spaces. “We love to create special places for your pets,” says Liza Dillard, director of business management.
So it makes sense that The Landing Idea Home at The Cliffs at Keowee Springs includes a dog-washing station in its roomy three-car garage. With a clean, fresh design, the cubicle shower is big enough for canines of all sizes, ensuring Fido is completely dirt-free before entering the spacious living area. The garage also sports an EV charging station, and while you’re at it, you might as well utilize the vacuum system to clean out any extraneous doggy hair in the car.
This story was featured in Cliffs Living Magazine. To see more stories like this one and learn more about The Cliffs, subscribe here.
