In honor of the Thanksgiving holiday, this week we offer something from the lighter side of the garage door world for your entertainment.  Check out our list of garage door trends, garage door trivia, and the history of garage doors below. Enjoy!

Garage Trends and Trivia

For some, the garage has been a place of great inspiration or industry. For most of us, though, it’s just another place to keep the many needs and accessories of everyday suburban life. The following list of facts compiled by Big Book of Garages author Tina Skinner reminds us how the garage has evolved to become an integral part of our homes and lifestyles.

Garages Inspire Industry

• The Hewlett Packard Company got its start in a detached garage in Palo Alto, now a historic landmark and the “Birthplace of Silicon Valley.”
• Other mega-million-dollar businesses birthed behind big carport doors included Reader’s Digest magazine, Apple Computer, Liquid Paper, and the 1948 toy store sensation Wham-O.

Garages Rock On

• The term “garage band” has become an essential part of the American musical lexicon. Referring to groups of amateur musicians who practice in their suburban garages, the phenomenon of garage music arose in the early 1960s.
• In some instances, garage bands broke onto the airwaves to enjoy mainstream success, as was the case with the Kingsmen, Paul Revere and the Raiders, the Electric Prunes, the Seeds, MC5, Question Mark and the Mysterians, and the Ramones.
• More recently, garage music has experienced a renaissance with the popularity of bands like the White Stripes, the Strokes, the Hives, and the Kings of Leon.

History of Garage Doors: Growing in Size and Popularity

• In 1950, only 47 percent of new homes were built with a garage. Today, the multi-car garage consistently receives high marks from consumers when asked to list their preferences for new-home features and amenities.
• While the average lot size for new homes has decreased from 10,000 square feet in 1990 to 8,500 square feet, garages are growing in size to accommodate SUV’s and recreational vehicles.
• The standard size of the garage door has grown from 7' x 9' to 8' x10' for a two-car garage bay.
• Bigger, insulated garages with lots of amenities “are in,” according to Builder magazine’s list of what’s hot; treating the garage as second-class space is definitely “out”.

Garages Save Money, Add Value

• Realtors surveyed nationwide say replacing your garage door prior to listing your home can increase its curb appeal, and the asking price by up to 4 percent.
• 25 percent of homeowners with garages do not use them to park their car; instead, they hold clutter.
• Many car insurance companies provide a 10 percent savings on an annual premium for parking a car in the garage; that’s about $200 a year.

Garages Make a Grand Entrance

• 73 percent of Americans enter their home through their garage.