These elegant oak frame garage ideas will help you to design the perfect addition to complement a new home or extension
(Image credit: Oakwrights)
When looking for oak-framed garage ideas, finding self build or extension projects which flawlessly blend elegant design and modern practicality is the perfect first step.
A safe place to park away from the street is usually a planning condition for self builds so achieving a design which perfectly complements the exterior of a house is essential.
Creating a house from scratch or building an extension with oak frame is usually chosen to provide a charming and characterful look – something which doesn’t always spring to mind when thinking about how to secure a family vehicle or store gardening equipment – but adding the wrong design could ruin the aesthetic of the rest of the house.
From garages with rooms above and parking integrated within a house to standalone carports and single-bay additions, we've gathered together our favourite designs, along with top tips to get you on your way.
Designing a garage that's suitable for more than one purpose is a great idea for self builds with the plot space available. Whether it's guest accommodation, extra storage or even a small garden office, make the most of the allocated area by building taller and more effectively.
The classic bay by Border Oak is designed to be adapted into different configurations with doors, windows, staircases, internal partitions, upgrades, insulation and logstores, and can accommodate most 4x4 vehicles.
2. Adding a Garage with a Woodstore
(Image credit: Prime Oak)
Incorporate a sheltered verandah or porch area for gardening tools, storing furniture over winter or a place to put wood for a fire. Not just incredibly practical, this idea can also help any design turn from new property to the quintessential country home.
3. An Oak-framed Garage for Every Need
(Image credit: Shires Oak)
Adapting designs to your own requirements is a must when given the opportunity to add a new space onto a self build or existing home. Think about the different ways in which a garage or carport could be suited better to your needs, for example:
storing a large lawn mower or other power tools
sheltering patio furniture
creating a potting shed
acting as a power source for outdoor lighting
becoming a plant room for an eco home
caring for vehicles suited to summer weather
Adjusting to a bespoke design can offer solution to all of these functions.
4. Designing an Integrated Garage in an Oak-framed Home
(Image credit: Mark Welsh c/o Oakwrights)
Dealing with an awkward plot directly on the main road meant the homeowners of this house had to include a garage into their design.
Oakwrights beautifully and elegantly designed the space to sit alongside the traditional-style elevation while the homeowners were sure to paint in the same colour as the windows and door for a graceful finish.
5. Keep it Simple for Compact Spaces
(Image credit: Border Oak)
Where space isn't a virtue on a self build or extension plot, keeping the design of an oak framed garage or carport as clean and fuss-free as possible is a great solution.
6. Complement the Main Oak-framed House
(Image credit: Jeremy Phillips)
Garages aren't known for being easy on the eyes but oak framed structures by nature will be a high-quality addition to a home.
This oak framed self build's garage and carport building matches the main house's roof covering and cladding design for a seamless transition between domestic and function spaces.
7. Think About Adding Glazing to a Garage
(Image credit: Oakwrights)
Not all garages are used for actually storing cars so if you want to incorporate a workshop, make sure to consider adequate natural light sources.
If adding dormer windows to a garage with space above for extra head-height, make sure the design for the roof looks natural or include rooflights to increase ventilation in places for woodworking or painting.
8. Integrated a Carport into the Main House
(Image credit: Jeremy Phillips)
This new farmhouse was designed by Border Oak and the layout is separated into two distinct sections. The side where the oak frame is exposed with a render infill is the 'family' zone with space for the living areas and the other, clad in weatherboarding, houses the farm's administrative hub.
The carport was strategically incorporated into the rear of this section with a side entrance meaning the practical space is firmly distinct from the family after hours.
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Amy is an interiors and renovation journalist. She is the former Assistant Editor of Homebuilding & Renovating, where she worked between 2018 and 2023. She has also been an editor for Independent Advisor, where she looked after homes content, including topics such as solar panels.
She has an interest in sustainable building methods and always has her eye on the latest design ideas. Amy has also interviewed countless self builders, renovators and extenders about their experiences.
She has renovated a mid-century home, together with her partner, on a DIY basis, undertaking tasks from fitting a kitchen to laying flooring. She is currently embarking on an energy-efficient overhaul of a 1800s cottage in Somerset.
