Garage technology installations that Steven Hooper, owner of Audio Video Design Consultants in Nashville, Tenn., has been doing for custom builder Forte Building Group in nearby Brentwood, Tenn., have also been progressively more sophisticated. Hooper's most recent project was in Nashville's West End neighborhood. A click of their car's remote greets the high-tech garage's owners with his-and-her music selections from either a Sirius digital radio or an Elan Via!dj 250MB music server. The music flows through SpeakerCraft Aim5 One in-ceiling speakers.

As the music scene comes up, a Lutron HomeWorks lighting system kicks in, illuminating the way to the study or the kitchen, depending on which scene is activated. Scenes can be programmed at the Elan Via! Valet 6.4 touchpanel, which also displays images from a pair of security cameras at the end of the driveway.

“This is definitely a trend,” says Hooper. “With each garage Forte builds, the installed technology is increasingly more sophisticated. People want their houses to talk back to them, and now that's extending to the point of entry, namely the garage.”

The Payoff

The growing interest in tech-savvy garages suggests new upsell opportunities for builders and installers. Rossini's recent project started out with a 50-inch plasma screen, four speakers, and no subwoofer. When the homeowner realized how much time he was spending in the garage, he asked Rossini to put in more —and better—components. It's a simple equation, Rossini says. “He realized the garage was becoming his personal sanctuary, and he upped the technology level accordingly.”

Designers and integrators have this advice for builders: Point out to home buyers the garage's emerging status as a (mostly) male haven-in-the-home. Then, just as for home theater upgrades, ensure a home's plans can include the structured wiring and component rough-ins necessary to support a digital garage.

“Now when I talk to builders, I find myself bringing up the garage as a place to install systems,” says Rossini. “That's something I hadn't done before.”

It's a question of value, Karlis says. “Putting A/V technology into the garage helps buyers look at the space as a part of the house they could actually live in, and that adds more of a sense of value for price.”

Dan Daley is a frequent contributor to Hanley Wood's DIGITAL HOME.