# Luxury Garage Design Ideas Start with bay sizes larger than the 6 m by 3 m minimum, then plan lighting, flooring, storage, EV charging and ventilation before you choose finishes like glass walls or a turntable. Updated 2026-10-29. Also on the [web page](https://luxurygaragebuilders.fyi/guides/luxury-garage-design-ideas). A collector garage is a working room, a store and often a display space. Plan the hard parts first: size, power, light, air and floor. Then add the finishes. ## Layout and bay sizes Use published minimums as a floor, not a target. The Leicestershire Highway Design Guide in England gives these minimum internal sizes ([Leicestershire County Council](https://www.leicestershirehighwaydesignguide.uk/highway-layouts-and-design/parking-and-making-provision-service-vehicles/street-residential-car)): - Standard single: 6 m by 3 m, with a door at least 2.3 m wide. - Single with extra access needs: 6 m by 3.3 m, with a door at least 2.8 m wide. - Double: 6 m by 6 m, with a door at least 4.2 m wide. A collector garage needs more. Add space to open doors fully, walk around each car, and fit a lift, a workbench and storage. Measure your longest and widest cars, with mirrors, before your architect fixes the plan. If you plan a lift, set the ceiling height from the lift maker's figures for your model. ## Lighting The UK Health and Safety Executive (HSE) gives these average light levels in its guide HSG38 ([HSE](https://www.hse.gov.uk/pubns/priced/hsg38.pdf)): - 200 lux average (100 lux minimum) for work that needs perception of detail. - 500 lux average (200 lux minimum) for work that needs perception of fine detail. Use the higher level over a detailing bay or bench. Use even, glare-free fittings. HSG38 says glare is worst when bright lamps are close to the line of sight, so shield them or keep them out of view. Ask for LED fittings with dimming so the room also works as a display space. ## Flooring Common choices are coated concrete (epoxy or polyaspartic), interlocking tiles and polished concrete. Ask each garage specialist for the coating maker's data sheet. Check chemical resistance to fuel, oil and brake fluid, slip rating when wet, and the care steps. ## Cabinetry and storage Plan wall cabinets, a workbench and tool storage along the long walls, clear of door swing. Keep power outlets at bench height. Put tyres, covers and batteries on a dedicated wall. ## Glass walls and car galleries A glass wall between the garage and a living room, office or cellar turns the collection into a view. Plan these items early: - Fire separation between the garage and the house. Your local building code sets the rules. - Glare and heat from sun on paint and leather. Use blinds or tinted glass, as HSG38 suggests for window glare. - Display lighting on its own circuit, so you can light the cars without lighting the work bays. ## EV charging - **United States.** NEC Article 625 covers EV charging. It treats EV charging loads as continuous. Equipment rated over 60 A or over 150 V to ground needs a lockable disconnect. Indoor connectors sit at least 18 in above the floor unless the equipment is listed otherwise. All EV receptacles need GFCI protection ([EC&M](https://www.ecmweb.com/national-electrical-code/code-basics/article/21276414/nec-requirements-for-ev-equipment)). Your area adopts one NEC edition, so check with your electrician. - **England.** Approved Document S asks for each charge point to have "a minimum nominal rated output of 7kW", a dedicated circuit, and a charging-status indicator ([GOV.UK](https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/media/6218c5d38fa8f54911e22263/AD_S.pdf)). - **Elsewhere.** Ask a licensed electrician for local rules. Plan one charger per bay, or conduit to each bay, even if you install fewer chargers now. ## Turntables A turntable lets you park nose-out in a tight plan. KLAUS Multiparking sells turntables and pallets and says they "can be retrofitted at low cost and do not require a pit" ([KLAUS](https://multiparking.com/en/)). ## Ventilation Plan mechanical ventilation that exhausts to the outdoors, as well as climate control. Under NEC 625.52, EV equipment listed for indoor charging without ventilation does not need it. Equipment listed as needing ventilation requires permanent supply and exhaust to the outdoors ([EC&M](https://www.ecmweb.com/national-electrical-code/code-basics/article/21276414/nec-requirements-for-ev-equipment)). ## Sources - [Leicestershire County Council, Off-street residential car parking standards](https://www.leicestershirehighwaydesignguide.uk/highway-layouts-and-design/parking-and-making-provision-service-vehicles/street-residential-car), accessed 2026-10-29 - [Health and Safety Executive, HSG38 Lighting at work](https://www.hse.gov.uk/pubns/priced/hsg38.pdf), accessed 2026-10-29 - [EC&M, NEC Requirements for EV Equipment](https://www.ecmweb.com/national-electrical-code/code-basics/article/21276414/nec-requirements-for-ev-equipment), accessed 2026-10-29 - [GOV.UK, Approved Document S: Infrastructure for the charging of electric vehicles](https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/media/6218c5d38fa8f54911e22263/AD_S.pdf), accessed 2026-10-29 - [KLAUS Multiparking, Home](https://multiparking.com/en/), accessed 2026-10-29 ## Questions ### How big should one garage bay be? UK highway guidance treats 6 m by 3 m inside as the minimum for a single garage, and 6 m by 6 m for a double. A collector garage is usually larger, to leave room for open doors, lifts and storage. ### How bright should garage lighting be? The UK HSE table gives 200 lux average for work that needs perception of detail and 500 lux for fine detail. Use the higher level over a detailing or work bay. ### What power does an EV charger in a garage need? In the US, NEC Article 625 treats EV charging as a continuous load and sets rules for disconnects, GFCI protection and mounting height. In England, Approved Document S asks for a charge point with a minimum nominal output of 7 kW on a dedicated circuit.