Gregory and Kara Miller had many ideas for their new garage.
The Oak Park homeowners knew they wanted more space and functionality than their old garage provided, but they also wanted something that felt like it belonged on their property, not simply a box tucked at the back of the yard.
“We came in with a lot of preferences and requests,” Gregory says. “We even had made our own drawings of what we wanted it to look like.”
They brought those drawings to Vincent Sliwa and the team at A Windy City Garages & Doors, who helped turn them into a buildable plan. “At each step of the way they were knowledgeable and flexible, yet they knew the process well enough to help steer us toward good decisions (and code compliance!) when needed,” Gregory says.
And, because this is Oak Park, there were a few requirements to navigate along the way.
“Hurricane-rated doors, anyone?” Gregory jokes. He says one of the unexpected highlights of working with Vincent was simply the laughter. They chuckled over some of the more unusual requirements while Vincent held firm on what was necessary to get through permitting and inspections.
As for the actual construction, the Millers’ favorite part might be surprising. “No offense to the finished product, but I think demolition day was extremely satisfying!” Gregory laughs. “Watching our old garage disappear in a matter of hours was unexpectedly fun.”
Framing was a close second. The crews moved quickly, giving the Millers the satisfaction of watching their drawings become a three-dimensional structure in a matter of days.
The finished garage includes two features they particularly love. A six-by-eight-foot “party door” rolls up facing the backyard, making it easy to move things in and out, opening the garage to the yard and providing airflow on warm days. Above, a dormer window gives the structure some architectural character.
“The dormer helps the garage feel more like a building all its own,” Gregory says. Both additions, he notes, were relatively modest upgrades that made the garage feel more like an extension of their home.
That garage extension spills into the backyard, too. The Millers chose their own exterior light fixtures, which A Windy City installed around the party door and side entrance, integrating the garage into the landscape.
And there’s one decidedly less glamorous improvement the Millers appreciate: space. “I’m no longer getting my clothes dirty rubbing against a car as I squeeze between them,” Gregory says.
Perhaps that’s the beauty of a thoughtfully designed garage. It can have dormers, party doors, curb appeal—but also just make everyday life a little easier.
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