Carriage House Garage Plans

Carriage houses were originally structures to shelter the horse-drawn carriages and often animals as well. Large, swing-out doors were used for securing the contents. Living quarters were added in attic spaces for drivers and associated workers. Dormers were used to bring light and air into the steep roof attic spaces. There would often be a door in front.......

for the stairway leading up to the loft. As with most recognizable building styles form followed function and built with the materials and technology of the era.

The building type became recognizable with large, swing-out doors lined up, side by side, on the ground level, with dormered attic space above. Many were built in city/urban centers as well as suburban areas, to serve the transportation industry of the era. Eventually, as technology developed, carriage houses became functionally obsolete. Because they were built in earlier developed, closer-in  sections of cities, their real estate value grew. Because of their spacious and functional form they were easily re-purposed as needed, for many different uses.

 As the contemporary version of the carriage houses of the past today's garages can be built to recall the nostalgic qualities of the original carriage house designs - ground level garages with swing-out style doors, loft above with dormers for living or other purpose. With modern technology these structures can be built affordably and compliant with building codes.

Behm Design offers carriage house style garage plans designed to resemble the building type of a bygone era.