Fine Finishes

Garage Grandeur Whether a Vegas theme complete with casino facades; an Italian street layout with fountains, columns, and stonework; or a stock exchange with a live ticker above a bar, GarageMahals creates extraordinary garages. “It just hit me that the garage could be so much more,” says Michael Rhodig, owner of GarageMahals. “We’re integrating who the client is into the environment.”

For homeowners who don’t want such extreme spaces, GarageMahals also offers simpler packages that include options such as metallic floor coatings, customized lighting, and rolling door storage. Other higher-grade options include audio/visual entertainment systems, lounge areas with a wet bar and rest room, and custom controls. One client, a former air force pilot, ordered lighting controls that operate with airplane safety switches. GarageMahals. 602.315.4473. www.garagemahals.com.

High-Tech Hideaways Creative Home Engineering designs automated hidden passageways. For example, when pieces are placed correctly on a chess board, or a person knocks a certain way on a wall, a hidden door swings open to reveal storage for valuables.

Areas can also be accessed using controls such as fingerprint readers, iris scanners, and voice recognition. Other security options include Kevlar-coated doors and pin-hole camera surveillance. The company can match existing cabinetry. Creative Home Engineering. 602.438.7878. www.hiddenpassageway.com.