The city in which I live is one of the fastest-growing municipalities in Canada. In order to fit as many houses as possible on a given piece of terrain, they are built to within ~1 m of the property line. This means that garages must be located at the front of the house, and since doubles are the norm around here, about 20% of the streetscape at eye level is therefore occupied by garage doors.
This vast expanse of flat unadorned space cries out for - um, adornment - and so I propose to launch the field of “garage décor”. Prefabricated decorator pieces (sectioned as necessary to accommodate multiple panels) would be bolted on the outside face of each door. Each could be up to several inches deep (depending on the amount of space required for opening) and would consist of multiple thin (~1 cm) layers of scenery elements arranged as in a shadow box, using forced perspective to enhance the 3D effect.
[amended to include example] Say we wanted to simulate a wall with a window in it. The back (deepest) layer would be a picture of the "back wall" of the "room" into which we're looking. Then some curtains, then a layer of window pane, bricks, then shutters, a flower box, etc. All ~1 cm thick so that the full depth doesn't exceed a few inches. [end amendation]
The result would be to convert ugly, boring garage doors into trompe l’oeil walls, french doors, windows (complete with drapes and flower boxes) and even balconies, sun porches or greenhouses.
I anticipate a flood of orders. Reserve yours today!-- Elmer Phd, Jun 15 2004 "The most prominent feature...is the garage" http://www.halfbake...Parked_20in_20FoyerMaybe AO lives in my neighbourhood. [Elmer Phd, Oct 04 2004] Similar, but not similar enough ;-) http://www.halfbake...dea/Garage_20Mirage [Elmer Phd, Oct 04 2004] some info on shadow boxes, assemblage http://www.home-mus...ow/shadow_boxes.htm [Elmer Phd, Oct 04 2004, last modified Oct 21 2004] examples of shadow box art http://www.breakiron.com/ShadowBoxArt.htm [Elmer Phd, Oct 04 2004, last modified Oct 21 2004] It boils down to trompe l’oeil painted panels then? (Not that there's anything wrong with that.)-- half, Jun 15 2004 [half] Actually, no (though that _could_ be the "bargain" version). Each "scene" is made up of layers in depth. [see amended version] Shadow boxes are made with picture elements arranged so that the "closer" portions are physically raised above the background, giving the 3D effect (unlike "assemblage" which, as far as I can tell, is an arrangement of actual 3D objects in a frame). See links for examples.-- Elmer Phd, Jun 15 2004 amendation. heh.-- yabba do yabba dabba, Jun 15 2004 [yabba dabba] May I mouth the fifth amendment, or must I amend a mendacious emendation lest more amenders mistake me for a mendal case?
and don't tell me it's "amendor"-- Elmer Phd, Jun 15 2004 //Now why, I ask, would anyone pretend to have a garage?// It probably started as a garage. I have seen this a lot, in particular in the North East US. People find their houses are too small. They rather shovel snow off their cars in winter than add a room.
This kind of short sighted penny pinching seems to be a trait most commonly found in the North East. Eaves are not deep enough to keep the weather off the walls, because of the snow load of course. Ground floors are "open concept" for a spacious feeling. On the side this saves money on the doors, but it also makes you feel like living in an efficiency with the dishwasher in the kitchen playing counter point to Bach in the living room. The bare bulb in the garage makes it "heated" living space, so why not use it as a family room?</rant>-- kbecker, Jun 15 2004 "North East" for me is in the US, around NY (partial), MA, VT, NH, ME. Considering the weather they have the worst houses I have seen in the US so far.
I know perfectly well where Nantucket is located and what kind of people live in some parts of it, but I have the feeling that common attitudes leak through. Even if the inhabitants don't have to pinch pennies they rather spend money on a green pine wood column on the porch (green wood, not the color) that is bigger than a well dried oak column that is smaller. It's more show for less money.-- kbecker, Jun 16 2004 How bout you make one that looks like an empty garage, and place it on your neighbour's garage door. That would make for an awesome April fools prank.-- WordUp, Jun 16 2004 Maybe a roadrunner painted hole... "Oooh, wabbit twacks..."-- RayfordSteele, Jul 22 2004 I like both the idea and your moniker, Elmer. (WTAGIPBAN)-- krelnik, Jul 22 2004 random, halfbakery