That's really helpful to hear. My sister was worried the upper level might end up collecting boxes instead of being used every day, but your example makes it sound much more practical. I'll tell her to think about natural light and how she wants to use the space in the future instead of only focusing on today's needs. Thanks for sharing your experience!
That sounds a lot like what my neighbors did. They originally planned to use the second floor only for storage, but after moving in they turned it into a cozy hobby room where they spend most weekends https://www.storageshedsandgarages.com/prefabricated-garages/single-car/2-story/a-frame/ . They also mentioned that adding a few extra windows made the upstairs feel much more open than they imagined. Looking back, they said choosing a two-story design was definitely the right decision because it gave them extra space without taking up more room in the yard.
I never thought a single-car garage could be so versatile until my sister started planning one for her backyard. She wanted parking downstairs and a quiet space upstairs for painting and reading. While helping her compare ideas, I came across this page. The layout looks surprisingly practical. Has anyone here actually built something similar? I'm curious whether the upstairs ends up being used as much as people expect.