These are some of Windsor-Essex's wildest garages — and they're much more than car storage

What's in your garage? Chances are, you use it to park your car, store your holiday decorations and camping gear, or maybe use it as a workshop.

But three Windsor-Essex residents have taken the convention of what a garage can be, and flipped it on its head.

The Michelangelo of Molson-Canadian caps

Rick Tramutola's Lakeshore garage ceiling features a unique work of art — a mosaic made from more than 60,000 beer caps.

Tramutola says he began collecting caps more than 25 years ago. As time passed, friends and family began giving him caps and he eventually amassed more than 120,000.

"COVID came. I had nothing to do, so I said 'I'm gonna start sorting out my beer caps,'" said Tramutola. 

"I saw a video on YouTube, and they did a wall. And I said, 'Oh that's too easy, I'm gonna do something bigger.' So I decided to do my ceiling with beer caps."

He says the project took five months to complete.

Tramutola says his mosaic contains over 60 beer brands, and features special edition Budweiser caps with the logo from teams with the National Football League, National Hockey League, and Major League Baseball. 

He also created a mural of a man riding a motorcycle, and a portrait of Doors frontman, Jim Morrison.

Tramutola says the garage serves as an important living space within his home, and wishes more people used theirs more productively.

"[Garages] are just like the inside of your house," said Tramutola. "I go by other people's garages and I can't believe that they don't use their garage for a vehicle, and they just put storage.

Be up for the challenge of garage conversion

Corina Grama is the owner of La Nostalgie Flowers in south Windsor, where she operates her flower shop from her garage.

"We moved here ten years ago, and I was working in a flower shop. And I thought this is a very good location because there [were] no flower shops around. So, we turned our garage into a flower shop."

While she says foot traffic can be a struggle at times, Grama says the lack of rent and the convenience of running her business at home makes up for it.

She says she recommends garage conversion to anyone up for the challenge.

"You need to be good and to be a little bit original, because there is a lot of competition," said Grama. "But as long as you're very good, and you pursue that, then you can do it."

A true 'hangout' spot

Walkerville resident Tomas Dobos took his love for rock-climbing to new heights - constructing an interactive bouldering wall, known as a MoonBoard, in his garage.

A rock climber for nine years, Dobos says he began training at Windsor Rock Gym on Walker Road, and then took a shot at outdoor climbing a couple years later. 

He and a friend spent a weekend building the wall, even hiring a structural engineer to ensure the garage's integrity under stress.

"Since then, I've always been looking for ways to improve and this training wall is a really fun, gamified way of doing that," said Dobos.

Dobos' MoonBoard is adjustable, set at a 40-degree angle, and features interchangeable sets of holds for varying difficulty. LED lights beneath each hold light up to indicate specific problem configurations. These problems are generated by climbers worldwide, and Dobos says there are more than 80,000 to choose from, ranging in difficulty.

Dobos trains three to four times a week, and says he regularly hosts training sessions with friends. He says it's still funny to see newcomers try it for the first time.

"It's a lot of fun to have people here, build up the psyche, and have people come by," said Dobos. "[For beginners,] the first reaction is 'this is easy, and I want to try it out.' And they get on it and then realize, it's a 40 degree angle, and it's harder than it looks."

Garage conversions a way to expand your home

Dorian Moore is an urban designer with Archive Design Studio in Detroit, Mich. He says the trend of unique garage conversions is partly due to the rising cost of housing.

"The idea of selling your home and going up in size of house isn't a viable option for some people," said Moore.

"People have been renovating existing homes, expanding existing homes, and this is one other option to gain more space in the house."