9 Garage Conversions Fit New Uses Into Old Spaces
These creatively redesigned spaces offer room to work from home, work out or hang out
Jeanne Taylor
April 28, 2018
Houzz Contributor. Jeanne Taylor is a professional home organizer in the San Francisco Bay Area. She is the co-owner of Tailorly with her business partner Patricia Lee. Together they create beautiful homes through decluttering, organizing, and styling. For more information visit www.tailorly.net.
Houzz Contributor. Jeanne Taylor is a professional home organizer in the San Francisco... More
As a professional home organizer, I regularly stop in at open houses to keep up on the latest design trends. In my part of the San Francisco Bay Area, which is filled with Victorian, Craftsman and midcentury modern homes, I’ve noticed that many homes have detached carriage houses or garages in their backyards. Frequently, these spaces have been converted to a use other than car or junk storage.
Particularly in areas where real estate prices are high and it’s difficult to afford the space you’d like, it can make sense to find new uses for this extra square footage. Here are nine garage and carriage house conversions to get your imagination flowing.
Of course, before planning a conversion project, you should check your local zoning rules, permit restrictions and homeowners association regulations to be sure a conversion is allowed.
1. Houston home office. Christopher Design worked with the homeowner to convert this two-car detached garage into an eclectic, approachable home office with a comfortable sitting area. The homeowner opted to keep the standard overhead garage doors in place. When the doors are closed, the structure maintains the look of a functioning garage.
Of course, before planning a conversion project, you should check your local zoning rules, permit restrictions and homeowners association regulations to be sure a conversion is allowed.
1. Houston home office. Christopher Design worked with the homeowner to convert this two-car detached garage into an eclectic, approachable home office with a comfortable sitting area. The homeowner opted to keep the standard overhead garage doors in place. When the doors are closed, the structure maintains the look of a functioning garage.
The ceiling and two walls have been finished with white paint, while bright lime green paint on the cinder block wall behind the couch adds a pop of color. Skylights allow more natural light into the space. Ample desk space plus a comfortable couch and two armchairs make this conversion practical for both solo work and client meetings.
2. Los Angeles gym. Pearl Remodeling converted an existing detached garage, turning it into a light-filled exercise studio. Retractable glass bifold doors replaced the traditional garage door; they open completely, inviting in cool breezes for workout sessions. With the doors open, the space feels integrated with the patio, making the backyard feel larger.
A lightweight red couch moves aside easily to create more floor space for yoga, pilates or stretching, and the wall-mounted TV is ideal for displaying a favorite exercise video. Hardwood floors are more forgiving on knee and ankle joints than the typical concrete garage flooring.
Find more red sofas
Find more red sofas
3. Florida game room. Masterpiece Design Group transformed this unused garage into a game room that includes a wall-mounted bar ledge, a movable ping pong table and a putting green. Large sliding doors along the back wall face the main house and flood the space with natural light. Wide stripes of blue and beige paint grace the cinder block walls, giving the space a playful vibe.
Wall paint: Divine White and St. Bart’s, Sherwin-Williams
Wall paint: Divine White and St. Bart’s, Sherwin-Williams
A backyard dining area is nicely situated between the new game room and the main house. With the doors open the new space flows nicely into the backyard.
Browse more game tables
Browse more game tables
4. Toronto man cave. This old stone garage has been converted into a bar and cozy hangout space, giving the homeowner additional indoor space for the long winter months.
The wood-burning stove makes the space warm and inviting during Toronto’s freezing winters. Wood ceiling beams, wood-framed windows and pine floors give the structure a rustic feel. Comfortable seating with throw pillows and blankets makes the room snug and cozy, while sports memorabilia on the mantel and a framed jersey near the stove create a sports-bar-like vibe.
The big-screen television and expansive bar make this garage conversion the perfect place to hole up with friends and watch a game on a cold winter afternoon.
5. SoCal creative space. The owner of this property needed a separate studio to pursue her creative passions. Her existing garage provided space, but it was dark and in need of renovation. The homeowner’s goal was to use only reclaimed building materials to construct the studio. The remodel, designed by Vina Lustado of Sol Haus Design, involved raising the roof to increase the ceiling height, as well as opening up the walls by adding huge folding doors and arched windows.
The high windows near the ceiling are actually repurposed doors with windows, which bathe the space in light. The homeowner and woodworker Ian Graham, who built the studio, scoured Craigslist to furnish the space. Everything used to build the studio is reused except for two structural beams.
Read more about this studio
Read more about this studio
6. West Hollywood art studio. This Southern California bungalow sits on a 3,100-square-foot lot and has a small detached garage at the end of its long driveway. Developer Brooktree Equities converted the garage into a light-filled art studio, replacing the traditional garage door with a glass door to maximize natural light.
The glass doors open overhead like a standard garage door, and a simple indoor-outdoor carpet adds warmth to the floor. The walls are finished with drywall and painted white, providing a neutral backdrop for creating art.
7. Berkeley guest room. For decades, this detached garage was used to store stuff the homeowners used for the annual Burning Man festival in the Nevada desert. When the homeowners were ready to use the space for another purpose, they contacted HDR Remodeling for help. The redone garage serves as a guest space with a bedroom, bathroom and extra storage. Since building permits were approved for the project, the newly transformed space could be added to the home’s original square footage, increasing the home’s resale value.
The red double doors open off the backyard into the guest room.
Maintaining the high beamed ceiling of the original garage made the room feel bright and airy. The freshly painted cream-colored walls and ceiling provide contrast to pops of color in the red beams, small plant table and bedspread. A patterned rug in a complementary palette adds interest to the room.
8. Oregon guest apartment. Kraft Custom Construction converted this old carriage house into an eco-conscious guest apartment powered by solar panels. The guest apartment also has energy-efficient appliances and fixtures.
Inside, a food prep space stands along one wall with cabinet space, a microwave, a sink and a two-burner stove. Large French doors open onto a patio with a fire pit.
The upstairs loft functions as the bedroom. If local ordinances allow, this apartment could be used as a short-term vacation rental for extra income. It could also be used as an in-law cottage or temporary crash pad for boomerang children. Because the structure is detached from the main house, the homeowners can still maintain their sense of privacy.
9. Santa Monica home theater. This garage conversion includes custom built-in media cabinets with barn doors, and a retractable movie projection screen. Design-build firm Spazio LA added a Murphy bed next to the window that can accommodate overnight guests; paneling disguises the bed cabinet.
New sliding doors lead into the backyard and face the main house. White shiplap wood on the ceiling brings a touch of farmhouse to the space, while the neutral palette gives the room a light, airy feel. New hardwood floors and comfy lounge furniture make for an inviting haven away from the hubbub of the main house; recessed lights offer illumination in the evening hours.
The custom bar has quartz countertops, and the mini fridge offers an easy place to keep cold beverages for hanging out and watching a movie or just quietly relaxing.
Show us: Have you remodeled your garage for a new use? Please share photos of your project in the Comments below.
More
How to Do a Serious Garage Clean-Out
6 Great Garage Conversions Dreamed Up by Houzzers
Work with a professional near you to convert your garage
Show us: Have you remodeled your garage for a new use? Please share photos of your project in the Comments below.
More
How to Do a Serious Garage Clean-Out
6 Great Garage Conversions Dreamed Up by Houzzers
Work with a professional near you to convert your garage
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A pano of our almost completed double garage conversion which is now a self contained apartment. This pic taken of bed and kitchen looking from sitting area with sliding glass doors which open out onto a private courtyard with firepit and seating plus there's a bathroom with washing machine. Amazing what you can fit in!
It's fun to see these creative remodels. I like the idea of a conversion of our detached garage; however, I LOVE not having to scrape car windows in the winter or sit on scorching seats in the summer. Our garage will stay a boring garage!