With most of us spending more time at home, our lifestyle is forcing us to adapt and renovate. One of the most popular renovation trends are garage conversions, which involve extending your living space by transforming your garage into much more than storage space for your car, bikes and kids’ toys.
For some, it’s the only space available for a home office or classroom. Or even just as an extra family area to spread out into when the weather isn’t cooperating for outdoor activities.
Spring is the perfect time to tackle this DIY project, as it will let you enjoy the warmer weather in your new space, which can then be transitioned into a winter refuge with proper heating and an insulated door. Here are some ideas for what you can do to your garage with just a little creativity:
Home office
The new normal seems to be spending at least part of the work-week working from home, if not all of it. This is an ideal space for creating a separation from home life — which can be distracting if you have other family members at home during the day — and office life. A physical transition from the main living area of the home to a dedicated office space will allow you to properly relax once you leave your desk and close the door behind you.
Classroom
This is a great place for a home classroom. There’s plenty of space for the kids to spread out in and you don’t have to worry about a mess at the end of the day. Instead of clearing up all their work from the dining room table so the family can eat dinner together, they can leave their teaching area intact and waiting for the next day. There’s plenty of room for storage of supplies like books and creative materials, and lots of wall-space for white boards and maps.
Artist studio
Some of us have responded to increased isolation by creating art to express ourselves. Whether you’ve taken up painting, crocheting or ceramics, you can create a private area that drives your creativity. You can even make a dark room if you’ve gotten into analog photography. Simply set up your supplies and decorate with your own creations or other artwork that inspires you. Who knows, this could be the start of a lucrative home-based business!
Games room
When we first transitioned to virtual school and work, we were so focused on creating spaces to accommodate these activities at home. But now it might be time to find a place for fun. A games room can encourage you and the family to spend time together away from screens and enjoy each other’s company. Stack your favourite board games on a recycled shelf, add a card, foosball or ping pong table and let the games begin!
Sports lounge
Many of us had a hard time coping when our favourite sports went on pause last year. Celebrate the return of more normal seasons by designing a room to enjoy them. Install your big screen TV, some comfortable couches and a fridge or cubby for snacks and recreate the pub at home. You can even add a wet or dry minibar to enjoy fresh beer or prepare some cocktails. Add a microwave for hot popcorn or nachos and you can easily convert this space to your own private theatre for movie night.
Rental suite
A little extra income never hurts, and many people are transforming their garages into rental apartments. You’d need heating and insulation for year-round use, but it’s certainly doable. Check local tenant bylaws to see what the requirements are for your area.
Start with a solid foundation
Whatever you want your garage conversion to be, it’s important to lay the groundwork for a comfortable and cozy spot before you get to decorating. This starts with installing subflooring, an essential step that ensures floors are soft, dry and warm. Dricore premium subfloors are a popular choice for best results — they’re designed with Air Gap Technology to help protect against moisture.
Your garage conversion can be modest, or you can go all-out for year-round use. With some tweaks and imagination, a garage can be more than just a place to store your car.
— News Canada