Even though you may absolutely love your current home, as time goes on and as your family starts to grow, you may become limited in the amount of available living space. While building an extension is an option, extensions are usually quite expensive, so this may not be the best choice. This is where a garage conversion may be a great option. If you don’t use your garage for much else, you can use it to create additional living space.
Here are some brilliant ideas on what you can do with a garage conversion. From creating a home office to extending your kitchen, these ideas will give you all the inspiration you need to turn your garage into a valuable living space.
Why Should You Convert Your Garage?
Modern garages are not just used for storing cars but, instead, they’re often used for storing things like gardening tools, toys, and junk. If you decide to convert your garage, you can transform it from essentially a dumping ground to a practical living space.
The costs involved with converting a garage are usually a lot less than the cost of installing an extension, completing a loft conversion, or other methods of extending your home’s living space. However, garage conversions offer the same benefits of adding additional living space where needed.
A successful garage conversion can add a substantial amount of value to your home, so it is a great investment. It’s estimated that garage conversions can add roughly 10-15% to the value of your property.
The main advantage of a garage conversion is the fact that you can add additional space to your home. This prevents your need to move. With the rising cost of moving, garage conversions may be a much more cost-effective solution to your needs.
What Can You Do with a Garage Conversion?
There are many things that you can do with a garage conversion. It’s a good idea to consider your lifestyle to see what may appeal to you. To help you with some inspiration, here is a list of potential things that you can do with the extra space.
Create a Dedicated Home Office
More and more people are working from home these days. If you’re working from home, it’s important to have a dedicated space to do your work so that you can limit distractions and separate your work life from your home life. A quiet and well-organized space can help to increase productivity.
If you’re planning on creating an office in your garage conversion, you will need to install proper flooring and ensure that the space is decorated appropriately. Try to avoid clutter and invest in some smart storage solutions for all your work items. It’s best to choose neutral colors for the décor to help minimize distractions. It’s also worth adding a few decorative elements, such as live plants, to help improve the space overall. Insulation is also key, as you’ll need to make sure the space isn’t too cold and that it is comfortable enough to spend a lot of time in.
Create a Home Gym
With the current cost of living, a gym membership may not be at the top of your list of important bills to pay. However, it’s still important to look after yourself and take care of your body. A home gym could be the perfect solution. When creating a gym at home, you can personalize the space to suit your exact needs. Home gyms are also much more convenient, as you can do all your regular gym workouts from the comfort of your own home.
When creating a home gym, it’s best to opt for a harder floor, such as vinyl flooring or wood flooring. This will allow you to work out properly and will also provide a stable base for your gym equipment. Fill your personalized home gym with all your favorite workout accessories. Whether it’s a treadmill, a cross trainer, or a variety of weights, choose things that you know you will get a lot of use out of.
It’s also a good idea to think about mirrors if you’re creating a home gym. Mirrors tend to be a prevalent feature in many gyms, and they come in very handy for tracking your progress and making sure you are in the right form when working out. Consider installing some floor-to-ceiling mirrors to create a more authentic gym feeling.
Turn It into a Playroom for Your Children
If you create a playroom for your children, this allows you to have a dedicated space for all your children’s toys and games, which can contribute to keeping your home a much tidier space in general. A playroom can give your children a sense of freedom as they will have their own space to play and do activities.
If you’re planning on creating a playroom, you must make sure there is plenty of insulation to keep the room warm enough for playing throughout the year. It’s also a good idea to choose soft flooring, such as carpeting, to ensure the safety of your children. When it comes to décor, think bright, colorful and fun. You could even ask for your children’s input when it comes to choosing decorative colors and accents since they will be the ones who will be spending the most time in the room.
Create an Extravagant Home Theater
If you want to create something special with your extra living space, a home theater could be amazing. You don’t have to use an expensive sound system to hook up the space. A good quality projector screen and some speakers or amplifiers will suffice. When it comes to seating options, you could choose bean bag chairs, sofas, armchairs, or even just some large, comfy floor cushions.
If you’re building a home theater, one of the most important things to think about is soundproofing. Adding soundproofing to the room will allow you to play your favorite movies as loud as possible. This is a plus if you have a booming surround sound system.
Darkness is essential for creating a cinema atmosphere, so consider investing in some blackout curtains or blinds for the windows. Dimmable LED lights can also come in handy. When decorating your home theater, consider hanging up some posters from your favorite movies. You could even go a step further and create a snack table fit with a popcorn machine and slushy drink maker. Also, a mini fridge is a must if you want to have ice-cold drinks on hand throughout the movie.
Add a Guest Bedroom
Guest bedrooms can come in extremely handy – especially if you regularly have visitors staying at your home or if you’re planning on raising your family. Guest bedrooms are very easy to create and maintain. You should make sure the walls and ceiling are insulated to maintain a comfortable temperature in the room throughout the year. Add a bed, some side tables, and adequate storage space for belongings.
When it comes to decorating the room, it’s best to stick to neutral colors that will suit everyone. Whites, creams, and pastel shades will provide comfort without being too overpowering. Pair these neutral shades with some aesthetically pleasing accents. Add some comfortable bedding in a matching color and provide some handy storage solutions to prevent the room from becoming cluttered when guests come to stay.
Extend Your Kitchen Space
The kitchen is the heart of the home. You can make your kitchen larger by converting your garage and changing your kitchen’s layout. This is the perfect option if you want to create a beautiful kitchen/diner space. The process may involve knocking down a wall to extend your current kitchen. Alternatively, you may want to move your kitchen to the garage so that you can use the current kitchen space for something else.
This type of garage conversion can be very beneficial for growing families as it gives you more space for cooking and preparing meals and also provides additional space for dining. This type of garage conversion is usually more expensive than other conversions as it requires more work and materials. However, it’s a great way to add the additional kitchen space you need and is also a great way of increasing the value of your home.
Final Thoughts
As you can see, there are many things that you can do to improve your home with a garage conversion. It’s worth considering your lifestyle and thinking about what may be most beneficial to you and your family. Regardless of what you choose to do with the extra space, it’s a good idea because it can greatly increase the value of your home.