Design Tips for a Garage Conversion

If you don’t use your garage for what it is designed to be used for and much prefer to park your car outside so you can just hop in and drive off straight away, then the garage can become wasted space. Often, you end up piling it full of junk and things that you aren’t sure what to do with but can’t get rid of. But if you feel like you could use some extra space, or have a specific idea in mind like a home gym or entertainment hub, then your unused garage suddenly fills with opportunity for conversion. Start clearing out, and get thinking about the design and function of your new garage conversion.

Have a Clear Purpose

Knowing what you want makes the whole process a lot easier. But there are a lot of options, so make sure you sit down and think it through properly. If your garage is adjacent to the kitchen, a kitchen extension may be the way to go. Or maybe you are in desperate need of an extra bedroom or you want a sleek bar area where you can host your friends. Assess your needs and the space, and have a clear purpose in mind before you begin your conversion.

Use Space Efficiently

Most of the time, the garage doesn’t necessarily have loads of floor space to play with. It’s time to get creative with your designs and find ways to use the space effectively. Have storage on the walls instead of standing on the floor, find innovative ways to be able to fold things away, use your imagination to make sure you are using the space to its full potential. Planning is essential for maximizing space and function, so take your time to carefully get all the design details on paper.

Fit the Function

The purpose of your conversion will influence literally all the design elements of your garage conversion. If it’s going to be a spare bedroom, you want a light but cozy space with a sophisticated design; if it’s going to be a man cave where all the games consoles will be banished too and you can be left in peace as you sign up to casinos with a no deposit bonus or have the lads over to watch the football, you want a comfy couch and a large television; if you are going for a kitchen extension, the architecture and design is going to have to match what you have already. Make sure the design fits the function.

Building Requirements

For a fully functioning garage conversion, you need to meet all the building requirements before you can even think about the interior design. You don’t want to be running into any complications further down the line; plus, you want to make sure the space you create is comfortable, cozy and livable. This includes any structural work, insulation, and electricals. It is much easier to make these improvements and changes before any of the pretty interior bits take place.

Converting your garage is a fun and fulfilling project with an end result that is practical and functional, if you design it right.

 

Kimberly Atwood’s books have received starred reviews in Publishers Weekly, Library Journal, and Booklist. Kimberly lives in the Rocky Mountains with her husband, an exceptionally perfect dog, and an attack cat. Before she started writing historical research, Kimberly got a graduate degree in theoretical physical chemistry from Ohio State University. After that, just to shake things up, she went to law school at the University of London and graduated summa cum laude. Then she did a handful of clerkships with some really important people who are way too dignified to be named here. She was a law professor for a while. She now writes full-time.

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