The first step to converting your garage is clearing out all the clutter.
If you're looking to expand your home, without committing to costly additions, converting your garage into an extra room can make your home seem larger. For example, if you have a small kitchen where your family sits crammed around a little table, converting your garage into a dining room is a wise decision. Not only will it give you a space to entertain and have formal holiday meals, but it's a wise investment, possibly increasing the value of your home.
Instructions
1. Clear all the clutter, appliances, tools, shelves and other items out of your garage. Divide your things into three piles: things you'll keep, thing's you'll give away or donate and things you'll throw out. Find a new home for the things you'll keep, either in your basement, attic or storage closets.
2. Install a new window within one of the walls of the garage. This will keep the garage well ventilated, and if possible, give you a view of your garden or surrounding landscape. The window will also add natural light, preventing the garage from feeling like a garage.
3. Mix a solution of 1/4 cup TSP with 1 gallon of water. Dip a mop in the solution and wipe down the walls. Rinse them and allow them to dry. Prime and paint the walls in the colors of your choice, taping the walls off with painter's tape around the trim of the garage.
4. Sweep the floors. Wash them with a solution of 1/4 cup floor detergent and 1 gallon of water in a bucket. Dip a mop in the solution and scrub down the floors. Allow them to dry. Install wood panels to the floors over the concrete. The wood flooring will help give the garage a stronger sense of domesticity. Consider laminate if cost or maintenance is a concern.
5. Use throw rugs to warm up the floor and give the room a sense of comfort. Consider bright-colored rugs to enliven the space.
6. Move your furniture into the space and experiment with the arrangements until you're satisfied.
7. Install a hanging light fixture that gives the room a formal appearance, such as a hanging chandelier or pendant lamp. Use other lighting and floor lamps to make the room appear brighter.
Tags: your garage, converting your, , your home, , things keep