As a homeowner, you want to do whatever you can to ensure the value of this asset is maintained or even enhanced over time. While there are a number of renovations that can be done inside the home, a growing number are focusing their attention on a room less focused on. Your garage provides the barrier between you and the outdoors, and there are a number of makeover ideas that can make this room more interesting while raising the resell value of your home.
Home Gym
We all know the importance of exercise along with diet. However, it’s all too easy to make excuses. After all, we’re busy, and it can be difficult to find time to hit the gym after a long day at the office. When you convert your garage into a home gym, however, you can finally get your health on track. Among the equipment to consider includes:
- Plenty of weights and dumbbells
- Pulley systems
- Treadmill
- Stairmaster
- Hanging rope
- Bench press
- Pull up/Chin bars
- Dip attachment
- Band pegs
- Quality stereo system
Playroom
If you have kids, you know how demanding they can be. They require care and attention. However, there are those times when you need to get other things done. Especially if you’re the parent of an only child, you understand how much time they require. If you’ve been struggling with this dilemma, transforming your garage into a playroom can be an investment that buys back the valuable time you need to get everything done.
You can truly get creative as you embark on this type of project, and there are a number of products on the market to help you truly customize the playroom to fit your child’s personality. No matter their preferences, however, there are some general items you can’t go wrong including. For example, most children will appreciate playground-type equipment such as slides. For older children, consider setting up a foosball or Ping-Pong table. You should also encourage education by setting up a dry erase board and a quiet and comfortable area for reading or study. The only downside to this idea is that, ideally, you should move all the stuff from the garage elsewhere since tools, gardening rakes, bicycles and whatnot could cause a potential injury when there’s small children running around. For this purpose you should perhaps look into getting an external storage unit, or make room in your basement or attic.
Music Studio
If you enjoy playing a musical instrument or have always dreamed of getting the guys together to start a band, turning your garage into a music studio may be just the project for you. Many of the famous bands started off this way, after all. During this type of makeover, you should focus on creating an atmosphere that encourages creativity and allows you to set your worries at the door so you can really get your musical juices flowing. However before you even start bringing in drums and guitars, you need to be mindful of other people in the house, and even your neighbors. You don’t need to install studio quality soundproofing, but getting a good garage doors, preferably from solid wood instead of metal sheets, and covering walls with eggboxes is a good start. Among audio equipment you should consider are:
- Digital audio workstation
- Computer
- Audio interface
- Microphones and microphone stands
- Audio cables
- Studio monitors
- Pop filters
- Headphones
- Acoustic treatment
- Reflection filter
- Monitor isolation pads
- Studio monitor stands
- Uninterruptable power supply
- Software plugins
- Virtual instruments
- Studio rack mounts
- Power conditioner
Home Bar
A night out with the guys or girls is often just what you need to unwind. However, it can be expensive, and you can sometimes run into unwanted trouble. When you turn your garage into a home bar, however, you can keep the party in the safety of your own property, saving hundreds or even thousands of dollars over time.
It’s obvious you’ll want to institute a bar complete with stools. You should also consider the inclusion of a pool table, swinging bar doors, and even a jukebox to truly set the tone.
More Than Just a Garage
When you envision your garage, you likely see simply a place where you park your car and store your tools. Imagine recreating it into a place where you can make new memories and spend hours of time. Whether you’ve run into some money you intend to put into your home or just want to create some space to get away while remaining on your property, these makeover ideas can help you achieve your goal.