Turn A Garage Into A Room For A King

A wonderfully inventive and efficient idea is to turn the garage into something that will actually be useful. It's unlikely, with all the cluttered junk, that anyone is planning to use it as a car-park and so making use of the space provides you with a multitude of ideas. One such idea is to turn it into a boys' room, a separate space for everything that the wife/girlfriend frowns upon.

First of all, and this is relevant with whatever you decide to do with the room, you'll need to ensure the room is water-proof. Traditionally, the garage is a dark and dank place, but if you wish to convert it into something brighter, you'll need to add extra insulation and protection to keep rain-water from seeping in and messing with any electrical equipment inside. This can be done by adding extra timber layers to the wall which are packed with insulation as well as using water-proof paint such as Ronseal. A similar method will have to be applied to the floor and it may be a good idea to add floor-boards and insulation slabs which will raise the level of the room so it matches the rest of the house.

Something else to keep in mind is that the room must be in order with building regulations in terms of lighting and space. Under regulations and laws, garage conversions are viewed as extensions of the original property and this can sometimes be a trip-zone to those who have already used up their permitted development rights. Of course, it's unlikely that the conversion will have much, if any, impact on the rest of the street.

Windows will also have to be installed as it's unlikely the garage would have much in the way of windows beforehand. You'll need light in the room and there's only so much artificial lighting can do in place of natural light. You can go for the normal, or perhaps opt for a slightly more ambitious design and include full-length glass windows which will allow plenty of light to flood in and will wash away the memories of the old scattered garage. If the windows are put in place where the entrance to the garage used to be, the structure and facade of the building won't be affected either. You'll also want to ensure it's at the same temperature as the rest of the house during the summer and winter months.

In terms of plumbing and electricity, it may be possible to extend the current systems in place if the garage is attached to the rest of the house. If not, then it'll need to be re-done separately but can be equally important as you'll most likely have an abundance of technology and electronics shipped immediately into your new room. The garage may already have a degree of plumbing and electricity running through it, but it's important to ensure you know exactly where all the lines are.

By this stage, the junk and clutter would have been cleared out and the floor and walls would have been re-done; any mould would have been eradicated and now it's a mere choice of style and decor. For a boys' room, you're going to want electronics such as TVs, music-equipment such as guitars, perhaps even a bar set up with a selection of drinks for when you have visitors.

Overall, many of these things can be applied to a simple garage conversion, but for a boys' room, they are especially important as they are intended to keep the room intact and protect the belongings inside. Proper insulation is vital in keeping the room propped up and healthy and it will make you feel warm and cosy inside which is, naturally, the desired effect. Fill it with whatever you fancy and decorate to your own style; this is a chance to get out of the house and so there is no need to keep the style of the room in relation to the rest of the house.