How’s That Garage Makeover Going? Big Things Are Happening This Week!

Welcome to the 703rd Metamorphosis Monday!

My home was built around 1982-83 so it’s 40 years old now. I’ve lived here for 32 of those 40 years. Many, many years ago, sometime around the 2001-2002 time frame, I painted the walls of the garage. I don’t remember now why I did that, I guess I thought they needed it.

In 2010, I turned my son’s childhood bedroom into a home office. At that time, I moved all of his bedroom furniture down to the garage.

Child's Bedroom Renovation to a Home Office

 

It was a big job, getting all that heavy furniture all the way down the stairs by myself, so I decided to not go as far as taking it all the way down to the basement.

Moving Bedroom Furniture to Create a Home Office

 

I’m glad I only took it down as far as the garage because just a few short years later, it was needed again. I loaded the two beds into my SUV and drove them up to Ohio where the beds were once again employed in a dinosaur-themed bedroom makeover my daughter-in-love and I put together for my two grandsons. Over the next two years, during every trip to Ohio, I would take another piece–like the chest of drawers, another smaller chest that was also a cabinet for holding a TV, the desk, the desk hutch, and the desk chair. It was a journey getting it all there. The only thing I haven’t been able to take is the huge bookcase that was a part of the bedroom set. It definitley won’t fit into my SUV. One day I’ll get it there, but currently, there’s no room for it and it’s not really needed, so there’s no rush.

Decorate a Dinosaur Themed Bedroom

 

With all of that furniture finally out of the garage, I could see just how badly the garage needed to be painted again. Once I got that idea into my head, it was “Katie, bar the door!” The wheels started turning and this “paint -the-walls-project” has now morphed into a full-blown garage makeover.

 

I’ve always wished for better lighting in the garage. These two small, builder-grade lights were all that I had here, other than the light in the garage door opener.

 

While waiting for the painters to be available (they will be here in two days!) I had new lighting installed. I LOVE this lighting! It is a million times brighter than the old lighting–definitely recommend it if you are in need of new lighting for a kitchen, garage, laundry room, or wherever.

Garage Makeover in Progress

 

This lighting is designed with three settings:  Soft White, Bright White, or Daylight–3000K/4000K/5000K. I  went with the middle setting. The highest setting looked grayish white and the lowest setting had a yellow tinge/glow. The middle setting was perfect and really beautiful. It doesn’t really come across in photos but it is a beautiful pure white light that is just perfect for the garage. I would totally use it in a laundry room or kitchen, as well. (This light is available here: Flush Mount LED Lighting.)

 

One of the things I wanted to have done before the painting took place was to have this wire that goes from the ceiling outlet to the sprinkler system, re-run along where the wall meets the ceiling, then down along the beam in the center of the garage so it would be much less noticeable. My sprinkler guy can’t get here until next week, so he said to have the painters remove the tacks that are holding it up and let it droop down for painting the ceiling. He will be out next week to replace and reroute it with a new wire that will be a lot less noticeable.

 

During this makeover, I’ve decided to only have 5 cabinets down this wall of the garage. The cabinets have stayed so nice and clean inside over the past 4 years, all except for the one on the far left near the garage door. Being so close to the door, it collects dust, so I’ll be moving it to the front wall of the garage and adding a couple of more cabinets to go with it.

 

One of my favorite parts of this makeover will be finally getting this wooden garage door painted. I have no idea why it wasn’t painted when the home was first built since it was painted on the exterior side.

Garage Door Before Painting

 

I’ve been second-guessing my choice for the new epoxy flooring. I’ve seen a few photos of this particular color installed and I think it looks a bit too white. The flooring guy will be back out tomorrow so I can take a look at the samples once again. They have me down on their schedule for an early August install.

Epoxy Flooring for Garages

 

So that’s a summary of where we are with the garage makeover. The painting is next and should take place this Wednesday and Thursday. Hopefully, it will only be a 2-day project. Things should be looking a whole lot better by the end of this week! Can’t wait to share how things look once that is done. What projects are you currently working on in your home? I would love to hear!

 

Looking forward to all the wonderful Before and Afters linked for this week’s Met Monday!

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Metamorphosis Monday

Metamorphosis Monday is a party that’s all about Before and Afters. Please link up your Before and After projects like DIY projects, room makeovers, craft projects even recipes. Any Before and After is great! Please do not link up Table Settings, save those for our Tablescape Thursday party on Thursday.

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Comments

  1. Nothing feels better than getting a space cleaned up and renewed, that’s a big job and you accomplished so much! Thanks Susan, you’ve inspired me!

  2. Regality3 says

    Have you considered that the new lighting in the garage will change the paint color significantly?

    • It should be fine since the lighting is such a nice, neutral color. It doesn’t go gray or yellow, it’s just a nice pure bright white.

  3. It’s looking great Susan! Can’t wait to see the further progress. Loved the history too. It’s amazing what ends up in our garages. 🙂 Thanks so much for hosting – I see lots of wonderful projects to inspire me. Hope you have a lovely week!

    • Thanks, Barbara! I know, I think a lot of garages end up being storage areas instead of garages. Have an awesome week–finally starting to cool off a bit here.
      XXX

  4. Amy Byman says

    I had a few good weeks but my post needs moderation once again.
    Thank yoi

  5. Looks better already just being cleaned out. And, yours was already so organized! LOL. You may have jump started me.
    I do have a rather delicate question. But, most of your readers are women, and we’ve probably all been through this….so here goes. When you have workers there like you are having and it’s an all day (2 day) job with them, and it’s sort of outside of your house, do you let them use your inside bathroom? Do they ask? If they did ask, what would you say? I would think with this small of a job and not being a huge construction job they don’t bring a portapotty, so was just wondering if you’ve ever had this come up.

    • In all the projects I’ve ever had done (and I’ve had a lot) I’ve only had someone ask to use the bathroom once, and of course, I said, yes. Normally, they all break for lunch so I guess that’s when potty breaks happen. Also, there’s a McDonalds about 1-2 minutes from my home, so maybe they go there if needed. I’m not sure since I’ve never had anyone ask (that I can recall) but that one time.

      • The reason why I asked was with probably so few painters coming (probably 2) it wouldn’t seem unreasonable for one of them to ask that favor. I just wondered because I’m so leery now having had two young men come to my house to carry away all my dining room furniture to an auction company. They worked for the auction co. moving heavy pieces. Probably just hired workers, didn’t ask if they were full time or not, since they provided the service to pick up my table, chairs, china cabinet, huntboard and the large brass chandelier. I was changing the whole look from formal to French country. lol
        While here, one young man asked if he could use my restroom. I was here alone, and said yes. I always (or use to) let people use the powder room off the kitchen. It has a stationary octagon window. I was still in the DR with the other guy holding the door for him. After several minutes, I went back in the kitchen. The young man was coming out of the bathroom and was looking all around. Asking me where did the staircase in the kitchen lead to and “wow you sure do have a big house” what’s upstairs. Just nosey questions. Anyway, they finished and left. For some reason I had that funny feeling. Knowing that less than a week before they came to move out my furniture, we had installed a new security system and I walked every room with the man installing it in the windows. As he tested it. Then we left each room together. I just had a feeling. I went into the laundry room off the kitchen near the powder room and sure enough, the window above my sink was unlocked. I don’t have proof, but I feel sure that young mover unlocked it!! No one else had been in my house.
        So, from then on, after I have ANY worker in my home, I always check the window locks. Call me paranoid, but I do. Thus, my question and feeling apprehensive now to allow workers to use my restroom. Sad, we have to become so cautious!

        • Wow, he had no business asking you questions like that. That was sooo inappropriate! That would have made me feel super nervous. You may want to call the person you spoke with at the auction house and let them know what he did. If he’s truly an honest person, they still need to tell him that you don’t do stuff like that when you’re in someone’s home. I’m glad you checked to make sure everything was locked up!

  6. Brenda Bot says

    We have several projects going on, on our farm in Canada. The kitchen cabinets, coffee bar, bathroom cabinet and laundry room are all being painted. We had them done five years ago and the paint is starting to chip off, according to the painter we have now, the wrong product was used on them. We are painting the outside siding(big job) all the doors and garage doors. WE are awaiting a well driller to put in another well. We are expanding our closet which is being worked on now. Pool house inside is being done as well. So we have a flurry of activity at our farm right now.

    • That is so frustrating when the previous painter doesn’t do the job right. Sounds like you’re in good hands now, though.
      Wow, you have some big projects going on! Brenda, how do you keep up with it all? I’m only dealing with two companies right now (flooring and painting) and I can barely keep all the emails/texts, etc… separate so I’m confusing the two.

  7. We had this house built seven years ago. I had the garage floor and walls painted before we moved in. Right after we moved in, we installed open shelving along the back wall. We bought the open shelving from Ikea and we installed them ourselves. I joked that we had the nicest garage in the development. Open shelving accumulates miscellaneous stuff. Your cabinet system is much better. Our shelves need to be cleaned out.

    • That’s the perfect way to do it…before you move in! Yeah, that’s the one drawback to open shelving. I had two shelves big shelving units like that in the garage before I started this project and I did away with both…found other places to keep the items on those shelves. They just get way too dirty, too fast. I do like the closed-door shelving, it has worked out great here in the garage so far.

  8. Looking good! But I’m wondering where you are going to put all the “stuff” when the floor gets refinished?? We had considered doing this but we’d have to rent a Pod for everything (we don’t have a basement so the garage -3 car – is storage for everything that doesn’t fit in the house. And our HOA will not allow a Pod …

    • The potting table and things that won’t be hurt by rain will be moved outside. If there’s no rain at all in the forecast, I may let them move the shelving outside and cover it with tarps, but most likely it will be moved into the kitchen. It will only be out of the garage for 1 night, per my sales guy. He said the shelves and everything else can be put back into the garage on the second day. It can’t be driven on for 3-5 days, but he said the cabinets and other stuff would be fine to be moved back in. That’s a shame they won’t allow a Pod. I may look into those but it seems a waste since I would only need it for one day.

  9. OK, now I’m inspired to clean up the garage and make it pretty. A drizzly day and not too hot here in CT today, so a perfect day to get started!
    Love your garage and the new lights. Thank you for the inspiration!

  10. I can do you one better, Susan. My house was built in 1935. It is 87 years old! (Much older than I am, I’m happy to say!). I can tell you that your garage looks far better than mine. My parents purchased this house in 1965, so it was my childhood home. It’s a lovely, large old home, but is in need of a lot of work. My most recent project was having a new back lawn and revised sprinkler system put in, along with steel mesh underneath, to keep away gophers and other unwanted critters. My next project will probably be to have some sort of watering system extended to my laurel beds, which are parched. There is a natural creek which runs adjacent to the laurel beds. The back yard was a perfectly balanced eco-system, which required very little in the way of maintenance, but sadly, years ago someone upstream diverted the water.

    I hear what you are saying about moving heavy objects from one part of your house to another. I still have boxes of Christmas ornaments in my garage, because getting them down my cellar stairs has become a bit much for me. (I keep thinking about poor Ivana Trump, who fell down her stairs and died while she was home alone. How terrible and tragic.)

    I can’t wait to see your finished garage project.

    • Lisa, that sounds sooo nice, what you’ve done with your lawn/garden! That’s a shame they diverted the water. Yeah, I wish garages were built with storage rooms big enough to store things like Christmas trees. I know, that was so sad to read, especially since she was alone.

  11. SharonFromMichigan says

    Epoxy floors look stunning in garages, screened in porches (on slabs), etc. I’m sure whatever color you choose it’s going to look great. You have a wonderful eye for color. The anticipation of seeing the end result has me very curious as I know it will look great!

    • Thanks, Sharon! I can’t wait to get it all finished! Hope I pick a color flooring I love, I’m taking a look again tomorrow at the samples.

  12. Would you like a photo of our garage floor? It is similar to your choice and darkens a little as it ages. My husband just did the step so you can see the difference. Sorry, I did not keep your number to text.

  13. vivian A. says

    Very inspiring, but I do have a question or two. When you paint the walls will you paint Behind the cabinets, and will you have to empty them to move? Same goes for when you do the floor, move or not move cabinets? I like all your ideas, gave me incentive for my garage.

    • Thanks, Vivian! Appreciate that! Yes, the cabinets will be moved out into the middle of the room for painting. I’ve already emptied them completely out. (See that in this post: https://betweennapsontheporch.net/dish-chaos-the-renovation-is-underway-now/ )

      I won’t put things back inside the cabinets until after the flooring is done. The cabinets will probably get moved into the kitchen during that process. I thought about moving them outside, but a freak storm may come along so they should probably be moved inside. The flooring guys will take care of that part.

  14. Wanda F Bradey says

    You are going to be so thrilled to have this finished. We also did the epoxy. It makes a nice flooring look. Once this is finished you will be thrilled so please send pictures. I would like to ask a favor. Do you recall the post where you showed how to get the trim/ruffle/edge stand on a sham? I just replaced my bedding and love the new prints but the trim/edge around the euro shams and regular shams just flop. I would love to go back and read your suggestion. The pillows are fully stuffed so I don’t know what else to do. Thanks! Wanda

    • Thanks, Wanda! I still haven’t a solution. I purchased something on Amazon that I thought I could insert where there was a gap in the trim, but when it arrived, it was way too floppy, so I never used it. I’m afraid I may have to have mine taken apart and something put into it by a seamstress. I wish I had a solution.

  15. Susan,
    Thanks again for hosting this lovely party every week! I know how much time goes into doing so and I want you to know that it is greatly appreciated!! Stay safe, healthy and happy!!
    Hugs,
    Debbie

  16. We did the exact same thing in our garages last year…. flooring, painting and new lights (just like yours. They are amazing) I have to give my husband credit since it was all his idea. It makes me so happy every time I go out there. You are going to love it.

  17. Hi Susan!
    We are considering to do epoxy on our garage floor and we are in the Atlanta area.Would you mind sharing which company you went with?
    TIA!

    • Sure, I’m using Granite Garage out of Roswell. Their phone number is 678-500-9537. They just stopped by today to let me take a look at the floor samples again. I was really torn but I think I’m staying with the color, Farmhouse Gray. Really hard choosing!

      • Thanks for the info!
        We are actually debating whether to use epoxy or polyurea.My husband (engineering background is leaning towards polyurea.)
        I am confused!

  18. Ahh, all the dishes! I wondered where they would all go temporarily and thought about you moving them all, stack by stack by stack.
    A workout!
    Everything looks and sounds like it will come together just great. I painted our garage, too, after the inside of the house was done. Like you, I thought it needed it. Just mixed all the leftover paint together and got to it. A few years ago I painted the floor with garage/porch paint, which is holding up well, but your epoxy will be beautiful.
    Looking forward to watching it unfold!

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