Before and After: Garage Converted Into a Stylish Backyard Studio
See how a garage used for storage is transformed into a bright, cheerful space for art, exercise and entertaining
This Dallas couple prefer to park their cars in the driveway, which left their garage waiting for a better purpose than the storage room it had become. After recently remodeling their house with the help of Mary Anne Smiley Interiors, they reached out to the design firm once again to convert their garage into a bright and cheerful studio with a kitchenette and powder room.
The stylish space is now a favorite hangout for the couple to create art, exercise, watch movies and host backyard parties for family and friends. Check out the before-and-after photos and read all about this garage conversion.
The stylish space is now a favorite hangout for the couple to create art, exercise, watch movies and host backyard parties for family and friends. Check out the before-and-after photos and read all about this garage conversion.
After: When designers Mary Anne Smiley and Dani Burbidge remodeled the couple’s main house a year ago, they gave the exterior a fresh coat of white paint and a bright blue front door. “We matched the new garage paint to the exterior of the main house and found a pair of outdoor sconces in a shade of blue that’s very similar to the front door,” Burbidge says.
Outdoor sconces: Mid Century 12-inch wall-mount, Troy Lighting
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Outdoor sconces: Mid Century 12-inch wall-mount, Troy Lighting
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Before: The former garage had a door and a pair of windows on the side that faces the back of the main house. Two concrete steps led from the door to the backyard.
Before and After: 3 Inspiring Backyard Garage Conversions
Before and After: 3 Inspiring Backyard Garage Conversions
After: The designers replaced the windows and door with a glass slider that brings in a lot of natural light and can be left open when the weather is conducive. A new stained wood step now leads to the yard and pea gravel replaced the hedges to provide a more streamlined look.
Shop for outdoor lighting on Houzz
Shop for outdoor lighting on Houzz
Before: The interior of the former garage had dark wood cabinets, a stainless steel refrigerator and taupe walls. The space was mainly used as a large storage room.
How to Pare Down and Pack Up for a Garage Makeover
How to Pare Down and Pack Up for a Garage Makeover
After: Smiley and Burbidge opened up the ceiling to give the studio a loft-like feel. They also had a mini-split air conditioner installed so the space can be used during Dallas’ hot summers.
The dark wood cabinets were removed in favor of sleek white MDF cabinets. All of the walls are now covered in a fresh coat of white paint (Pure White by Sherwin-Williams). The original concrete floors are covered in a durable white floor paint that can be easily washed.
“By painting the walls and floor white, the bright colors used for the countertops, rug and other decor really stand out,” Burbidge says.
The dark wood cabinets were removed in favor of sleek white MDF cabinets. All of the walls are now covered in a fresh coat of white paint (Pure White by Sherwin-Williams). The original concrete floors are covered in a durable white floor paint that can be easily washed.
“By painting the walls and floor white, the bright colors used for the countertops, rug and other decor really stand out,” Burbidge says.
The new kitchenette has a sink, stacked stainless steel refrigerator drawers and a beverage refrigerator that provides plenty of function when the couple host family and friends for backyard parties.
The custom white table, used by the couple for art projects, has casters so it can be rolled away when they want to open the space up for gatherings. The four green vinyl counter stools were purchased on Houzz.
Counter stools: Eliza Leatherette in lime green
The custom white table, used by the couple for art projects, has casters so it can be rolled away when they want to open the space up for gatherings. The four green vinyl counter stools were purchased on Houzz.
Counter stools: Eliza Leatherette in lime green
The green countertop is engineered resin, a favorite material of the designers. “They can be made in just about any color imaginable,” Smiley says. “It really added a fun energy this couple was looking for and set the tone for the whole studio.”
The gallery wall above the countertop consists mostly of pieces the couple have collected during their travels around the world, but the small painting at the lower left is of a church in Greece that Smiley painted and gave to the couple as a gift when the remodel was complete.
The gallery wall above the countertop consists mostly of pieces the couple have collected during their travels around the world, but the small painting at the lower left is of a church in Greece that Smiley painted and gave to the couple as a gift when the remodel was complete.
The new powder room is located through a door to the right of the kitchenette. It features the same green countertops, white MDF cabinets and oversize chrome pulls. The wallpaper is a confetti of bold colors that visually connect to the rug and other decor in the studio.
Wallpaper: George All Over, Voutsa
Wallpaper: George All Over, Voutsa
The Peloton bike is shared by the couple. The custom pink neon light on the wall above the bike reads, “The Goody Nook,” which was the name of a bake shop in Ohio owned by a great-grandmother and great-aunt of one of the homeowners. “This is the name they call the studio because it brings them happiness and is also a space for friends and family to gather,” Smiley says.
The door at the left leads to a small storage room where the couple keep seasonal decorations and gardening equipment.
The door at the left leads to a small storage room where the couple keep seasonal decorations and gardening equipment.
The designers added a 5-inch-deep electric fireplace to the wall where the garage door used to be. “I love how narrow the electric fireplace is,” Smiley says. “It doesn’t take up much room, but it adds a lot of ambiance to the space.”
A pair of Eames leather lounge chairs and ottomans provide comfortable spots for the couple to sit back and take in a movie on the flat-screen TV.
A pair of Eames leather lounge chairs and ottomans provide comfortable spots for the couple to sit back and take in a movie on the flat-screen TV.
The designers added a floor-to-ceiling niche with shelves to display decor. A dog bed below the niche offers a cozy perch for the couple’s chihuahua.
“They love to rescue senior dogs and give them a loving home to live out their later years,” Smiley says.
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“They love to rescue senior dogs and give them a loving home to live out their later years,” Smiley says.
More on Houzz
9 Garage Conversions Fit New Uses Into Old Spaces
Read more before-and-after stories
Find an interior designer near you
Shop for living room products
Studio at a Glance
Who lives here: A couple
Location: Dallas
Size: About 450 square feet (42 square meters)
Designers: Dani Burbidge (project lead) and Mary Ann Smiley of Mary Anne Smiley Interiors
Before: This is a photo of the garage at the start of the renovation process. Plywood can be seen covering the wall where the garage door once was.