How to Turn Your Garage Into a Functional, Design-Forward Living Space

A detached garage-turned-multifunctional accessory dwelling in Los Angeles, as seen on the Property Brothers series Brother vs. Brother. A Tango Sofa wall bed allows the living space to seamlessly convert into a comfortable bedroom, while glass sliders offer indoor-outdoor appeal.

A garage may be a luxury, but all too often it becomes little more than a repository for clutter. A garage conversion is a practical way to reclaim this square footage and reimagine it as a refined extension of your home.

Whether transforming an underutilized garage into a serene art studio, a productive home office space, an income-generating ADU, or a multipurpose retreat, a converted garage has the potential to dramatically enhance both your liveable space and your lifestyle.

With the right planning, permitting, and design-forward furnishings, even the most utilitarian structure can become a showcase of intelligent design. At Resource Furniture, we’ve helped countless clients across North America transform overlooked garages into sophisticated living spaces.

From luxurious guest quarters to celebrity-approved ADUs, our transforming furnishings and space-planning expertise delivers unparalleled functionality, style, and comfort—within even the most compact footprints.

Curious about converting your underused garage? We’ve curated our best design tips, curated furniture recommendations, and inspiring client transformations to help you get started.

Why Garage Conversions Are on the Rise

Garages are often relegated to clutter and car storage, but increasingly, homeowners, remote workers, vacation rental owners, and downsizers are uncovering their untapped potential.

If you’re looking to maximize your home’s square footage and functionality, a garage conversion can yield an entirely new room: a home office, guest suite, artist's atelier, home gym, or even a fully appointed accessory dwelling unit.

“Post-pandemic, many people appreciate the idea of having visitors and the flexibility to work from home in a separate area of the house,” Elizabeth Altobello, Luxury Properties Specialize with William Raveis tells Angi.com. “A private location near your primary residence for quiet time or remote work is ideal for work-life balance.”

But aside from their practical uses, garage conversions also make logistical and financial sense: Compared to a new construction, conversions are typically 20–30% more cost-effective and avoid the need for lot expansion since they utilize the structure’s existing footprint and infrastructure.

What’s more, converting an underutilized garage into an additional bedroom or living area has the potential to boost your home’s value, particularly in markets where space is at a premium and larger homes are in demand.

Is a Garage Conversion Right for You?

Converting your garage isn’t just about creating more usable space; it’s about redefining how that space serves your life.

For urban homeowners contending with limited square footage, a garage conversion can mean the difference between compromise and comfort. For retirees or empty nesters, it might offer the opportunity to reclaim your space or downsize without sacrificing amenities. And for a growing population of remote professionals, it can provide a focused, detached workspace that’s essential for productivity.

Whatever your reason for converting your garage, there are a number of important considerations to take into account. Garage conversions should be tailored not only to your space and needs, but to your long-term goals—especially if you plan to list your home in the future.

Before you begin, take stock of how your garage is currently used, assess your tolerance for giving up storage space or parking, and research your local codes and zoning requirements. When done right, a well-executed conversion will enhance both your home and your quality of life.

Advantages of Garage Conversions:

Create a flexible, future-proof space: Many homeowners are drawn to garage conversions for their versatility, looking to create spaces that can evolve as needs change.

A converted garage might begin as a home office, then become a private guest suite, an artist’s studio, or even a wellness space or home gym over time.

The addition of multipurpose furniture, like a wall bed with an integrated sectional or a transforming table, ensures that no function excludes another, allowing the room to shift seamlessly through the seasons of your life.
Accommodate Your Evolving Needs: Whether you’re expanding your family, caring for aging parents, or launching a creative venture, your garage offers an untapped well of highly adaptable square footage.

We’ve seen clients outfit their garages with full kitchens, spa-like bathrooms, flexible guest quarters, home gyms, office spaces, and everything in between.

Explore our ADU garage conversion with the Tango Sectional.
Create a Source of Rental Income: A thoughtfully designed garage ADU can serve as a vacation rental or long-term lease—especially appealing in neighborhoods with limited housing stock.

For inspiration, see how the Property Brothers helped an ambitious young real estate investor transform the detached garage at his Venice beach house into a luxurious guest house with the help of Resource Furniture.
Elevate Your Home’s Resale Value: In many real estate markets, a fully permitted garage ADU or guest suite can significantly boost listing appeal and appraisal value.
Minimize Renovation Impact: Unlike full-scale additions, garage conversions rarely disrupt your home’s footprint or landscape, reducing overall costs and impact.

Considerations Before Converting Your Garage:

Ceiling Heights and Floor Levels: Many garages have lower ceiling heights and unfinished or unlevel flooring, which may require upgrades to meet code and comfort standards.

Fortunately, Resource Furniture offers a number of modular furniture systems designed to accommodate these unique conditions. The Circe wall bed is available with or without the upper storage shelves, making it ideal for garages with limited height clearance.

Before and after: The Property Brothers sourced two Circe queen-size wall beds from Resource Furniture to transform a garage into a guest house with Wilmer Valederamma on Episode 7, Season 3 of Celebrity I.O.U.

Zoning Requirements: Always verify your local zoning laws and permitting requirements before you begin your garage conversion project, especially when adding kitchens or building income-producing accessory units.
Parking and Storage: Consider how trading garage space for an additional living area may impact your daily routines and home value, especially where parking is limited.
Utilities and Mechanical Systems: Some garage renovations may require extending HVAC, adding insulation, and integrating plumbing or electrical—all of which may affect your budget and design.

Getting Started: What to Know About Permits, Costs, and Design

Permitting, Codes and Compliance

Before launching into your garage conversion, always verify your local building codes and permitting requirements. While requirements will vary depending on your region and scope of your renovation, you can usually expect some combination of building, electrical, plumbing or zoning approvals.

Typical considerations might include:

Minimum ceiling height thresholds
Adequate natural light
Compliance with fire safety, ventilation and egress codes
Zoning approval, particularly for garage ADUs or rental units

Start researching these details early in the process to give you a clear framework for design possibilities.

Budgeting for your Garage Conversion

Garage conversion costs can vary widely depending on your design goals and location. As a rough guide, expect to spend anywhere from $5,000 for a simple office or guest room to $150,000+ for a fully equipped ADU with bedroom, bath, and kitchen (about $150–$300 per sq ft).

Typical costs include architectural and design fees; drywall, flooring and insulation upgrades; HVAC extensions; plumbing and electrical; permit fees; new windows or doors; and furnishings or decor.

Integrating multifunctional and space-saving furnishings into your floorplan from the outset can maximize functionality, free up floor space, and offset costs. For instance, a wall bed with an integrated sofa and surrounding modular storage can offer a guest room, living space, and closet storage in one elegant system.

Elevating Style, Comfort & Storage With Modular Furniture

Before and after: A dramatic garage conversion seen on Property Brothers’ Brother vs. Brother series, featuring the Circe Sofa wall bed and surrounding modular cabinetry and shelving create an intentional, built-in look.

Unlike traditional rooms, garages often present unique design challenges: open floor plans, limited light, and a lack of clearly defined zones. This is where furniture plays an outsized role—not only in aesthetics, but in function.

Transforming furniture is particularly well-suited to garage conversions. These multi-functional pieces help delineate space without constructing walls, allowing for distinct living, sleeping, dining, and working areas in one unified design.

A wall bed with integrated sofa can seamlessly transition a lounge into a guest suite. Room-dividing shelving systems establish zones for work and rest, while still allowing light to filter through.

Flip-down desks, extendable tables, and modular wardrobes provide all the function of a custom built-in without the cost or complexity.

Because garage conversions require furnishings that are space-efficient yet functional, every piece should earn its footprint. Resource Furniture’s transforming systems are designed for precisely this purpose, making even the most compact spaces feel open, flexible, and luxurious. Rooted in Italian craftsmanship and engineered for daily life, our pieces allow your converted garage to live larger than its square footage might suggest.

Explore our luxury transforming furniture.

Top Design Tips for Garage Conversions

Light, Air, and Atmosphere

Garages aren’t typically known for their natural light, but a few intentional updates can transform the ambiance.

Replace the garage door with sliding glass panels to allow light to flood in while maintaining indoor-outdoor connectivity.
Skylights or clerestory windows can brighten even the darkest corners.
Layer lighting with a mix of task, ambient, and accent fixtures to build warmth and depth into the space.

Eco-Friendly, High-End Materials

The right material choices can not only elevate how a space looks and feels, but also how it performs over time. Resource Furniture prioritizes environmentally responsible materials that meet the highest standards of craftsmanship, health and performance. Look for:

Ethically sourced FSC-certified woods
Low-VOC paints, adhesives and finishes for improved indoor air quality
Energy-efficient LED lighting
Durable surfaces and mechanisms that withstand high traffic and daily use

In garages, where temperature and humidity can challenge materials, these choices offer performance and a polish that lasts.

Climate Control and Insulation

To ensure year-round comfort, invest in high-quality insulation for walls and ceilings, and replace standard garage doors with insulated alternatives. These upgrades provide a strong foundation for long-term usability.

Multifunctional Wall Beds

Wall beds are foundational to most garage conversions, offering a space-saving and elegant way to integrate sleep space into multi-use rooms. Whether you’re designing a home office that moonlights as a guest suite or a studio that transforms by night, our collection of wall beds with desks and wall beds with sofas provide seamless transitions without sacrificing style or comfort.

Modular Storage Systems

Dedicated storage is key to maintaining a clutter-free environment in any space. Resource Furniture’s modular shelving, closets, and cabinetry systems offer an integrated look with flexible configuration options. These systems provide a clean, built-in aesthetic that evolves with your needs and seamlessly integrates with any of our multifunctional wall beds.

Transforming and Height-Adjusting Tables

Convertible tables are essential in garage conversions where dining, working, and entertaining often coexist in a single footprint. Our Soleil table shifts from a sculptural coffee table to a full-size dining table with ease, while the Goliath console expands from a slim, 17” deep console to a banquet table large enough to accommodate up to 12 guests.

Partitions and Room Dividers

In open-concept garage spaces, creating designated zones is critical for function and flow. Consider the Shelving Unit Room Divider to subtly separate areas for sleep, work, or relaxation. These dividers double as display shelves or storage, offering utility without interrupting light or line of sight.

Garage Conversion Ideas to Inspire

Brad Pitt surprised his long-time friend and makeup artist with a detached garage ADU conversion on the debut episode of Property Brothers’ Celebrity I.O.U.

ADU Guesthouse

Resource Furniture featured in the premiere episode of Celebrity I.O.U. when Property Brothers Jonathan and Drew Scott helped bring Brad Pitt’s vision to life in a 400-sq-ft detached garage conversion.

The brothers sourced our Swing Chaise queen wall bed for the primary living area, featuring an integrated sectional, sliding chaise lounge, and hidden under-seat storage. Paired with the height-adjusting and expanding Passo coffee-to-dining table, the space effortlessly functions as a luxurious guest suite for Brad’s longtime friend and makeup artist.

The finished ADU includes a multifunctional sleep-lounge space, full kitchen, spa-like bath, and sliding glass doors leading out to the sunlit patio.

Home Office Retreat

On another hit Property Brothers’ series, Brother vs. Brother, Jonathan and Drew reimagined a detached garage in Venice Beach into a polished home office/guest house for a young real estate investor.

At the heart of this transformation is the LGM revolving wall bed system, featuring a queen-size bed, flip-down desk, and integrated shelving in one.

By day, it functions as a focused backyard workspace; by night, it becomes a private retreat for guests, game room, or lounge—complete with automatic blinds, a sleek bar area, and ambient lighting.

Rental-Ready Studio

In central Los Angeles, we helped convert a small 1-car garage into an Airbnb-ready ADU for a homeowner who had just started a new business.

The Penelope Sofa queen wall bed helped transform this compact garage into a contemporary 245sf micro-studio, complete with a comfortable live/sleep space, flexible dining/work area, full modern kitchen, laundry units, and luxurious bathroom.

The end result is an elegant revenue-generating space that makes use of every inch.

West Hollywood Home Gym

Home gyms and wellness rooms are one of the most compelling uses for a converted garage, offering a dedicated zone for movement, meditation, or recovery.

In one standout West Hollywood project, a client transformed their garage into a personal fitness studio outfitted with wall-to-wall mirrors, gym-quality equipment, and our Kali Duo bunk wall bed system.

This West Hollywood garage conversion doubles as a high-performance gym and guest-ready retreat, featuring the Kali Duo bunk wall bed system, shown both opened and closed.

This space-saving solution features two twin XL bunks, a locking ladder, and an upper storage compartment. The wall beds tuck away during workouts while offering overflow sleeping accommodations for guests or a spot to rest and recharge post-session.

Frequently Asked Questions about Garage Conversions

What permits do I need to convert my garage?

Permit requirements vary by municipality and project scope. Most conversions will need approvals for building, electrical, plumbing, and HVAC work. Start by consulting your local building department to clarify what’s needed.

Is a garage conversion worth the investment?

Garage conversions typically cost less than new construction and can add considerable resale value, particularly if permitted as an ADU or guest suite. They also offer lifestyle flexibility that can evolve with your needs.

How much does a garage conversion typically cost?

Costs range widely depending on scope and design goals. Simple renovations may start around $5,000–$30,000, while full-scale ADUs can cost $50,000–$150,000+. Design complexity, materials, and location all impact final budgets.

Can I add a bathroom or kitchenette to my garage conversion?

Absolutely, though doing so may require plumbing upgrades or additional permitting. For full ADUs, including kitchens and baths, it’s essential to follow your jurisdiction’s ADU regulations.

What’s the difference between a garage conversion and an ADU?

An ADU is a self-contained living unit off the main residence with a separate entrance, kitchen, and bathroom. A garage conversion can become an ADU if it meets these standards, but not all garage conversions need to include these features.

Design for the Life You Want

A garage conversion is a canvas for reinvention. Whether your goal is extra income, a serene retreat to indulge your hobbies, or extra space to host family, Resource brings transformative design and inspiration to every square foot.

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