I’m back with the second installment of my garage makeover! We left off with the garage flooding again, after a few weeks my contractor fixed everything (we hope), we licked our financial wounds, and after a lot of drying things out (luckily the furniture and even the rug survived) we set everything up again and NOW for the final reveal…
Sara wins the award for shooting the most cramped space of all time. Remember, that rug is 7’ wide. My husband is a character, quite literally and figuratively, so some of this content might not be exactly what design nerds are used to seeing. Like, for example, the creepy doll on the right. It’s from a short he made and he loves it. I wouldn’t exactly choose to style with it, but here we are. My job is to make it all as chic as possible and I think we hit a really nice balance.
Desk | Magnetic Hooks | Filing Cabinets | Desk Chair (unavailable + other option) | Table Lamp (vintage) | Desk Pad | Pen Holder
Although Andrew is truly a creature of the night, we knew that we wanted to keep the desk near the front because on temperate days he likes to open the doors to get fresh air. It’s also nice for natural light while on Zoom. We went with the largest version of Article’s Madera Oak Desk because the editing setup takes up a lot of space. As mentioned, our storage is limited, so we used 2 matching Madera Filing Cabinets to help with all the paperwork you inevitably have when you are your own administrative assistant. If you click on the link for the desk you can see more easily how it has this really great cord organization cabinet. Instead of 234983 cords hanging down the back of the desk, we have a power strip inside of the cabinet and one singular cord coming down to plug in (which you can see if you look closely) HACK: I bought super hardcore magnetic hooks to use along the metal side of the desk to hold his keys that he still manages to lose 🙂
We wanted a comfortable desk chair but it needed to swivel (easy to walk by) and not roll (on multiple rugs? No thanks). This desk chair is no longer available, but this one would work just as nicely.
The art is an original sketch on butcher paper, drawn by Andrew’s favorite animator, Richard Williams. We can’t financially justify framing it at the moment, so we used some scrap wood with paint splashes to mimic the idea of an artist’s desk it sat on at one point.
If it aint broke…
The shelving behind the desk worked well before, so we did it again, but better. The reason I wanted these shelves specifically is because they had some hidden storage at the bottom for the not-so-pretty things, like a printer or the VHS player that is connected to his vintage television (lower right). They add a ton of warmth.
We are firmly a “no big light” family so vibey lighting is a must. I found quite a few good vintage lights on Etsy. The “slime green” (or brat) lamp is his personal favorite. Andrew is a collector and an avid biographical reader, so the shelves are great for showing off a miniature from his movie, vintage toys, and, you know, his tarantula.
Yep. Meet Audrey:
I’m a mom 4 times over now.
Media Unit | Leather Ottoman | Sofa Bed
Welcome to the living room/guest bedroom! Again, storage is needed, so this ottoman is a perfect place to put up your feet, use as a coffee table (add a tray), use as extra seating (as you will see in another photo), and store all the bedding for when the couch doubles as a bed.
Sconce (vintage) | Rattan Wall Shelf (vintage) | Side Table | Sofa Bed | Alf (vintage:)) | Round Pillow (similar) | Mushroom Stool | Black Sconce
There are the doors to access under the house above the couch. It was tough trying to figure out what annoying situation we wanted to make for ourselves as far as what piece of furniture would inevitably partially block the doors. If the desk was there we would have to move the computers every time and then climb over the desk and if the TV was there we couldn’t hang the TV and then would have to move the TV to crawl over the console. Under the house is unfinished, meaning dirt floors, so crawling in and out over a light couch seemed wild as well. The best thing we came up with was buying a smaller canvas and keeping it folded up in this little footstool/mushroom I had from a shoot. We simply put down the canvas and walk over the couch. It works out pretty well actually. I can’t move on without calling out the adorable mushroom vintage lamp I scooped on Etsy that sits over the Barlo side table and the vintage Ikea wall-mounted rattan magazine rack. It’s Karl Malmvall for Ikea and you can find them here and there online, it is so dope – good luck! The blue pillow is made from scraps from the sink curtain and the round pillow is old Pottery Barn, they no longer make it round but they do make a standard pillow with the same fabric. Alf is vintage 🙂
Leather Ottoman | Media Unit | Tray | Lamp | Mushroom Stool
In this angle you can see what it’s like when we put the ottoman between the shelving and credenza to create more seating, we mostly live with it this way, the round mushroom is easy to walk around.
iPhone photo incoming…
Frame TV | Tray | Leather Shaker | Green Decanter | Amber Decanter | Glasses (vintage) | Bar Tools | Cup with Tools (vintage) | Pillow on Storage Bench | Bolster (custom)
This whole art wall is based off of the ghost from Betty Boop’s 1933 Snow White that I found at a NicSon Mercantile, a staple in my neighborhood. Do yourself a favor and watch the video. It’s beautiful and at 4:20-6:00 Koko the clown is turned into a ghost where legendary Cab Calloway was rotoscoped while singing and dancing to St. James Infirmary Blues. I found that piece and knew it was the best Christmas gift of all time and knew exactly how it would frame the TV. It was hung months before we got anything else (see in unfinished shots with rugs above). We hung it up right away and taped off where everything was going to go based on it. I based the size of the TV off of it and filled the rest of the space with art that was meaningful to Andrew accented with a vintage Kit Cat clock and a vintage light in the top right corner. The credenza is filled with office stuff you don’t want to look at, and let’s be honest, probably an overflow of Andrew’s VHS collection. A tray with decanted bourbons lives on top with an Oslo table lamp. I have the charcoal, but do yourself a favor and grab it in oxblood. I totally would have if it was available back then.
Lamp (unavailable) | Cabinet | Pitcher | Bowls | Green Wine Glasses | Tray | Green Moroccan Glasses | Electric Kettle | Soap Dispenser | Runner | Mirror | Custom Curtain Rods and Rings
I bought a wood toilet seat to go on the vintage toilet because, of course, and added a found wood shelf. I needed a little storage for tampons, matches, a candle, and an extra roll of TP (did you catch the cheeky TP holder?).
I love how both of the curtains turned out. The workbench is pretty deep and on top of the minifridge and microwave we can actually fit a lot of storage under the sink, we even added under-bed storage drawers under the shelf because it’s so deep. The curtains make the clutter disappear while keeping the appliances easily accessible. I looked and looked for a vintage kitchen cabinet for this space but I kept striking out, I think because the ceiling is low so it couldn’t be too tall. I found this cabinet on Etsy, made to order. The runner is another custom Etsy find.
Custom Curtain Rods and Rings | Bowls | Green Wine Glasses | Tray | Green Moroccan Glasses | Soap Dispenser | Mirror
We put a mirror on this wall for 2 reasons, 1. we don’t have a proper bathroom but I still wanted people to be able to wash their hands and check their face, 2. Andrew is often in makeup and needs a mirror which brings me to what you see in the reflection here…
It’s very 80s suburban basement and it is also very Andrew. This is his set. If you are confused as to what my husband does, same. I literally just googled him and it’s only slightly more clear. It’s easier to think of what he doesn’t do but just know for some reason he needs a set. YouTube? TikTok? Probably. We installed black velvet curtains on an Ikea ceiling track when he needs a basic background. Also, when the AC or heat is on the curtains need to be pulled to the side to let air move through, which brings me to trying to explain my space…
Speaking of ceiling tracks, we also used them, along with the rest of the fabric that matches the kitchen, near the front of the garage. Here’s an iPhone photo that shows it from Andrew’s side:
And a better, Sara photo from my side of the garage…
Notice I made a cute valence to go on Andrew’s side. Also – notice the cute baby on his side! That’s Elio! Sara’s babe and he did so good while we worked, but it may be why we will have to depend on some iPhone photos for my side 🙂After the next photo it’s all iPhone until the last photo.
See the line on the ceiling? That’s where the patio is right above, if you wanted to have an idea in your head of the space added.
Now, this is either going to be the most interesting content or…exactly the opposite. Totally fine. I understand both reactions. Welcome to the mouth of madness aka a stylists’ hoard:
Such an upgrade.
In the back where the green Ikea shelving is, directly behind that is Andrew’s set. We’ve found that as long as the curtains are pulled to the side behind that shelving unit as well as the curtain I just showed you to the right, the air circulates just fine. Side note: for ceiling height reference, that shelving in the back is 74” tall. Andrew and I are below that so it’s not a problem for us but, it is why the space isn’t permitted as a living area.
Imagine: Me sitting at my workbench, alone in the garage one evening, you get that feeling like…is somebody watching me?
ANYWAY.
Does this look crazy? I can’t tell because to me it’s so organized. Being able to have a lot of things just sitting out on shelves where they are easy to find and pack up as needed, is so much better than everything wrapped and packed in plastic bins. Weird thing to be stoked on, but I really like these industrial shelves. The ones we had before, the shelf itself had that particle board type material and over time, especially with the heavy ceramics I have and moisture in the air, they started to bow and break. These are 100% metal and very tough.
On the opposite wall is my workbench with a small pegboard of things I need often, under are all the packing materials I keep and a trash can. Then to the left is my kit, cart, folding tables, ironing board, and garment rack. I like to keep all that by the door for easy load and unloading. I bought that particular workbench because it is on locking wheels, has a powerstrip attached, and is adjustable. If I ever need to use a table saw I roll that baby outside with an extension cord attached and do the work in the driveway for more space and to keep the dust out of the garage. There’s a saved story on what I keep in my kit on my Instagram from a while ago, if you happen to still be reading this and for some reason wish this wildness for your own life. Or you are a Virgo.
New and improved towel and throw storage is a game-changer. Heaven forbid if I ever just want to use that ladder anymore though 🙂
Wood Wall-Mounted Curtain Rods | Storage Rack | Display Book | Industrial Laundry Cart
I keep my art on a storage rack (loose prints in a display book on the rack) and soft goods like pillows or duvet fillers in an industrial laundry cart. I needed both on wheels so it was easy to move them out of the way to access all the throws and the glassware that I keep in the lower cabinets. I also can move them so that I have space when I need to workout from home (shoutout Pvolve)
We’ve made it! Gremmy (in the window) and I thank you. It’s been a journey. Article is the best and they still have those amazingly comfortable patio chairs (also photographed here) and if you are curious those are Veradek planters, in white and corten steel. Stop by Instagram for behind-the-scenes stuff, and some good video content.
*Design and Styling by Emily Bowser
**After Photos by Sara Ligorria-Tramp
