Even though the Illinois Stay-at-Home Order may be coming to an end soon, many people have grown accustomed to sharing space in their home with others, and in some cases, large, multigenerational families have found themselves living together for both safety and company. Some family members may be considering long-term living arrangements, or families may be looking to make more room in their homes. Whatever your reasons might be, it is worthwhile to consider customizing your garage and converting it into a bedroom.

8 “Nice Touches” to Add to Your Garage Bedroom

There are two seemingly contrary questions you need to answer about garage bedrooms:

1. What can I do to make my garage more like an actual, livable bedroom?
2. What aspects unique to my garage can I use to improve my garage bedroom?

In consideration of these two questions, here are some great features you may want to consider adding to your garage bedroom during a renovation project:

1. Bathroom-It does not have to be large, especially if space is limited, but if anyone is going to be staying in the garage bedroom, having their own private bathroom can be a tremendous feature. If you have a detached garage, you might even be able to add on a separate building for a more expansive bathroom that includes a shower and tub.
2. Special Entrance and Exit Doors-What better way to make people forget they are in a garage then to install doors that make it feel more like a part of the home. From heavy oak front doors to sliding glass doors in the back, there are all sorts of ways to use doors to your advantage.
3. Skylight-Most garages seem dark and maybe even dank, and they could certainly use some brightening up to help people feel comfortable enough to sleep there. A skylight can let your guests or your family members wake up to direct sunlight from above.
4. Ceiling Fan-Helpful in function but pleasing in aesthetics, a ceiling fan can greatly increase comfort levels for those who will be spending time in your garage.
5. Loft-Especially if your garage has particularly high ceilings, you might want to expand that space into a livable loft. This can make the garage feel more like a studio apartment that might be found in a downtown condo.
6. Bold Designs/Textures and Colorful Paint-You will have more leeway and creative license with this bedroom; it was, after all, once a garage. In that sense, it does not necessarily need to follow the same design “rules” as other rooms in your home. Consider bright colors and bold textures and make it somewhere special.
7. Kitchenette-While there is not enough room in most garages for an entire kitchen, there could be enough space for a few features or appliances. People who stay in this bedroom would love being able to cook their own food or mix their own drinks instead of having to go into the house for that. It would be like staying in a fancy hotel room.
8. Creative Uses of Windows-This is yet another way to brighten up a dark garage. Consider atypical windows that work well with the garage construction in terms of design as opposed to the usual types of windows used in the main house. This can give the space some individual charm.

Contact Our DuPage County Garage Experts

With the proper planning, you can make your garage into a dream bedroom that will meet your family’s needs. Blue Sky Builders, Inc. can help you build a custom garage that pushes the boundaries of what is possible when it comes to how you can use your space. Call a Downers Grove custom garage professional at 630-852-8485 to learn more about the ways we can help you create the best garage for your home.

Now that Governor Pritzker has extended the Illinois Stay-at-Home Order through the end of May, you may want to give some thought into ways of making your garage more livable. One of the many ways to do this is to convert your garage into a home gym. You could be creative and resourceful, putting together a makeshift workout room with what you already have, or you could look to create a custom garage that includes a functional, fully-featured gym. Whichever you decide, here are some of the best features you could add to a home gym in your garage:

3 Best Features of a Home Gym in Your Garage

In California, early in the state’s Shelter-in-Place policies, a Costa Mesa gym decided to bring the gym to its members-and even its non-members. They brought their equipment to people’s garages, and they even commandeered equipment from other gyms or rec centers to help their patrons. Then, they used Zoom to coach and train people on using the equipment in their new garage gyms. Soon, the gym had expanded its business into manufacturing. The point of all this is, if your regular gym is closed due to the Stay-at-Home Order, you can use some ingenuity to figure out ways to keep working out in a gym-like setting. Here are some of the best features that you might want to consider including in your garage gym:

1. Racks, Shelving, and Other Efficient Uses of Space-When you are deciding what type of equipment you would like to include in your garage gym, be mindful of the size of your garage. Most garages are smaller than the average gym, so you will not want to include too much equipment. However, one way to maximize the equipment in your garage gym without having things get too cluttered is to employ racks, shelving, and other creative uses of space. You could select exercise equipment that can be mounted from above (pull-up bars, rings, etc.). You could also store weights and other equipment on shelves and racks mounted on the walls when they are not in use, saving much-needed floor space for your workouts.
2. Motivational Tools-Installing a TV or stereo in your garage will give you something to watch or listen to while you work out. This can keep you motivated and make your workout more exciting. You could also consider posting progress charts and calendars on the walls to keep track of your workouts.
3. Enhancements to the Atmosphere-From painted walls and special flooring to energized lighting and comfortable climate control, you can take steps to make sure your exercise space is more like a gym than a garage. To do this, you can dress up the walls and brighten the lights to improve your mood and motivation. Make sure to choose the proper flooring for the types of exercises you will be doing. Also, depending on the usual temperature in your garage, you might need to make adjustments to air conditioning or heating, including installing HVAC systems or simply using fans or heaters.

Contact a DuPage County Custom Garage Expert

While you are required to stay at home, you can use this time to become more physically fit. By making your garage into a home gym, you can make sure you are getting the most out of the space in your home. OurDowners Grove garage renovation professionals can help you build a custom garage that meets your family’s needs. Contact Blue Sky Builders, Inc. at 630-852-8485 to learn more.

Officially, Governor Pritzker has extended Illinois’ Stay-at-Home Order through the end of April; however, early reports suggest that Illinois has not yet reached its peak of COVID-19 cases, and this might not happen until mid-May. This means that you and your family could be staying inside your house even longer than originally planned. To make sure you do not get cabin fever, here are some ideas to help you make your garage into a more livable space and keep you occupied.

10 Ideas to Help Make Your Garage More Livable

If you have been stuck at home for the last few months like many Illinois residents, you are realizing quickly that there is only so much you can do in your house to keep you and your family occupied. That is why you might want to consider making your garage more livable by transforming it into any of the following:

1. Guest Bedroom/Quarantine Room-Use your garage to space out your family’s living and sleeping quarters. If you suspect that one family member is sick, then you can make the garage comfortable enough for self-quarantine from the rest of the family, or you could simply make it into an extra bedroom for any guests you invite over during a long weekend.
2. Recording Studio-If you are a musician and you want to record music or practice with fellow musicians, then soundproofing the garage and setting it up as a recording studio is a great way to make it more useful to you. You could even use this space to start your own podcast.
3. Reading Room/Den-With the Stay-at-Home Order still in place, people have plenty of time on their hands to get back to doing some serious reading. Why not use that garage space to get some peace and quiet for reading and reflection?
4. Home Office-Getting work done in the house can be difficult, especially if you have a big family with kids who can be distracting. If you make your garage space into a home office, then you can clearly define that as mommy or daddy’s “workplace” to keep the kids out. You may also want to install some special door locks just in case, as well as WiFi extenders for your all-important Internet connections.
5. Home Gym-Gym equipment can be big and loud. In the garage, it will not bother the people in the house, and you will be able to get fit in the perfect workout environment.
6. Gameroom/Playroom-Some games are too big for just any room. You could put a pinball machine or other arcade game in your garage for you and your friends, or you could let your kids monopolize the space for their toys and games.
7. Wine Cellar/Wet Bar-Alcohol consumption has skyrocketed during the COVID-19 pandemic. Maybe it is about time for you to be a true sommelier. Make your garage into a wine cellar with the appropriate cabinets. You could also set up a wet bar to substitute for your favorite bar in town that you are currently unable to visit.
8. Home Theater-Give yourself a true theatrical experience now that movie theaters are all closed due to the Stay-at-Home Orders. Get a projector, surround sound system, and media player and enjoy the show.
9. She-Shed or Mancave-Set up a special sanctuary for the woman of the house and her gal pals or the man of the house and his buddies.
10. Art Studio/Crafts Room/Darkroom-Are you planning to use paint, glue, or other substances that you would not want to bring inside the house? The garage is a safe place to work on your arts and crafts in case you have any accidents. In addition, you could make it into your own darkroom to develop photos the old-fashioned way.

Contact a Chicago-Area Custom Garage Builder

During these challenging times, you will continue to find yourself at home a lot more often than expected. If you are getting bored of all the rooms in your house by this point, consider making your garage more livable. A Downers Grove garage professional can help make sure your garage can be easily adapted to your needs. Call Blue Sky Builders, Inc. at 630-852-8485 to figure out how to build the garage that allows you to make the most of your time at home.

If you have been updating your home to make it into more of a smart home, you might be thinking of extending the convenience of such technological advancements to yourcustom garage. There are plenty of ways to make your garage smarter, but the most obvious way is to install a smart garage door opener or convert your existing opener into a smart opener using a smart garage door controller. This type of garage renovation is not too difficult, but picking the right device is critical. Here is a comparison of the most popular devices to make your garage door opener smart:

Smart Garage Door Openers and Controllers Compared

There are many smart garage door openers and controllers out there, and it might be difficult to decide which one you should get. While one device will not necessarily fit the bill for everybody, odds are there is at least one that is the right fit for you and your garage. Here are some examples of top-of-the-line equipment:

• Chamberlain myQ-This is a controller that will convert your existing garage door opener to a smart opener. It is one of the most compatible of these devices, since it works with numerous openers and third-party smart home devices and systems, including Google Assistant and IFTTT. Installation is not too difficult since it does not require hardwiring. While the affordable price is nice, there is a membership fee for some smart home compatibility features.
• Chamberlain B970-Using the same smart technology as the myQ, this opener will be a strong replacement for your old electric garage door opener. In addition to the impressive smart capabilities of the myQ, the opener itself has a powerful motor yet remains quiet when in use. Unfortunately, it is very expensive, and it can be a challenge to install. However, with the right garage specialist, it can be installed without any issues.
• Garadget-One of the most affordable controllers, this device already has an Alexa skill and can be used with Google Assistant through IFTTT. Its accompanying app is limited in smart capabilities, but it enables smart opening/closing and remote access.
• Nexx-Another affordable controller, this device enables free smart commands without IFTTT. It requires a complicated installation, and a garage renovation expert can help ensure that it is set up and working properly.
• Genie MachForce Screw Drive 2 HPc-With a powerful motor and silent, smooth operation, this opener is a decent competitor to the B970 from Chamberlain. A major drawback is that the smart operations are all restricted to Genie’s own Aladdin Connect app, which means you cannot connect it with your other smart devices and systems.
• Gogogate 2-As another controller that can be used to convert your old garage door opener into a smart opener, this device supports camera integration, multiple users, and more than one garage. While it can be introduced into your smart ecosystem through Amazon Alexa, Google Assistant, and Nest, doing so usually requires specific IFTTT triggers.

Contact a Chicago-area Garage Renovation Specialist

If you are planning to install a new smart garage door opener or upgrade your existing opener with a smart garage door controller, you will want to get the help of a Downers Grove custom garage professional who can ensure that the installation is done right. Contact Blue Sky Builders, Inc. at 630-852-8485 for advice on how to proceed with this exciting modern update to your garage.

As you make updates and improvements to your home, you should not neglect your garage, and you can take a variety of steps to modernize this space. Doing so involves more than just converting your garage door opener into a smart garage door opener; there are all sorts of other ways to make improvements to your garage, including through smart technology, improved safety, or creative garage renovation ideas.

Update Your Garage With 2020 Trends

You can bring your garage into this high-tech age with a flurry of bold activity if you consider the following methods of modernization:

• Smarten Up-Make as many things in your garage as possible “smart.” This is especially helpful for people who spend a lot of time in their garages. Here are some examples of smart devices for your garage:
  • Smart Garage Door Openers-Updating to a smart garage door opener can help you keep track of whether your garage door is open or closed, and it will also allow you to open and close it from anywhere in case of emergencies.
  • Smart Locks and Keyless Entry-Updating the locks in the entryway from the garage into the house or the exterior of your house into your garage can allow you to link your doors to your smartphone so that they automatically unlock when you approach. You may also consider using locks that allow for keyless entry by using keypads instead of traditional keys.
  • Smart Light Bulbs and Switches-These devices allow you to control your lights with your voice or your smartphone or set up schedules for when the lights in your garage will turn on. Lights can be synced with other activities, such as when you get home and the garage door opens, or they can be turned on when you are away to scare off burglars.
  • Smart Plugs-Remotely control your garage tools by plugging them into smart plugs in case you need to keep your hands free, conserve energy, or provide added safety.
  • Parking Assistant-Some devices can substitute for solutions such as a hanging tennis ball that shows when you are parked far enough up in the garage by using lasers to ensure that you are parked correctly.
• Stay Safe-The garage is often the point of entry for home break-ins, so maintaining proper security is essential. Here are some ways to improve the safety of your home and family with a modernized garage:
  • Cameras-Hook up smart cameras or other cameras to the exterior or interior of your garage so that you can monitor all possibly intrusive activity.
  • Floodlights-These could be placed in front of your garage or near the porch to scare away dangerous animals or criminals on the prowl.
  • Intercom-Link this up with the rest of your house and even the outdoors, and you will be able to communicate with your family or guests in case important messages need to be delivered.
• Renovate and Create Something Great-Garages are not just for cars anymore; consider other exciting ways to customize your garage:
  • Flooring-Replace cracked and stained concrete with something more livable and functional.
  • Walls-Paint or decorate the walls to make it more of a living space than a utility garage.
  • Extra Spaces-Partition parts of your garage and economically use the space in creative ways to expand the garage’s uses and make it more comfortable and more of an extension of your house.

Contact a Downers Grove Custom Garage Professional

In 2020, it is time to give your garage the upgrades it needs to truly adapt to these high-tech times. Whether making your garage smarter, safer, or homier, Blue Sky Builders, Inc. has you covered with all sorts of garage renovation possibilities. Contact our Chicago area garage renovation experts at 630-852-8485 to learn more about your options.