Living Large in Small Spaces: Garage Turned Studio Apartment
Gray walls and dark blue furniture transform this detached garage into a handsome studio apartment. Here, guests have access to their own sitting room, kitchen, washer/dryer set and bathroom. A sliding barn door tucks the bedroom from view and makes it feel a little secluded.
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February 21, 2018
Charming Garage Treehouse Apartment
This detached garage, featuring an upstairs studio apartment, was designed to complement the existing residence, which can be seen in the left background.
Craftsman Garage and Custom Gate
Nestled in a historic neighborhood in Nashville, Tennessee, this home includes a main residence and a detached garage apartment. To give the garage a greater sense of privacy, it's separated from the main house by a fence and this custom gate, designed by a local artisan.
Blue Craftsman Garage Exterior
The garage's exterior takes its cues from the Craftsman design of the main house. Shades of blue are a pretty pairing with the natural wood shingles.
Garage Apartment Exterior and Window
The exterior of the garage apartment mimics the architecture and colors of the main house.
Gray Apartment Living Area With Blue Accent Wall
A navy-blue accent wall in this studio apartment's kitchen adds depth and interest and contrasts dramatically with the soft gray walls and white cabinets and trim.
Kitchen Sink, Open Shelves and Window
Besides showing off pretty glassware, houseplants and more, open shelving in a small kitchen helps the room appear larger than it is. The countertops are quartz, a clean, fresh look.
White Open Plan Kitchen With Sloped Ceiling
Above the garage sits this charming, 600-square foot apartment. Because the roof pitch created low ceilings in the corners, designers used those areas for closets and the pantry. An unusual, patterned backsplash adds dimension to the kitchen's basic white cabinets.
Blue and White Kitchen With Open Shelving
A white palette, combined with touches like open shelves and a stacking washer/dryer concealed in a cabinet, helps this small kitchen seem much larger.
Green Bathroom With Pink Flowers
The bathroom's green walls bring the feel of nature right into the room. The color is also a fun backdrop for pairings of bright colors, like the sink's arrangement of hot pink flowers.
Green-and-White Studio Apartment Bathroom
Although small in size, this studio apartment's bathroom makes a huge style statement with its apple-green walls and crisp white trim.
Green Bathroom With Towel Trio
Have some fun in a smaller space by using bold, sassy colors and playful artwork. The garage apartment's bathroom gets a dose of energy from green paint and whimsical faux antlers.
Apartment With Sleeping Nook and White Kitchen
Combining midcentury modern and rustic design elements, this studio apartment features gray walls, navy-blue accents and white kitchen cabinets and appliances.
Kitchen Cabinet With Washer and Dryer
In the kitchen, a tall cabinet cleverly hides the stacked washer and dryer. A pretty basket on top leaps out at the eye against the dark blue wall.
Blue Sofa With Yellow Throw
Zippy stripes and a fresh color palette of yellow, blue and gray give instant style to the navy blue sofa. Behind the sofa, a barn-style sliding door can be closed to give privacy to the bedroom.
Gray Small Bedroom With Yellow Flowers
A wee bedroom is closed off from the rest of the apartment by a reclaimed wood sliding door. Inside the room, gray walls look smart with fresh white trim and pops of blue and yellow.
Sliding Barn Door
To maximize every inch of the 600-square foot garage apartment, designers installed this custom-built folding barn door. It can slide over to enclose the bedroom or fold up to create a open plan flow across the space.
Nightstand With Stacked Books
A stack of books gives a lift to a low nightstand. The bedroom's gray walls are a blank canvas for layers of patterned pillows.
Gray and Blue Apartment Living Area With Barn Door Partition
This studio apartment, in a relaxing palette of pale gray and dark blue, features a barn door partition that can separate the sleeping and seating areas.
Gray and Blue Apartment Living Area With Barn Door Partition
A rustic barn door partition closes off the sleeping are of this studio apartment and provides a striking contrast to the navy-blue midcentury-modern sofa.
Midcentury Blue Sofa With Round Gray Pillow
Gray and yellow accent pillows give this navy blue sofa some pop and personality. A tiny houseplant lets nature be part of the picture, too.
Midcentury Blue Armchair and Side Table
The look inside mixes midcentury modern furnishings with cheerful colors, patterns and accents. The friendly vibe perfectly suits the Nashville home's southern roots.
Blue and Gray Pet-Bathing Station
Even the furriest family member can be pampered in this cleverly adapted garage pet-bathing area, with its stylish aqua-and-gray color palette.
Outdoor Sitting Area With Two Chairs
A small strip of space between the garage and the main house becomes a sweet, tucked-away outdoor sitting area with two chairs and colorful planters.
