Garage 101: His Needs vs. Her Needs
By erinloechnerYou've seen it before-- couples that can't agree on dinner menus, vacation spots, and of course, home decorating solutions. So when my husband and I came up with a base rendering for our garage/office conversion, we knew we'd be in for a rough thirty days. But, after many sleepless nights and even more Venti lattes, we're in good shape to let the games begin.
A quick breakdown:
His Needs:
A comfortable solution to host visiting clients and showcase his work (editing and producing TV/films). Wants plenty of storage, ample surface space and a customized sound-proofing solution.
Her Needs (this would be me):
Something pretty and CHEAP.
The Proposed Solution:
Wall-to-wall carpeting, sound-proof walls, interior paint and minimal carpentry. Garage sealant for existing doors. Upgrade finishes in upholstery for executive desk suite and extensive cabinetry to protect technological equipment. Multiple seating areas for maximum uses of room.
The Design:
Think retro bachelor pad meets agency atmosphere. Plenty of IKEA, a dash of Eames and a sprinkle of Herman Miller and DWR.
The Budget:
$2,000 TOTAL.
Can it be done?
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Chrisjob
You won't be able to "soundproof" your garage unless you spend tens (or hundreds) of thousands of dollars, and are willing to build an entire decoupled room within your garage. Instead, you should seek to build a room with pleasant acoustics-cut down on flutter echos and low-end rumble (important for film/video audio work), and minimize leakage to and from outside sources.
Of course, you can make a career out of studying this stuff, but these will get you started if you're serious:
http://www.ethanwiner.com/acoustics.html
http://www.johnlsayers.com/phpBB2/viewforum.php?f=3&sid=4c160dc0e7e2a52be7b2f0b10bf60104
You could also check out books/websites on home theatres, as they seek the same kind of acoustic properties that you guys are interested in.
Good luck!
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