Roman shades will fit any décor when renovating a garage into family space

When a family outgrows its home space, renovating a garage into an extra room may be the answer.

According to This Old House magazine, converting the garage into a family room takes the same planning as any renovation, but one difference is deciding how to fill the gaping hole left when the garage door is removed. New doors may be the only source of natural light into the new room, and will require window treatments that offer privacy, some filtered light and a stylish look, both inside and from the street.

Designer and builder Debra Kinner told the magazine she renovated a California family's garage into a media room by replacing the garage's overhead doors with carriage-style doors with several window panes in each door to let in natural light.

As a window treatment for the top half of the doors, roman shades provide an attractive look for passersby outside, but also fit any décor chosen by the homeowners for their new space. They also allow an ambient light to filter through, without compromising on privacy.

In her design, Kinner also built a removable wall in case the garage is needed again, and this divider also provides a narrow space for storage.