Extreme Studio Makeover - Garage Edition - The Results

How to make a small photography studio in your garage

In a previous post I stated that I wanted to add more shooting space to my studio. I wanted to create an area that could be easily changed or re-designed for photo shoots. So I cleared out some space and went to work making a photography studio set in my garage. Here is a look at how I did it.

First off, I have been planning on building this set for months. Almost all of the items were purchased from Las Vegas thrift stores. It took numerous visits to many stores until I could find exactly what I was looking for. 
This is the corner of my garage that I will be building my photography set in. The area was used to store my trash and recycle cans, but that will soon change. 

After moving those items in the corner, I  sprayed the drywall with water to remove any dust on it and then sweep the floor throughly. Once the walls dried, I applied a spray on texture to the back wall to give it some definition. Next, I applied primer to the walls and the concrete garage foundation. 

Once the primer dried I began to paint the walls. I wanted different colored walls, so I painted the back wall gumball red and the right wall espresso brown. Yummy.

 Everything was going great until I accidentally kicked over the red paint bucket. Most of the paint spilled out, but I quickly grabbed a dustpan and scooped the majority of the paint up and poured it back in the bucket. Voilà! Good as new. 

After the paint on the walls dried, I laid down the laminate flooring. This was a major pain in the ass and it took me forever to complete. Every time I would get one piece of flooring to lock together, another piece would come apart. Unghhh!

There are two copper pipes sticking out of the wall on the right. What are they are for? I have no idea, but I do know they would not look attractive in a photograph. I painted both pipes brown in an attempt to hide them, but they were still an eyesore. Next, I crafted a makeshift curtain rod out of some steel rope and hung drapes on it to finally cover the pipes completely. Problem solved.
Just a few days ago I purchased a coffee table and a hanging ceiling lamp from a thrift store. These were the final pieces I needed to complete my set. The coffee table was almost the same color as the flooring, so I stained it a darker color. The lamp was exactly what I was looking for and worked out perfectly. It is hung from a hook in the ceiling and plugs into the power outlet thats hidden behind the drapes. 
Finally, I moved the furniture in. The only item purchased new in this set is the paint on the walls. Everything else was purchased at thrift stores or from hotel liquidation. The most expensive item is the $28 mirror that was purchased last year from the Sahara Hotel and Casino shortly after it closed. 

Here is the "After" shot of my extreme garage studio makeover. I absolutely love how it turned out. This set will make a great addition to my studio for many photo shoots, including vintage glamour and boudoir. It can have many looks by easily swapping out an item or two. Best of all, it doesn't take up a lot of space, and was furnished and made using very little money.