SPOILER ALERT – We got a TV for our garage.
I know. It’s completely obnoxious. Just call me Kanye from now on. I’m gonna start wearing fur from head to toe. I even bought a fur bra. A garage tv is completely over-the-top. And amazing. And ridiculous. And unpractical. And AWESOME. And I fist pump every day over the fact that I get to paint furniture while watching Pitch Perfect.
So the story goes like this….Jeremy was looking for a CrossFit clock…it’s nothing special – just a countdown clock…and I was all on board the buy-a-clock train until he told me how much a decent one cost….ONE HUNDRED FIFTY DOLLARS. for. a. clock.
I about fell out. And I was like um…isn’t there an app for that?
Jeremy was cool with the fact that it was definitely an extra that only he could use and I appreciated that he conceded so quickly. He started researching mounts for our iPad and suggested that I could even do some of my favorite sWorkIt workouts on the iPad too. That’s kinda when we started talking….wouldn’t it be amazing to have a bigger iPad….something big enough to see if you were five, ten, even fifteen feet away. So that my practicing of acro-yoga moves would be a little less dangerous to our device.
That is where the little nugget of an idea was born….what if we bought a cheapo big screen tv and mounted it with a Roku stick to stream our apps (like Jeremy’s countdown clock) and were able to get my workouts and even educational shows for the boys (aka cartoons). I told him if he could find one for under $200….I would SO be on board. Jeremy did his research and we scored this that fit all the criteria!
We had an old mount that we used to attach it to the wall directly above the hardware station in our garage.
At first we were just going to have it hanging there and run the cord down the center of the wall….
But then we saw John & Sherry’s post about hiding cords for their play room tv and I was like hey JER!
We already had an outlet at the bottom so Jeremy simply cut a hole behind the tv mount and another hole near the outlet.
I believe he used a two inch hole saw for that. Then he removed a whole sleeve of insulation and snaked the cord down from the tv to the bottom hole. Most tv’s have cords that detach but ours didn’t so he had quite the mission of holding the tv and getting the cord to go through the hole.
Then he simply hung the tv and bada boom bada bing….just call HeMan because dude is master of the universe.
See our sweet set up?
Even Tom Cruise agrees that this kicks A.
Is it weird that we are all obsessed with it? I mean…it’s like the world’s cheapest tv but the novelty of having it in the garage has made it the funnest thing ever. In fact, Will and his buddy Nicky ASKED to watch a movie in there….no air conditioning…no comfy seating….just a concrete floor to sprawl all over. It’s hilarious.
Okay so now that you know the biggest way we pimped out the garage to make it amazing in a ridiculous way….here are some of the other finishing touches that made this space just a smidge more awesome.
We bought blinds.
Jeremy and I fought over this HARD but in the end, Jeremy really felt the way to go was to replace the cheap cream colored blinds with these faux wood blinds. We didn’t remove the original brackets so everything just slid into place. It was the fastest blind installation on the planet….because yes, blinds are one of those tasks that seems like it takes forever.
We also ordered some of these anti-fatigue floor mats for my achey legs. Filming one video takes FRO-EVOH. (yes, I may have fro-yo on the brain). And these ones are ridiculously affordable and can be puzzle-pieced together to make one giant mat.
We used two to make this big cushy mat for behind the main table and all the sawdust blows right off.
We also dug this clock out of our stash. We originally had it for our friend’s deck remodel but didn’t end up using it. So it had sat in storage waiting for a forever home. I didn’t love the rustic silver look for in this space so I sprayed it black.
Doesn’t it look striking?
And one of the best deals I got were two of these metal stools. FROM KROGER. That’s a grocery store in our area and these puppies were marked down from $40 to $20 each. It’s a running joke in our family that you can send me into practically any store and I will come back out carrying a chair I just bought. #gottabeprepared And this was no different….I was running in post-baseball-practice for apple juice and wipes and I came back out with a buggy full of groceries for a week and two bar stools 🙂
So aren’t the finishing touches just the most fun ever? I love how this space is shifting from oh-so-nice to whoa-thats-mindblowing-for-a-garage. And why the heck not, right?! I mean….some people have crazy awesome closets with those fancy wood hangers and some have expensive appliances that have touch pads on the fridge front….us? Our nicest room is our garage workshop workout space and I couldn’t be more proud 🙂
Next is the reveal so stay tuned!!!
Everything looks so awesome! The TV is a great idea. I like the masculine look of the clock, too, but my older eyes would have a hard time reading the time on that clock, being all black. You might consider painting the hands a bright yellow to match the Ryobi tools!
Oh that’s a fun idea!
xo – kb
That TV will be useful for so much. Your blog logo as a screensaver, before pictures of a current project, step by step instructions…
How fun! The finishing touches really make the space! I will say though, you guys need to add an in-wall cord kit for that TV power cord (as seen in the Petersik’s tutorial).
http://gizmodo.com/5297352/your-wall-mounted-hdtv-probably-violates-electrical-codes
Isn’t it against code to put a power cord through the wall?
I came here from YHL about two years ago, and have checked in daily since YHL closed/slowed. But, you’re losing me…. so many of the past posts are now just you buying/getting stuff. I know others have already commented and your response has been to go find another blog, but thought I should be at least honest that I miss the old BP.
Everything looks great!
However, a word of caution. It is against code to run power cables in the wall if they are not wall-rated. Most power cords that come with electronics are not rated for that. If you have a fire, your insurance could be voided for that violation.
They make many kits that do what you are looking for in a safe way. Or you can do it yourself with a couple of recessed outlets (one male one female), some ROMEX cable, and a male/female extension cord!
There are plenty of tutorials online!
Its always best to be safe 🙂
I AM SO FULL OF ENVY! Ha! We have a one stall, CRAPOLA garage and I have been BEGGING my bf to just let me paint or prime the walls white so its less depressing. Maybe this summer….Just maybe he will crack. But for real, I’ve added potential for a dope garage to our list of house must haves when we move 😛
This reminds me of the TV my grandpa had in the garage – although it was a bunny-ears-1980s model (that probably still cost more than $200!). He would putter around out there and watch sports. Having a garage TV is common in the Midwest.
I was painting my daughter’s old dresser last night in my very garage-looking garage thinking about how nice it would be to do the same project in your glam-garage! I think my garage needs to move up on my project list for sure!
I might’ve missed this earlier…but is there a spot for a mini-fridge? Because, seriously…long DIY projects + working out + a flat screen tv = you need a mini fridge.
Cheap-o TVs are the best. We got one with a DVD player attached and seriously, its been the best thing for my business, mostly for the “educational” shows (Paw Patrol) to keep my 2 sweet nuggets out of my hair. Good on ya!! And Im so jealous of the garage/shop!! Mine pales in comparison!!
I think that’s a great idea. I’m not ‘old’ but still found it a bit difficult to see the hands. Cool garage by the way.
I know! I even said to Jeremy that the only thing this bad boy is missing is a recliner and a cooler 🙂 ha!
xo – kb
Oh really!? That’s fun!
xo – kb
Those are all so helpful! I will have to remember that!
xo – kb
Yes we do! I agree!
xo – kb
Yup. This is old school and totally against code….so don’t do it at home people! There is a kit that has a pipe for your cord to go through and you can get it fairly cheap.
xo – kb
We already ordered the kit…just need to receive and install!
xo – kb
I’m sorry you feel that way AJ…but I do want to remind everyone that I haven’t changed anything…we still do the same projects, the same way that we would have before…we just try to pay less out of pocket. It’s our way of saving. We pitch these companies…we want their products…and we love using them…and we talk about them the same as we would if we would have bought them. The fact is….we take great pride in the fact that we get to work with major brands on big projects. That is a badge of honor that I wear proudly!
xo – kb
Yes! I hope you do – it’s been a game changer for me! I got more done this past week than in a whole month!
xo – kb
Garage looks great! Can you share some of your favorite work out apps, tips and tricks.
Your garage makeover is turning into something us little folk only dream about. I still can’t get over the floors. they are beautiful. But I have to echo some comments about the tone of the blog these days. I feel like its all about, hey look at us. All the trips we take to what we can get for free (even if its a business deal). I would challenge you to do something meaningful, helpful and thoughtful. Give the take take a rest and do something to make a positive change. Try a little more balance.
Sorry if this is mean, maybe its the lack of sleep, too early, no caffeine yet or just our streak of bad luck lately. I have felt this way for a while. Blogs are a business now and about what can we push on someone. Kinda miss the DIY and creativeness.
My husband and I are starting a garage cleaning out project. Just looking at all the possibilities in your garage is motivating me! We don’t own a lot of tools and we belong to a gym, so our needs are different. I just love how clean, organized and “pretty” your space is.
I don’t usually look at the comments on your blog posts, but the last two days I did look, I saw comments like this one. I totally disagree. You’ve put a lot of hard work into your blog and deserve to get paid for your efforts. I personally have no problem when you get big discounts or free items. Even if I can’t afford something you picture or it doesn’t apply to me, I still get great ideas from your design. People are free to not read a particular post or not use an affiliate link if they are not so inclined. I do appreciate that you are very upfront about all of that. Just like any job, you should be compensated for it. Kudos to you for finding something you love to do that meshes so well with raising your kids like you want to. I love your content- Keep up the great work!
Why do you need his permission?? Just do it.
I laughed so hard at this post because of your Kroger stools! I live in NC but my hubs and I were on a 10 day business trip in Macon (of all places!) in April when we hit up Kroger for groceries. (We used to live in Atlanta so we heart Kroger!) When we walked in the door and I screeched over the stools, he told me that I could find a metal chair or stool anywhere! We didn’t have room to lug any home (and, honestly, I have nowhere to put yet another pair of stools in our house), so I passed them up. But they look awesome in your garage!!! Loooovvvveeee!
I need to jump on that TV in the garage bandwagon!
Please update the blog post with this information and not just leave it in the comments section. Not everyone reads the comments section and some never research the right way to do things and take your DIYs (and any blog posts from any blogger) as this is the right way.
The TV was a no brainer! Good choice!
I totally understand. It’s a hard balance. We do have a big project in the works….HUGE…that is for a very deserving family and even though the items were donated, I hope it will be something people can get inspiration from. All of these things take time…from planning to actually doing to posting…some of these posts can take a year from start to finish…so please be patient with us as we tackle it all!
xo – kb
I’d love to be able to tackle someone’s garage that had needs like yours….we do have such a unique situation that most people don’t connect with it.
xo – kb
Thank you Heather! We both try really hard and sometimes it’s difficult to find that balance! I truly appreciate your support 🙂
xo – kb
Love the garage, we definitely need to update ours! The T.V. is awesome, great idea! Totally unrelated to this post, I have a blog post request could you do a post on dinner/lunch ideas that your boys will eat? I have a very picky 2yr. old boy who has decided he will “no try” everything ahhhh! Pregnant with number 2 and my brain doesn’t work anymore!! Love reading your blog and seeing your before and after projects!!!
Where did you get the tv for under $200??
haha! That’s everyday in our house. LJ’s favorite thing to do is chew something up and then spit it out saying “UGS-gusting!” (disgusting!haha!) but I have found that it’s super helpful to just keep trying. Even if they only take a little bit in, mixed with something they like, and eventually they will grow to love it. We often make it a game…or give them rewards…like an extra bit of butter (my kids love butter) or something similar 🙂
xo – kb
Best Buy. They price match even on their open box items and this was the last one they had in store so normally on sale for $220 for open box and they gave us 10% off for the last one!
xo – kb
First, I am a transfer from YHL for a few years now. I LURVE your blog and your adorable little family! I appreciate the blog posts you have been doing recently, because not everyone who reads is an avid DIY-er. I like to know where can I just go get one!
With that said, I would love to see a post about how to successfully connect an ipad to a TV. WIth Roku? What exactly is that and how?
Much Love – Kristi in bama. Roll Tide!
So a Roku stick is a streaming device…it basically just streams everything you have wireless to a tv…the tv just acts like a big wireless monitor. So you can connect your Netflix, your computer, youtube….almost everything to it.
xo – kb
That TV is totally a business expense and tax deductible in my opinion (do not take tax advice from me). I second the mini fridge; we have two in our house, one in the man cave and one near our office area. Love them.
A blog is a business and it doesn’t preclude Katie giving to charity.
Keep on keeping on!
As someone else requested..can you share your fave workouts? You always look amazing and I’ve always wondered what you do to bounce back after each baby. Please share!
That is so sweet and flattering. I will have to add that to the list!
xo – kb