Before and After: Idina Menzel Transforms an Unfinished Garage into a Sleek, Muraled Office and Hangout Space
Idina Menzel’s friend James helped influence her son’s life through basketball, so when it came time to give back, she knew exactly what she wanted to do to help. In the latest episode of HGTV’s “Celebrity IOU,” Idina teamed up with Drew and Jonathan Scott to turn James’ detached garage into a sleek, league-worthy office. She wanted to give James a space that could function as both a meeting room with his players and a place where he could relax.
The garage began as a dark, cavernous space with concrete flooring and unfinished walls. It was being used as a storage space, so it contained a few bins in need of removal. Idina requested that they add windows to the room so that James and the players could see the small outdoor court. She liked the vaulted ceilings and asked that they keep them (while also removing the dated rafters and installing a necessary support beam). The trio also decided that a bathroom and kitchen area would be necessary so that the players could have everything they needed without having to go inside of the house.
With a timeline of less than a month, Idina and the Scott brothers got to work. They kicked off the renovation by clearing out the storage bins and getting rid of some of the shelves that lined the unfinished walls. Once they had a blank slate, they did utility work and made the necessary structural adjustments to ensure that the space was as safe as possible. They added a rebar cage to the concrete flooring and later installed luxury vinyl hardwood flooring in an effort to combine style and durability. “The garage floor was not suitable for a living space, so bringing it up to code makes it safe for the droves of basketball players that will surely come through these doors,” Jonathan said.
While Drew went with contrasting black and white stone in the bathroom, Idina requested some warmth in the main space. She wanted “a modern but not cold” vibe for the garage, so she picked out a slab-style stone for the kitchenette counter and backsplash. The group also installed a hidden induction cooktop for mealtime. They added complementary black and light-toned furniture to match the floors and countertops. They also picked out a 60-inch flatscreen TV so that James and his players could watch practice footage and game tape.
Drew and Jonathan’s team stuccoed the old garage door space so that it just looked like a regular wall, and then the group put up drywall throughout the garage. They also added windows and french doors, which helped bring natural light into the space. The space was transformed by a monochromatic mural that spanned across two walls. The mural provided each wall with a stylish basketball half-court painting.
Jonathan told James that “the whole idea was to try and find a way to depict how important basketball is in your life, but also make it something that ties into the aesthetic of the space and elevates everything.”
“Celebrity IOU” airs Mondays at 9 p.m. ET/PT on HGTV and discovery+.