🖼️
The project:
We decided our garage was a bit big and unused and we needed a guest/games room. So we built a wall and lined it with OSB board as a practical DIY alternative to gyprock. (We cant Gyprock, its messy and a real artform)
Then after seeing a recent Bunnings magazine feature, I was inspired to turn a plain white wall in our new guest and games room into something with more personality. Using Dulux Red Terra, Orange and Snapshot Blue, I painted a bold blood moon feature wall. To add warmth, texture and help soften the acoustics, I installed some DIY oak wall lining panels with Liquid Nails.
They paired beautifully with our new DIY Floor Select oak laminate flooring.
- Materials:
Items used in the project:
- Tools:
Tools used in the project:
- Step 1:
- Planned the room layout
We decided to divide part of the garage to create a more usable guest room and games room space. We drew up the lines on the floor, then used a DeWALT laser level to transfer the layout accurately onto the wall and ceiling. - Built the timber frame wall
A new internal wall frame was then built using 90 x 45mm structural pine framing timber, creating separation between the guest/games room and the garage/laundry side. Before cladding the wall with OSB board, we added R2.5 wall insulation batts to help reduce noise and temperature transfer from the laundry appliances and garage on the other side. Instead of gyprock, we used OSB board as a practical DIY wall lining option and painted it black on the Garage side so that it dispeared into the darkness. We also have Black washer, dryer and clothes styler so it works well.
- Step 2:
Step 2 — Laid the oak laminate flooring
We installed Floor Select oak laminate flooring to help tie the whole room together and match the oak wall panels we planned to add later. This was one of the most enjoyable parts of the project because the transformation was almost instant. Once the first few boards clicked into place, the room immediately started to feel less like a garage and more like a proper guest room and games space.
Pro Tip - I always keep an offcut of one of the boards to use for knocking the other boards together. Once clipped in there is no chance of damage to the clip profile and you can give it a good wack.
Laminate flooring is also a really satisfying DIY job because it is clean, fast and gives you a big visual result without needing specialist tools. We made sure to use underlay underneath the boards, which helped create a softer feel underfoot and reduced noise in the room. It also made the space feel warmer and more finished.
- Step 3:
Step 3 — Prepared and painted the feature wall
The plain white wall was cleaned, measured and taped up ready for painting. I used painter’s tape to mark out the design and protect the areas I wanted to keep clean.
The first stage was painting the main wall colour using Dulux Snap-Shot / Snapshot Blue paint, which gave the room a bold, dark backdrop. Once the blue base coat had dried, I carefully removed the tape and started working on the blood moon feature.
For the moon, I used Dulux Red Terra paint and Dulux Orange paint to build up the warm red, orange and burnt-earth tones. I also mixed in small amounts of leftover black and white paint I had around the house to adjust the shades and create more depth.
To get the textured, moon-like finish, I used a mix of paint brushes, sponge brushes and dabbing techniques rather than trying to make it too perfect. This helped create a layered, slightly rough surface that looked more natural and gave the wall a strong blood moon-inspired feature.
- Step 4:
Step 4 — Installed oak wall lining panels
On the second feature wall, we installed SpecRite oak wall lining panels using Selleys Liquid Nails Construction Adhesive. This was a simple but really effective way to add warmth, texture and a more finished feel to the guest/games room.
The panels were easy to work with and could be cut neatly using a circular saw. For the cleanest cut, we found it was best to cut the panels upside down using a fine-tooth blade, such as an ultra-finish circular saw blade, which helped reduce chipping on the finished face.
Once the panels were cut to size, we applied Liquid Nails to the back, positioned them carefully on the wall, and fixed them in place. This oak feature wall made a big difference to the room. It tied in beautifully with the laminate flooring, added warmth and texture, and helped soften the acoustics so the space felt more comfortable as both a guest room and games room.
- Step 5:
Step 5 — Finished the room styling
Once the feature walls and flooring were complete, the space felt much warmer, quieter and more comfortable as both a guest room and games room.
The SpecRite oak wall lining panels and blood moon mural became the hero features of the room, while the R2.5 SoundShield wall insulation batts helped turn a basic garage space into something much more comfortable. The insulation helped reduce noise and temperature transfer from the laundry appliances and garage side.
To finish the space, we added a sofa bed, making the room useful as both a casual games room and an extra guest room when needed. We also installed LED strip lighting above the wall panels to create a softer mood at night and highlight the texture of the oak feature wall.
Together with the Floor Select oak laminate flooring, these final touches helped the room feel less like a converted garage and more like a warm, finished living space.
- Step 6:
In Summary…
It was really satisfying to see the whole room come together, especially knowing we completed the DIY project ourselves without needing to bring in trades. The materials we chose were all very DIY-friendly, which made the project feel achievable and enjoyable rather than overwhelming.
We have already had guests stay in the room, and it was lovely to see how special they felt in the space. One even mentioned that it would make a great Airbnb-style room, which was a nice compliment after all the work that went into it.
I’m really happy with the final result. The room has become a real feature in the home — it is fun, bold and full of personality, but still feels warm, comfortable and somewhat classy. It no longer feels like part of a garage. It feels like a proper room with its own character.
Thanks to Bunning magazine for the Inspo…
