Are you looking to throw a party, but need extra space or prefer to keep your guests outside as much as possible? One fun way to do this is to transform your garage into a fun event space for your next party.
By following the simple tips below, you can create elegant backdrops that will cover unsightly items like tools and shelves. Yes, you can turn your garage into an elegant party room so you and your guests can have an amazing garage party.
Why use a garage as a party space?
My wife and I typically host parties inside our house or out on the deck or patio. But on a few occasions, we have transformed our garage into an overflow party space.
Here are some great garage party ideas:
Birthday parties
The first time we used our garage for a party space was when my daughter turned two years old. Having a house full of small children all jacked up on sugar and juice was terrifying. With all the kids and excitement, it seemed likely a juice spill or some other disaster would happen.
So, instead of messy floors and potentially stained carpets, we decided to take the party to the garage. By simply sweeping the garage floor, adding a cover to the walls, and hanging some balloons and decorations, we were able to keep the inside of the house clean.
And the kids loved it!
For the adults, we set up tables and chairs, added some tablecloths, and strung some lights. In the driveway, we fired up the grill and set up a food and beverage table.
Everything was super-easy to clean up.
Graduation parties
When my daughter was older, we hosted her graduation party. We had intended to host the event at a local event facility, but we waited too long and we could not find any spaces left within our budget.
Instead, we invited family and friends and planned to have the party outdoors. But mother nature had other plans with light to moderate rain, so rather than reschedule, we adjusted. We brought the party indoors. Since we had more guests than space, we transformed the garage into a place where people could sit and eat.
We borrowed a few portable tent canopies and once again, covered our walls, blew up some balloons, and added decorations. We hung our backdrop using heavy black sheets that we were able to find on Amazon.
Finally, we borrowed some additional tables and chairs, added some matching table cloths and table decorations, and finished it off by stringing some white LED Christmas lights. It was not only festive, but it was also a huge success!
Fantasy football draft night
The last time I held a garage party, it was my turn to host our Fantasy Football league draft night.
Once again, I used the same black sheets, covered the walls, tuned the garage television to ESPN, and set up the draft board. After stocking the garage fridge, setting up some folding tables and chairs, the party was on.
Garage sales
Want to set up for a garage sale, yet hide the items in your garage that are not for sale? The wall covering solutions below quickly covers your walls and gives you added privacy whenever you need them.
How to hang (or drape) your garage
Hanging a sheet or drape can be a great way to hide the clutter in your garage. When done correctly, the garage will be more appealing to look at.
Most of us have garages that are functional. We use them to park cars and store things in cabinets, or on shelving. Sporting goods equipment, bikes, toys, and tools also add to the clutter. Choosing a nice backdrop will hide clutter from your guests.
When it comes to hanging a cloth backdrop, sheet, curtain, or drapes, the first thing you want to do is decide if you want a permanent or fixed solution that you can reuse or one that serves a one-time purpose.
Pro tip: If you want a classic look, try using a backdrop with black, white, or solid colors. This will give an elegant look, especially if you add some accent light behind the backdrop.
Permanent DIY garage covering solution
If you have available space in your garage, you can create a permanent steel rod framing solution that will let you use any form of backdrop for any party you want, whenever you need it.
Install this system once, and you can transform your garage into an event space whenever you need to, cover your walls in just a few minutes. You can use steel pipe, photography stands that use backdrops, or even PVC pipe. Just make sure your backdrop frame is strong enough to hold the coverings, and large enough to cover the walls of your garage.
The following video is an easy DIY solution that uses steel pipes and fittings to create a curtain rod system that you can hang drapes or curtains from. This requires a lot more work than temporary solutions, but if you have the space, this can be reused over and over again.
In the following video, they use clean, brand new drop cloths. Using light canvas painting drop cloths can great long-term solution due to their durability and ability to clean.
Temporary DIY garage covering solution
If you want a temporary solution, you can use a photography backdrop stands and purchase some clips to attach cotton sheets to the stand. I have an unfinished part of my basement and I use this same approach or hide storage items from view of my finished basement rec room.
Photography backdrops stands are fairly cheap and readily available, and you can get 8′ x 10′ sections for well under $100 good enough for lightweight applications.
If you use sheets, make sure you use heavy-duty ones as some sheets can show through under the lights.
Want to see just how different a garage can look after you decorate it? In the following video, they did a complete garage makeover for a wedding. It looks incredible!
How to make your garage wall coverings look amazing
Adding these finishing touches will make your garage party and walls look professional.
Use an iron or clothes steamer to remove wrinkles
When removing your drapes or sheets from the packaging, or if they have been folded for a long time, you will want to iron them or use a clothes steamer to remove all the creases in the fabric before you hang your backdrop. If you skip this step, your backdrop will show them when you hang them, especially under lights.
A few extra minutes with your iron or steamer will give you a wrinkle-free, professional look.
Add accent lighting
In the video above, the event organizer added accent lighting behind and around the drapings. This created a subtle backdrop and more visual appeal as well as softened the lighting in the garage.
This subtle lighting effect creates an intimate feeling that adds to the ambiance of your garage party. And you don’t need expensive lighting systems. You can use cheap lights as they will be hidden behind the curtain.
Be sure to use LED lights to avoid creating a fire hazard. LED lights stay cool and are safe to use. Never let your backdrop touch your lights.
Use matching tablecloths
Using tablecloths that match your backdrop (or has a complementary color) will create a setting where the tables appear as part of the overall decoration design.
Don’t forget the floors!
It is easy to focus so much on the wall coverings, that you forget about your garage floor. If your floor is clean or you have applied paint or epoxy to your floors, they may be fine.
If your floors are stained or dirty, you can put down a temporary rolling floor cover, or even indoor/outdoor carpet. Just make sure to tape down any edges.
