Space Invaders
Bar and Games Room Transformation
Episode 3 of Space Invaders received a tonne of positive feedback after it aired on Channel 9. Australia’s Renovation Queen, Cherie Barber did a fantastic job converting an unusable rumpus room and double garage for a family in need. The home was so overrun by sentimental clutter, it was barely used by husband Shayne and wife, Jo who is also battling a chronic medical condition. Their two teenage sons were embarrassed to invite friends over but once Cherie finished working her renovating magic, the resulting games room was a real hit for the family and viewers alike.
Home Bar Conversion
The Granite Transformations team were happy to help Cherie renovate the home bar area in the rumpus room. The original bar was not the best design for a residential home. The elevated bar top and poor layout cut this corner off from the rest of the room. You’ll see from the before photo that the space was also dark and gloomy and Cherie knew the perfect solution to brighten things up! The old bar and cabinets were demolished so a new open plan design could be installed in its place. The brief was to create a fun, modern pub-inspired room to be enjoyed by family & friends in a more open plan setting.
What a difference!
Florentine Stone
One of Cherie’s favourite additions to the room is the stunning bar top we created for her. It’s an L-shaped, stone benchtop with a curved edge. Cherie only had three days to complete this total renovation and as the cabinets had not been installed yet, she could only give us a guestimate of the exact measurements of the benchtop. It’s always better to have the cabinets installed first. This will allow accurate measurements before the benchtop is made. In the end, Cherie was thrilled when the benchtop fit perfectly on the day of installation.
Pro tip 
Have us provide the complete service of cabinets/doors and benchtop to reduce the risk of inaccuracies and time delays between trades.
Cherie chose the Florentine stone finish because it added that WOW factor to the room. Florentine has a coarse-grained finish speckled with walnut, rich chocolate brown, tan and grey.
Finishing Touches
To highlight the warmth of the stone benchtop, Cherie selected American Oak Wall Panels to create a feature wall behind the bar shelving. This was offset with brightly coloured cabinetry in green and grey to add some fun pops of colour.
The Renovating Process
Besides the bar, Cherie’s top priorities were to renovate; the carpet, wall colour, vertical blinds and dull lighting. Her two carpenters managed to complete the demolition in just 30 minutes.
The painters were the first on the scene, repainting the walls in Taubmans Struan Grey. Wynstan Veri Shades were then installed in a slightly darker shade called Eclipse Night.
Hybrid Floating Floorboards replaced the old and outdated carpet. This made the room appear larger and is a more practical solution for wet areas such as a bar. Beacon Lighting’s Loft 3 Light Pendant was installed above the Florentine stone benchtop. This mid-century design adds some fun to the modernised-retro interior as well as a touch of luxe.
What did this Renovation Cost?
The total cost to convert the rumpus room and double garage into two entertainment spaces and a workshop was $40,168.00. This amount included all the materials, labour, furniture & styling pieces at retail price. The labour portion of this amount was $8,456.00. Once the renovation was complete, the property value increased by $85,000, so the net profit was $44,832.00.
Happy Family
Besides the financial gain, we were over the moon to find out how happy the homeowners are now. Jo even phoned Cherie to tell her that she and her husband had been laying in bed, listening to their teenage sons and their friends partying in the new games room into the early hours of the morning. After Jo’s chronic health problems, they were happy that the family were enjoying good times again, all within their own home.
In case you missed the show, you can stream it on 9now. Be sure to catch us on upcoming Space Invaders episodes which airs Saturday nights at 7:30pm on Channel 9.
About the author
Anne-Marie
Anne-Marie is an exceptional Kitchen Design Specialist with an impressive 20 years of experience under her belt. She has dedicated her career to helping families transform their kitchens into beautiful and functional spaces that perfectly suit their needs. Anne-Marie is a true expert in her field, with an eye for detail and a passion for natural colours and textures that truly sets her apart.
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