Elbow Vroom

Completed family room, which no one would guess had been a garage, has plenty of room for house guests. (PERRY C. RIDDLE / Los Angeles Times)

Oct. 1, 2001 12:46 PM PT

A garage is transformed into a family room by a Whittier couple who realized their retirement home was too small.

Eugene and Barbara Noller relied on years of remodeling experience. (PERRY C. RIDDLE / Los Angeles Times)

The old garage, left, was given a face lift when it became a family room. (PERRY C. RIDDLE / Los Angeles Times)

A door and window in place of garage door

A door and window now occupy the wall where the garage door once stood. (PERRY C. RIDDLE / Los Angeles Times)

Transformation of garage into a family room.

Wood floors, French doors, sheer swag curtains and custom bookshelves completed the transformation of Barbara and Eugene Noller’s garage into a family room. (PERRY C. RIDDLE / Los Angeles Times )