If you've ever wanted to host a black-tie function in a garage, let this serve as inspiration: a couple in San Juan Capistrano, Calif., spent $2M building a Renaissance-style ballroom that happens to live most of its days as an eight-car garage. Once featured on the HGTV show Million Dollar Rooms (but not outshined by any of the show's over-the-top garages since), the space features barn-style hydraulic doors that open to a 35-foot mural (hand-painted by a team of 12) and the largest mosaic ever to be installed in a private home: the floor, which consists of Chinese marble tiles that took two years to assemble in place. "I think the first time we brought cars in here, we both held our breath," says former owner Shelley Brose, who also called the garage "a tad bit decadent, I agree, but it's very useful." As a ballroom it hosted Brose's son's 500-person wedding; guests certainly enjoyed the white, hand-carved Carrara-marble screen designed to obscure views of the urinal in the men's bathroom. Now if you're thinking this glorified car storage is part of some $50M estate, think again: Villa Rosa Rugosa was first listed for $15M but just sold in February for $4.7M. Below, take a tour.
The Video:
· High Renaissance Garage [HGTV]