This garage apartment went from bare subfloor and pale yellow walls to a bright, fully furnished studio ready for long-term guests. I painted the entire space myself — including the vaulted ceilings — with my newborn napping safely nearby. The palette was chosen specifically to maximize natural light and keep the space warm through Portland's darkest winters, with the original 30-foot ceiling beam preserved as a feature. The before and after are genuinely startling — a reminder that the right color and light can transform a space more than a full renovation budget ever could.