We have plenty of driveway parking room for our two cars and our block is wide open in terms of parking for guests. I know several areas in LA this is an issue but not by us. We have never parked in our garage and in fact park daily in front of the driveway gate and use the car port behind it facing the garage as a basketball court. And you can't see our garage from the street so aesthetics for curb appeal in terms of it looking like a garage aren't really an issue either. I just want a durable option for the doorway to get into the renovated space. It functions as a play space/storage/laundry area already. But once our garage door broke, we thought why not spruce it up and put up drywall to make it a nicer space.

^In both plans immedialy above, you could change the swing on the front door so you have a better view at the entry. You could also put up a small wall, half or full, to get that foyer entry. Something interesting.

I know this is an older post but I am completing a garage conversion so I thought maybe I could help and hop off what others have mentioned. #1 DO YOUR RESEARCH!! Our garage conversion has taken over a year because of zoning and permit nightmares. As someone else has mentioned this is not an easy transition and not only is it costly up front, if you are thinking of selling within the next 10-15 years you may be better off relocating instead of renovating.....also for sanity purposes! If you are eliminating a garage it's a good idea to think about how you will replace it. We built a 32x24 pole barn in the corner of our back yard and are putting in a driveway next year. However, you have to look at the blue print of your lot and zoning. For example, we have a decent size corner lot but we still have to abide by the 60/40 rule for greenscape: we cannot build on more than 40% of our "greenscape" on our lot. In addition, the structure had to be so far behind the house so when any of our neighbors stood on their front porch they wouldn't be able to see it. Because split levels are laid out so awkwardly and we have 4 kids and another on the way we decided to make our oversize 2 car garage a kitchen, living room, and dining room so all the bedrooms are upstairs and living space is downstairs. When it comes to the entryway it seems silly to get rid of the driveway since the main entrance is still in the front. You don't want to give up off street parking. Even if you build a garage in the back and have a sidewalk leading to the front door think about walking groceries all that way....that's what a buyer would think: too confusing. I agree with what others have mentioned about the windows. You want to create a seamless look in the front so definitely try to keep the same style windows. Adding some flower boxes along the front or some sort of retainer wall that matches the current style leading to the door could work just be sure there's room for proper grading so you don't end up with water or rot around the base of your new structure. The floor inside will have to be leveled and a new footer installed for that same purpose but best not to add any unnecessary obstacles. If I were you I would consider hiring an architect to go over what you're thinking in terms of design inside and out. It's worth the extra couple hundred dollars to pay someone with experience and knowledge of zoning for your area to lay it out for you. Best of luck!!!!!

@EastCoast Designz I assume the kitchen is for breakfast/snack/beverage use, since you and your guests will have lunch and supper at your main home or restaurants. I wouldn't bother with a built-in. You need a sink but not a dishwasher. You need a microwave and quiet refrigerator. But you don't need an oven or stovetop. A toaster oven and plug-in induction cooker will do. I'd keep things separate and replaceable as they fail, not one big unit where if something fails, you have to replace it all.  I like the idea of two toilets if that's possible, especially if there will be a family, but families survived a long time with only one. Cabinets are ok, but this is one time you can go with shelving for just a few pieces of  pretty dishware, so nobody has to guess where things are. You could even set up a bar-like kitchen and get the ol' island in there if you want. But you can do with a simple setup. I do like a freezer for ice cream when I'm at the beach … Or a trip to the ice cream parlor. A washer dryer is nice. A heated stone floor would be a great flooring choice to deal with sand, have cheap air conditioning, and still have a warm floor when needed. An outdoor rinse off spot with a tub for feet soaking would be great. Shoe storage just inside the door might help keep sand from spreading. Nice shoe storage is something to get more ideas on from HOUZZers.  I don't know what your beach routine is, but ours includes naps. When we go on vacation it takes time for the adrenaline of work to wear off, and it happens at different times for the two of us, so one naps in the bedroom and the other naps on a sofa or loveseat. I vote for a pair of loveseats or sofas over a sectional or chairs. At least consider it. We also nap on the beach. 😁 Early morning is key for our enjoyment too. I like to get up early and have an iced mocha while I sit outside and let my brain sort through and clean up all the clutter of my regular life. I'd like a covered patio with a view and some protection from sun and rain. Somewhere I don't have to worry about being seen in my jammies with my morning face. Expanding this space could be a real bonus for a vacation spot. If it's covered, have ceiling fans to make sure there's always a breeze. There could even be room for a table and multiple chairs. Or just chairs with side tables. A storage wall for them would be good if they are lightweight and could blow in a storm.  I like your color pallet, light with blue and blue-greens in a sophisticated way, not a typical beachy way maybe a darker teal for the bedroom walls to induce napping. And mixed with wood so it doesn't look sterile. But I think wood furniture and cabinets instead of wood floors. I like pine because pine trees are common on beaches. Again, I like real stone floors for natural cooling, resistance to sand, easier to seal than porcelain and nicer to the feel with bare feet, especially with radiant heating under it for colder months or just mornings and nights.  For a bathroom, we like the vanities to be separate from the toilet room. Our favorite beach hotel has a small bathroom plus a vanity and sink just beyond that. If you don't have room for that, have a mirror at the kitchen sink... Like a bar but could double as a makeup or shaving spot. My grandparents' kitchen had a shaving mirror at the sink.  Here are some good ideas for beach vacation homes. You probably know them all, but there was one or two I hadn't considered. https://www.xpressmats.com/how-to-keep-sand-out https://www.merrymaids.com/cleaning-tips/seasonal-cleaning/cleaning-sand-from-your-house/