Laundry Room Makeover

Hate is a strong word, I know. And it’s not all of the laundry that I hate. I don’t mind separating, loading, even moving from washer to dryer.

Ugh… but that folding thing is just NOT the business. SO not sorry for hating that.

But… I just might hate laundry a little less after this {not so} little laundry room makeover!

I’ve been ordering wallpaper samples for our laundry room makeover for months & got the chance to try some from Photowall earlier this year. The paper is ah-MAZ-ing!! But the jury was still out on making it work as an accent.

Turns out we didn’t need to. We just made it the star of the room! And what a difference it has made!

Here’s a look at where we started…

And then my beautifully generous mom gifted us a freezer that I initially thought would be most convenient in here because it’s close to the kitchen. BIG mistake! It has since found it’s place in another part of the house.

1. The layout… because plumbing! And this was not meant to be a huge overhaul type project with a big budget.
2. Storage. The upper shelf, space for baskets, & frequently used items at least. This IS a laundry room & storage is a must.
3. Washer & Dryer. We bought a new washer 2 years ago. The dryer was still in great condition so we were not planning to replace it. So yes we have mismatched appliances but it never really bothered us. All we did was to upgrade the dryer vent duct to this more durable & flexible option with an adjustable elbow.
   • This allowed me to maximize space by pushing the dryer as close to the back wall as possible without smashing or bending the duct. Much more efficient than the rigid aluminum options
   • We didn’t worry about the difference in the height of the machines. At first I thought it would drive me crazy to see that, but ultimately I’m so focused on everything else that I don’t even notice!

So… no more stalling & talking about it. Here’s what our new & improved laundry room looks like now!

There are no windows in here so even when it was builder beige it seemed dark & depressing. Now that the walls are actually dark, it somehow seems much more alive & vibrant in here. Here’s a side by side comparison:

Normally I am a very organized person but I think that just the fact that I don’t like laundry AND didn’t like this space, I didn’t even try to keep it looking nice. Just close the door and it’ll all go away!

Lately I’ve been keeping the door wide open with the lamp on!

We also ditched that wall cabinet because, even though it seems like a great storage idea, it just wasn’t working for us. We kept a lot of random things in there that had nothing to do with laundry. It just wasn’t convenient to reach into a cabinet every time we needed detergent or something.

Not to mention the fact that Mr. Green & I have hit our heads 1 too many times. So instead… a little place to sit & hide I mean hang out.

As for storage… I say keep it simple. I used the same technique I do in our kitchen & bathrooms. Daily most used items within reach – they are on the lower shelf – with refills & less used items in bins on the upper shelf.

Here’s a side by side comparison of the storage update:

I don’t mind having these things out on “display” – this IS a laundry room after all. And since it just happens out that I make my own detergents – or buy eco-friendly items with nice small packaging – I think they add a little deco touch.

One thing I don’t want on display (other than cords) is the trash can.

We need it for dryer lint but I don’t want to see it! So it sits neatly between the edge of the washer & the back wall.

Or cleaning stuff!

The only thing I used to dislike more than laundry is mopping floors. That’s probably gonna be #1 now!

While we’re looking behind closed doors… see those “feathers”? I let my 11 yo son hand draw them because I refused to hang wallpaper where it would rarely be seen.

Soooo Sharpie metallic pens & 11 yo creativity to the rescue! He had a ball!

The shelf is a 1×8 cut to fit between the washer & the wall. The shelf is the perfect size for keeping just what we need on hand – no room for clutter – & a cute little textured lamp. And our baskets fit neatly underneath.

I painted the matte gold along with all the other fixtures – the hanging rod & shelf brackets – to go with the gold leaves & lamp base.

And speaking of the lamp… I mentioned that I’d been ordering wallpaper samples for this laundry room makeover months. Some of the samples that I loved but didn’t quite make the cut turned out to be perfect art for this room!

Framing those for the upper shelf fills the space & will keep us for cluttering it up. One of them even mimics the lamp pattern perfectly! These are all from Hygge & West. {Use my link for 15% off your purchase anytime.}

While we’re on the subject of lighting, we changed out the original florescent light soon after moving in 5 years ago. When we couldn’t find replacement bulbs for the new fixture, I decided I wanted a standard light in here.

When I started this makeover though I wanted to install something really unique. It had to be different, inexpensive, and something I’d actually like.

I had this pendant that I was going to use in another room but it was just sitting in the box… gathering dust… for no good reason. So I painted a pendant base that I already had the same matte gold accent color, and used the pendant for overhead lighting.

It’s really important to get lighting right for the room or space you’re using it in. Since we have no windows in here, I’m using a 5000K daylight LED bulb – NOT soft white – with 1400 lumens. It’s very bright but uses less energy.

Thanks to this laundry room makeover, one of the most utilitarian (and boring) rooms in our home ahs become one of my favorite! I just might find myself spending a little more time in here now. You know… doing laundry!

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