In each home we have owned, we have worked hard to put our personal stamp on the home. This has been done within reason, of course, with potential buyers in mind if we needed to move. I also do this because I spend most of my time in our home so I want to be inspired and motivated by every room! Probably one of my favorite rooms to decorate is the laundry room. Sounds odd, but when it comes to chores, I need the motivation. My laundry room needed to be refreshing and a place I want to keep clean and orderly. I wanted to enjoy doing laundry. A laundry room renovation in our new home was a must!
Laundry Room Renovation – The before….
The before was rough! The paint was a muted green with a wallpaper border of clothes hanging from a clothesline. There were beat up cabinets mounted above the washer and dryer. The doors were falling off and one cabinet had experienced a small fire inside and was charred. For a space, this small the cabinets were too large. The other problem with the cabinets is they weren’t functional for me. I’m 5’1, so reaching over a washer and dryer, up to a cabinet is a joke.
Laundry Room Renovation – The Change….
The first thing to go was the cabinets. We re-used them in the garage where my husband didn’t mind having a blackened shelf. Once they were gone, this opened the room up. Yes, I lost storage, but it wasn’t usable for me since I would need to retrieve a ladder anytime I wanted to get something out of it. Next, came wallpaper removal. Ugh. It was tedious. It always is. I’m not patient with reno’s so I skip the diluting step of vinegar and just go for straight vinegar to remove wallpaper, hoping it would go faster. The house did carry a strong vinegar smell, though!
For paint, I went for refreshing and relaxing. When it comes to painting a room in our home, here’s the typical (…always) conversation between me and my husband. It happens while he’s at work. He’s a good man.
Me: So when were you thinking of painting this room?
Him: Haven’t thought about it. Maybe in a couple of weeks?
Me: hmmm. Well, I’ve already started and since I can’t reach the top half, I need you to finish tonight.
Him: Fine.
Laundry Room Renovation – The Completed look….
I wanted to combine soft and industrial in the room. I opted for a wooden shelf with metal brackets for storage. We attached 2 crates to the wall. They serve no purpose other than a cool factor. For my ironing board, I bought 2 dark metal, massive knobs to hang the board from.
I’m not a scholarly laundry gal. I keep just the basic supplies in this room I need for laundry which is clothes detergent. I don’t sort, I don’t de-stain, I simply wash clothes. The simplicity with 3 little kids works for me. For my detergent, I found a beautiful glass jar.
I am a firm believer that we should make the effort to beautify every room in our home. The laundry room seems to be overlooked in most homes which is unfortunate. Laundry is a necessary chore in everyone’s routine. Make this chore something you enjoy as much as possible by creating an environment you want to be in. It makes a big difference in how you look at laundry.
Audrey Whiteley, CSE®
works for Balance & Harmony 360², as a Certified Staging Expert in the HOME division. The home environment affects your health, productivity, and happiness. She works with individuals who need to freshen-up outdated décor, “show” a room’s potential or help homeowners create a lifestyle. Audrey makes the most of your surroundings whether you are staging for a quick sale, building a home, or want to elicit a more productive and peaceful setting in which to live.
Audrey Can Help Create:
- Ideas or Design Boards
- Room Layouts and Arrangements
- Organization Solutions
- Home Staging DIY Reports
- Pre-Move Prep Strategies and Moving Plans
- Purchasing and Hands-On Staging
- Project Management from Start to Finish
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