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Home Decorating

Vamp's Laundry Room (finished with pix)

13 years ago

Finally finished my Laundry Room. Sorry for the bad pictures, using my cell. I still need to arrange the goodies I have in the cabinets, but it is presentable and very functional. When I had the house built, I had the cabinets over the w/d and the sink put in. I recently had the cabinets on the opposite wall (above the chairs) built. I had 3 doors left over from my kitchen so used those and left one cubby open for dor.

Originally I was going to put a daybed in there (to house one more guest as needed, but I didnÂt feel like it would work for my bad back). I had 2 matching chairs and an ottoman from eons ago (in California from Whole Earth CatalogÂthat was a great store, but it is long gone). They were a perfect fit for the room, I can sit in the chair opposite the dryer and fold clothes and place them on the ottomanÂworks great for me. I bought a cool auto-open trashcan that sits behind the ottoman, between the chairs, very handy for lint disposal and such. There is space between the sink and wall, so I have a hamper hanger to help sort laundry. I used tan rag rugs for some texture. Mirror, towel holder, dispenser from Southern Living at Home.

The walls are a cream color and the trim and cabinets are white. I put up a colorful scalloped border, added some decorative boxes, and have word stencils for fun.

Uppercase Living

(since you canÂt see them in the pictures, here are the sayings)

Over Dryer "Lost Socks"

Over Washer "Just Be Yourself"

Over chair in front of dryer "Domestic Goddess At Work"

Over chair in front of washer "Got Soap"

Over window "The Laundryroom Get All The Good Dirt Here"

Over cabinet "Sorting Out Life One Load At A Time"

Over sink "Laundry Gathers Here"

Over door "Home Sweet Home"

Comments (15)

forhgtv
13 years ago
last modified: 9 years ago
It looks like you have made a comfortable, organized space for yourself with a back-saving solution for folding. Good idea!
sable_ca
13 years ago
last modified: 9 years ago
You have a very handsome and well thought-out LR, with nice cohesive decor. I have never seen easy chairs in an LR before. What a great idea! I'm totally in sympathy with your needing relief for your bad back. Been there and am still doing that.
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Hi memo, thanks you too for your thoughts. The tub is a giant thorn in our side. When we were working on the kitchen, we had to open the ceiling and discovered that the tub was literally being held in place with sticks pretty much. Someone had done some plumbing repairs at some point, and had not thought to stabilize the tub properly underneath. The tub was in danger of coming through the ceiling to the kitchen, a la "The Money Pit". My contractor did sister everything up, but we wouldn't get into that tub at this point if you paid us. We're terrified the weight of the water might still cause it to crash through the ceiling. So, it needs to be removed, along with the floor in it's entirely so we can have a good look at the whole floor underneath to correct whatever is happening under there. I have already had 2 contractors that I trust completely (one, a good friend who was the one that worked on my kitchen) tell me that all the concrete in that room has most likely taken it's toll over the years and removing all of it would help enormously. Did I mention my home is built of terracotta block? We even found historic encaustic cement tile under the old vinyl tile in the kitchen, set in a cement bed! We tried to hard to get that rehabbed to no avail, it was too badly ruined and it was going to cost me something like $5000 to remove it and set a new subfloor so, it's still under the new tile that got laid. Anyway - off track. The tub, has already been painted over several times. I have no idea what color it was originally even. I have had my architect (again, a friend, someone I used to work for) also tell me if at all possible try and keep it. That, and the wall tile, but the problem with the wall tile, but the problem with the wall tile is we will have to take down the walls to reuse it anyway to be able to set them correctly. In any event, I have not been able to find anyone anywhere near me that does this kind of work. It does not seem most contractors in my general area know much about being able to reuse existing vintage materials. And then there is the electrical problems that really need to be addressed as the lighting is so awful and becoming more useless as time passes. What kills me about all of this, is when I bought the home it didn't quite look so bad. I swear, as soon as I moved in tiles started falling off the falls immediately! It may have had something to do with the construction going on right underneath, the kitchen is there, perhaps all the banging just loosened everything enough to be that "last straw". I don't know. But I really thought I was going to be able to just come in, fix a few things and get away with spending maybe $5-$8K at most, not to be faced with having to gut the room :( There is a part of me which realizes switching the room around will add cost, which you point out. I could live with the layout as is, if need be. I think the worst part of it for me is the radiator issue - we really do need more leg space there; and getting another sink into the room if possible or at the very least, a vanity with more counter space and better storage (BF is not exactly the easiest to share a sink with). Even if we get a new tub - and keep it in the same place, I do like your idea of the vintage looking stand alone faucet sets, and will look them up from that website as you suggest. Tucking the cat box in that area would work also, at least it would be out of the way and perhaps we could have something custom built, with a slide out tray or something, to hide it further. Thanks again - you gave me more to think about. I did get the names of 3 contractors this past weekend from the bathroom supplier I used to purchase my two new toilets from and some accessories, one of which did say they have worked on historic properties, so maybe I'll luck out?
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justgotabme
13 years ago
last modified: 9 years ago
Marlene, love your laundry room. I need to do a few more things in mine before I can call it finished, but I'm thinking I may need to do some wall words. Yours are just too cute!
vampiressrn
Original Author
13 years ago
last modified: 9 years ago
Thanks for the positive feedback friends. It isn't anything over the top, but it is comfortable and pleasant in there.

Becky...there are so many companies that offer wall art and typically they have Laundry Room sayings...it is fun...go for it. :-)
les917
13 years ago
last modified: 9 years ago
Very charming!
arlosmom
13 years ago
last modified: 9 years ago
You must have had so much fun putting that together! Love the animal print hatboxes.
homebodymom
13 years ago
last modified: 9 years ago
If any room could make laundry fun- this is it! Great job :)
hhireno
13 years ago
last modified: 9 years ago
What a nice, cheery place. You did a lovely job.
barb5
13 years ago
last modified: 9 years ago
Oh, for the luxury of a laundry room.

Love your style and your sense of humor!
mitchdesj
13 years ago
last modified: 9 years ago
That's adorable; chic laundry, I love it.
cooperbailey
13 years ago
last modified: 9 years ago
I would love a laundry room like yours! So crisp and clean and funny too!
teacats
13 years ago
last modified: 9 years ago
Wonderful!! So creative, charming and fun -- a great way to do the laundry!

Love all of the sayings and quotes! :)

Jan at Rosemary Cottage
justgotabme
13 years ago
last modified: 9 years ago
I think I just may have to Marlene. I especially love "Sorting our life, one load at a time." I'm in the constant mode of trying to figure out "what's it all about?" so that one would fit me to a "T"-shirt. :^P
kitch_n_kat
13 years ago
last modified: 9 years ago
Nice suprise! love it when closets, laundry rooms and garages are given personality....in my early 20's, I "wallpapered" my closet with my favorite paper shopping bags from the mall- the mix of graphics and color made me happy, wish I had a photo of that...and my mom hangs inexpensive framed posters that would feel out of place in her house in her laundry room and garage- like the photo poster of the bassett hound puppies in front of the fan with their ears blowing behind them : )....my eyes go to that rather than the grumpy lawn mower.

Thanks, Vamp, for the charming inspiration- we've been in this house for a year, and my laundry room is 1/2 the size of yours....but think I'll take before shots today...and dig around in my last few decorative pieces that haven't found a place yet for something that will add a smile to this room.
vampiressrn
Original Author
13 years ago
last modified: 9 years ago
Thanks for the kind comments everyone. I am of the belief that every nook and cranny in a house has the potential to embrace some kind of decor. I really have to restrain myself sometimes though as I am hopelessly enticed to cover ever empty space with something...but over the years have done better about giving the walls some breathing room...LOL. No matter where your w/d is, make it a fun little place to do laundry. I do need to add a radio/CD player in there too...music makes the task lighter also.

kitchnkat...that closet must have been pretty cute. I spent about 2 serious years looking at new home developments before I bought my current home. I was absolutely gaga over one model home (but it was way over my price range). It was about a 3500 sq ft 2-story and laid out so nicely. It had a fabulous game room upstairs with cherry paneling and a built in floor-to-ceiling library wall with rolling ladder and a huge bar area. I visited that model several times and sat in that game room for long periods on end. But the piste de resistance was the master bedroom closet. It is the most awesome closet I have ever seen. After entering the MBR, you turned right into the master bath. There was a gorgeous clawfoot bathtub, excellent cabinetry throughout, back to back his/her vanities, double shower and plenty of linen storage closets. Then you turned right up a little staircase into the closet. It was the size of a bedroom and looked like a high fashioned dress shop. Creamy white woodwork throughout, there were several built in wooden racks in the middle of the room for clothes for him and her. Dressing tables, comfy sitting slipper chairs, mirrors and beautiful wallpaper, all carpeted, chandelier, attic window...the room was to die-for!!! How fun it must be to select your clothes and get dressed in that room.

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