Laundry Room

16 years ago

If you have a cheery laundry room (is that an oxymoron?), I would love to see pics. I am going to be updating the laundry room in the home I am moving into and would love ideas.

Here's my blank slate:

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Comments (16)

oceanna
16 years ago
Hi Annabelle,

I started a thread in the Gallery on Laundry Rooms a while back. I hope everyone will post their pictures there, as when posted there photos stick around a loooong time for us all to reference. You may want to visit that thread to see what's there, and I hope those willing to post their pics here will also post them there, but chat with you here. I hope you'll enjoy this!

Here is a link that might be useful: Laundry/Mud Room Eye Candy - please post yours!
sweets98
16 years ago
My Laundry Room is really just an closet like space in our one hallway. I painted and decrated the whole area to be the laundry room to make it appear larger. I decorate using Prim antiques so it's filled with old laundry items. It's nothing fancy but at least I don't look at it and think I can't stand to be there. Since I can't just close the door and not go in there, I have to keep it nice and keep up with the laundry so I have to at least be able to stand going in there! LOL Not to mention I walk through it to get to my bedroom and anyone that wants to use the main bath has to go through there! :)

My MIL's laundry room is a small room in their finished basement. It's the only room with unpainted concrete floors, unpainted concrete wall, a single lightbulb hanging for a litght and the exposed studs on the other wall. There is just the washer and dryer, hot water heater and a small chest freezer in there. It's so "blah" and I know if they would just paint it a bit and maybe hang some extra picture that they have no other place for...it would make a world of a difference! I would hate going in there. I would feel "trapped". I think a lot of people don't decorate the laundry room because they don't feel it's important. You really should do something to make it appealing at least a little.

Good luck!
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@Jack D - Yes, like that, but can you move the W/D to the opposite wall that it is currently on and reframe the doorway closer to the "new bedroom" (might need a pocket door to laundry) perhaps shrink the laundry room a foot or whatever you can get making a bit more room for the closet system? I don't like the open closet system as I prefer the ones with doors. As a designer and a realtor, even though the room is small, you still have the extra room. I've got 5 bedrooms in my home and one of them is only 10 x 10. I've got a twin bed in there as well as a dresser. It's my sister's favorite room to stay in when she visits. https://www.ikea.com/us/en/p/pax-wardrobe-white-bergsbo-white-s19127297/?gclid=Cj0KCQiAkePyBRCEARIsAMy5ScuNAD-dsyPBUR5RMtwyJY550Nz6nsSDgCNi8biKdAOBwSi8dWbarqoaAr-8EALw_wcB
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allison0704
16 years ago
I posted photos on the gallery thread yesterday since it will be around longer.

For your laundry room; painting the walls, a valance to soften the window, changing out the cabinet hardware and removing the fire extinguisher/paper towel holder (if you want it more "room like"). If you're interested in painting the cabinets, you could always add molding to dress them up a bit - but personally I wouldn't paint them. A new faucet with a high arch would be nice too. A nice oversized piece of art on the wall the door opens up on. A shelf above the window to hold a few items.
kaypeakay
16 years ago
I'd do this:
(1) remove extinguisher/PT holder;
(2) paint the cabinets - a soft green (like RL Greenwich) and paint the trim a creamy white (like SW creamy);
(3) definitely change the faucet to a gooseneck;
(4) swap out the blinds to great curtains on a rod with a pattern you love that coordinates (or contrasts with, for fun) with your new paint scheme;
(5) can't see the fixture, but I like a nice, smallish chandelier in a laundry room (Pottery Barn has a tear drop chandy on sale right now - $99), or a simple flush mount fixture, even those generic "glass globe" fixtures are cool in a laundry room;
(6) Purchase a nice throw rug/runner for the space; and
(7) Have fun doing your laundry!
kaypeakay
16 years ago
I'd do this:
(1) remove extinguisher/PT holder;
(2) paint the cabinets - a soft green (like RL Greenwich) and paint the trim a creamy white (like SW creamy);
(3) definitely change the faucet to a gooseneck;
(4) swap out the blinds to great curtains on a rod with a pattern you love that coordinates (or contrasts with, for fun) with your new paint scheme;
(5) can't see the fixture, but I like a nice, smallish chandelier in a laundry room (Pottery Barn has a tear drop chandy on sale right now - $99), or a simple flush mount fixture, even those generic "glass globe" fixtures are cool in a laundry room;
(6) Purchase a nice throw rug/runner for the space; and
(7) Have fun doing your laundry!
fairytalebaby
16 years ago
Just added my pics over on the gallery side--there's so many great LR's!
oceanna
16 years ago
Anabelle, did you get any good ideas from this and the gallery thread? Whacha' goanna do?
annabellesangels
Original Author
16 years ago
I am LOVING this forum and the great advice. Thanks for asking oceanna! I have gotten some great ideas and a boost in confidence for making the changes I want.

I am going to paint the walls a calm, cheery soft green and I have ordered a really cute white bench to put right by the entry:

It's got baskets underneath and a white and red ticking fabric cushion for the top. I will find a close but safe place for the extinguisher (maybe right by inside the closet) and take out that paper towel holder and get something else that matches the new cabinet pulls I will get. I want to find something whimsical for the pulls and lighting. I am going to find some fabric that pulls from the red and white ticking but doesn't match. I am also going to get a red distressed pull out hamper from homedecorators.com:

I am going to order some art I saw that looks like this:

And I have always loved this one:

I might go with black or nickel fixtures. I like a touch of black mixed in for contrast.

With the trim painted out white and a new rug on the floor, it should really look welcoming. I am still figuring everything out so I am open to ideas! Thanks and Happy Holidays everyone!
kaypeakay
16 years ago
That sounds so pretty! It will be a great place to do laundry!
totallyblessed
16 years ago
Love your choices. Looks perfect. What a great room!

Congratulations on the new house. :o)
oceanna
16 years ago
Anabelle, that sounds great. I think you're going to really enjoy it. The little bench is darling, and practical with the storage. The tip-out bin is indispensible. I think you'll want at least two, one for lights and one for darks.

Did you look at the Southern Living valance and curtains website to get inspired for your window? Do you sew?

Laundry rooms should be cheerful. They're often a great place for us to do the decorating we couldn't do in the rest of the house for whatever reason (like DH said no).

Laundry rooms are the ugly stepchild of the decorating world. On My Space they don't even have a category -- but dorm rooms do. How much of our lives do we spend in a dorm room, versus how much in a laundry room? I say go for it! Doll up that room to beat the drearies.

I really hope you'll be posting pictures so we can all see how it turned out.
annabellesangels
Original Author
16 years ago
I will for sure oceanna. I don't sew, but I shop well..lol My sister sews and I am sure I could get her to sew something for me. I will have to check out Southern Living for more ideas.

Look at this cute cabinet pull I found! Talk about whimsical...
{{!gwi}}
jerseygirl_1
16 years ago
Annabelle,

Can I ask you where you found the Good Houspkeeping picture? I would love that for my Laundry Room.
annabellesangels
Original Author
16 years ago
I found it at allposters.com. If you right click on the picture here, you can click on properties and copy the address to go directly to it. I had seen it before. I am going to be looking to find it somewhere where I can have it mounted or framed or at least a size I can frame myself. I like the mounting idea because any art will be in a more humid environment in a laundry room. I am glad you like it! It's so cute.
alicate
16 years ago
Where did you find the "Mom's laundry - help wanted" sign? I love it!
annabellesangels
Original Author
16 years ago
Check out allposters.com and search "laundry". I am still looking around to find it at a good price either mounted or framed.

Laundry Room

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