thank you for your reply. Very impossible only the proprietor and a close relative work at paint store. Unfortunately not like a large urban center. I will have to rely on others for opinions and grab chips make assessment at home and just go to purchase. I am stuck with a gallon of gray wisp and have to make the best of it. Thanks

chispa, Thanks for your comments. We have looked at many counter options for the laundry room of a variety of price points. You are right that I did say the grey speckled laminate counter was "boring". However, now that I realized I can get some pattern from the back splash, I am okay without the pattern and sparkle in the counter. I really believe you choose one pattern in hard finishes (either floor, counter or back splash). The funny thing is, that very grey speckled counter is what we chose 20 years ago (it is called grey fog) for our kitchen (long before everyone was choosing grey). We have a table in it that can go in the laundry room under the window. It must be timeless if it was available 20 years ago, and is still available now. It will look way different of course in this laundry room as it will have the blue cabinets, back splash and tile floors that we did not have in our original kitchen. The other thing that is good about that "boring" laminate is it has no undertones in it. It is grey and white and that is it. So many of the laminates we looked at were much more multi-coloured than that. So, if we use that laminate counter and save big on already having a table and keeping the counter cost way down, we can cover our splurges elsewhere in the home which is good. Now my challenge is to find a good back splash that is timeless, and to finalize the cabinet configuration so we can get the cabinets ordered from Sheer's (RTA) cabinets for DH to get busy assembling them. Does anyone see any tweaks and changes with the cabinet configuration? What do you think about having subway tiles in grey (dark and light) and white for the back splash (like the colours posted in my 11:21 post today, but in bigger subway size tiles)? Carol

I like many of your choices. I can't quite tell what color your door's glass is. Are you painting the door? I looks like your room will be dark because of the small window. I'd probably go light in color. I'd keep the colors flexible so it doesn't have to just go with your color of w/d, as that may get changed out before you repaint the room.

Build a pull-out ironing board into a ceiling-height cabinet next to the washer. In the same cabinet plan storage for laundry soap, dryer sheets, your iron, etc. Next to the dryer extend the counter all the way to the wall. Use the space beneath for a pull-out for a garbage can and a basket to toss stuff that needs to be dry cleaned or hand washed. You could install low drawers right under the counter, handy for tossing stuff found in pockets, basic tools, mismatched socks...Above the counter you could do closed storage if needed, or an open shelf to store laundry baskets. On the wall by the entrance door install a retractable clothes drying rack or two, depending on the space available. They are amazing. I have a heavy duty metal one and I found jumbo plastic clothespins that work with it, so I can hang a full load on it and it only takes up a few square feet when extended, almost nothing at all when pushed in. Plan for a full size utility sink with a cupboard base, goose neck pulldown faucet, and a foot or two of counter on each side. (Remeber to leave enough room between the left side of the sink counter and the garbage cab for the drawer to pull out. Or just skip the pullout and have it open underneath if that doesn't bother you.) The first time you have to wash a big bucket or soak a desperately stained piece of clothing you'll be glad for the extra volume. Again, closed or open storage above the sink.