Laundry Room Project--99% Done!

A few months ago a video went viral of this woman explaining her AMAZING laundry room.  This isn't quite that awesome (no fans for drying sweaters).  But I am really happy with the results of my laundry room/mud room overhaul.  I'll walk you through the changes...

This was our old mudroom.  We had a shoe bench and a set of hooks for kids backpacks and coats.  And then it became the spot for the piano.  I hung up over-the-door shoe racks in the laundry room and tried to pretend it was going to be okay.  And it was.  For the summer.  But with school approaching, I knew that this wasn't going to work.  We all needed somewhere for coats, shoes and backpacks that wasn't ALL OVER THE HOUSE.  

If you remember, I was pretty excited to move into a house with an actual laundry room...including desks for serger and sewing machine.  Except I don't really sew very often.  And these desks just ended up being repositories for junk. The way the drawers opened made it so I couldn't fully utilize the space along the walls for storage of shoes like I wanted to.  

And, the butterfly wallpaper...it really had to go.  

These cabinets over the washer and dryer were great.  Except that the washer opened right into the center cabinet, so I couldn't store the laundry stuff in there, or else I couldn't access it with the washer open.  (It is the little stuff that bugs me, I guess).  So the giant box of Tide sat right on top of the dryer.  Kinda hard to make the room look clean and neat that way.  

Gross damage under the utility sink.  The flooring had one seam, right under the sink.  Bad news when there was a leak at some point.  

So, in my post surgery funk, and with school rapidly approaching, I started working, getting help from anyone who happened to come by.  One of my clients and her husband pulled desk #1 off the wall.   At this point I was still thinking I would just throw in some shelves and leave the flooring....maybe put a rug over it...

Derek did desk #2.  Then my niece Paige and my current but soon-to-be-former housemate Emily (they closed on their house this weekend!) helped too.  2 of 4 walls still had wallpaper that wouldn't come off.  So we oil primed.  Then I used the same color from the kitchen, just 50% of the pigment to make a complimentary room color.  

I decided I wanted to the floor to be something awesome, different, and super easy to maintain.  (Read NO GROUT).  I was thinking kind of 1950s vintage-y.   So I went with Marmoleum.  I am in LOVE.  It is fun and looks so good.   Has no grooves to keep dirt out of.  I still need to put the finish on that makes it look shinier, but I'm happy.  We ended up having to put down a new sub floor, so it was over budget to say the least, but the room is DONE.  (Derek's main contributions to the project--he would be happier to have had NONE--were removing the 2nd desk, removing the old flooring, and cutting the baseboards.  Oh, and putting up with my manic behavior and lousy meals while I focused on the project.) 

I took the doors off of the center cab and painted the cabinets.  I took of the weird pulls and found new fun ones at Hobby Lobby.  

For my laundry soap and fabric softener I got candy jars and a candy scoop.  I love how vintage it feels.  The fabric that I used on the back of the space (put up with liquid starch) was my inspiration piece for everything else.  The polka dots are super fun.  I made the curtains out of the same fabric.  When Libby came it to see it, she said, "Mom, wallpaper?  Really?"  But no!  It's fabric.  And could come off easily with warm water and soap.  I also covered the shelves with starched on fabric.  

I loved this sign from Hobby Lobby, but this is a total lie.  I am the laundry maid around here.  Then I can move laundry in, move it out, and get it put away.  And I can listen to a podcast or watch a show while I work.  My favorite chore really! 

I splurged on a couple of things I had been wanting.  This pops out for hangers so I can use it while I'm folding.  I think of my Grandma Louise every time!  This was her method.  

Also, a drying rack that pops out from the wall so my floor space doesn't get cluttered by a stand up drying rack.  

I got a little laundry table from Ikea.  Underneath I am using a couple of their recycling bins as my Thrift Store bins.  When something comes through the laundry that I know is getting too small, I just toss it in.  Then I can make regular trips to the Deseret Industries (which is actually right up the street).  

Shoe BINS GALORE!  And a place for every backpack and coat.  (You may notice that Libby's new school backpack is missing...that is because it got lost at school on Wednesday--FULL OF SOPPING WET CLOTHES from a rainy day recess--and on Friday after school she mentioned that it had turned up.  But was still at school.  I can't wait to smell those clothes.)  I put up a clothesline to hang up their daily schedules (with things like Library Day--so that maybe at least 1 or 2 weeks out of the month we will remember to send the books back on the right day).   Notice how many shoe bins are empty?  The bin system is working--sort of.  But there are a few pairs scattered through the house still.  

Martha Stewart agreed with my color selection, obviously.  These fabric bins are from her collection at Home Depot.  The coat hanger in the corner I got ages ago from IKEA.  Perfect colors also.  It was like the universe needed me to do this room.  

So remember the 99% done part?  Well, when we took out the old rusty, nasty utility sink, we found that the wall behind it had suffered a great deal of water damage.  So the last part of the room has been the backsplash behind the sink.  We hired a tile guy to help us put it up.  He is going to teach me to grout it tomorrow.  But I figured if I didn't post this today (while I am home from church with Ben who barfed all night) the post will get lost in the excitement of Leanne's wedding.  

This sink was the original splurge in the laundry room.  Then it was--GO BIG or don't do it.  We needed a narrower one than the cheap ones at Home Depot, and this filled that ticket.  It also has storage that is hidden (always a bonus in my mind), and a top (see picture above) so when you don't need the sink, it doubles as a counter space.  I wasn't sure how much I used my utility sink until I didn't have it for the last month or so.  I use it.  A LOT.  

The view from the kitchen/family room.  

And, special thanks to Shawn Weeks--(the husband in my housemate family).  He did so much work in here.  Drilling and hanging up the coat racks, drying rack.  Electrical, plumbing help.  Seriously, I am SO SO sad to seem them leave.  Their new house is going to be amazing.
Anyway, laundry bliss can now ensue.  And, if I have to pick up after my kids at times (or order them to put their stuff away) at least now there is somewhere for their stuff to go!  And in case you were wondering about the budget...when I told Derek I could do this project for $500  I was WAY OFF.
But, the main floor is done.  And now, no more projects.   I promise this time.    (fingers crossed)