Project: Laundry Room

I don’t think I’ve ever posted pictures of my laundry room before. It’s not exactly my favorite spot in the house. Partly because it’s where chores happen and partly because it sucks.

It’s cramped and hot and I struggle to keep it clean.

I’ve got a couple of short-term ideas for the space. I’d like to paint, for one thing. The beige on the walls is just a little too warm and fleshy for me. The other big thing I’d like to do here is replace the cabinets with some open shelving.

Seriously, how much space is wasted around these cabinets? They’re definitely not taking full advantage of the space available on that wall.

There’s a lot of space wasted inside, as well.

So the first step in Project: Laundry Room will be replacing those cabinets with open shelves and painting the walls something cool and refreshing. In the long term, I dream of sleek and efficient front loaders with a convenient counter for folding on top, but I did not marry the kind of man who is willing to replace a perfectly good washer and dryer, so for now I’ll keep shooting them death stares and hope for the best.

You see that nook at the other end of the room where we keep the litter box and cat food? It’s about 3’x5′ and I want to turn it into the tiniest little half bath you ever did see someday. Our two full baths are both accessible only through bedrooms and I think that could get a tad awkward for guests once we have actual little people living in those rooms. But, like the new washer and dryer, that project is likely a few years out. Here’s what I’d like to do in the next week or two:

• choose a color and paint the walls (likely some shade of blue)
• rip out the cabinets and replace them with open shelving
• bring in baskets and whatnots to make the open shelving both pretty and functional
• Figure out the window situation–I hung curtain rods up there when we first moved in, but have since reconsidered the wisdom of hanging floor to ceiling curtains in a utility room. Maybe I should take them down and go for shades instead?

I’m soooo excited to tackle this room. Those cabinets have been a thorn in my side since we moved in last year, and the small scale of this room will be a welcome opportunity to experiment with color. As always, I’ll be sure to share all the details right here on this little ol’ blog. Any suggestions from you guys on adding form and function to a small-ish laundry room? The long and narrow dimensions give me the heebie-jeebies.