LAUNDRY ROOMS - A CUTE PLACE FOR A LOT OF DIRT

THE LAUNDRY ROOM...

Growing up in different parts of the world, 

the laundry room was a space in the garage 

or the unfinished basement. 

My mother only used the dryer in the Winter or when it rained.

She liked the smell of laundry hung on a line in the sunshine.  

That was my job - hanging them out and when dry, taking them down and folding them.

Growing up, we never had a 'laundry room'.    

Now that I do have one

I have put off decorating it to the very last.

Mine isn't large.

More galley-like than actual room.

There is some storage, but no sink.

It has a small window.

And almost enough room to turn around.

Its going to be a challenge to make it inviting.

so I'm seeking inspiration today...

There's not a lot of opportunity for cute in a laundry room.

Generally speaking they are utilitarian

small areas with large ugly appliances

and few areas for display.

Hard areas too.

By hard I mean hard surfaces.

Not a lot of softness, unless the laundry that week is particularly large....

Still, many of you manage to inject a lot of design into a small package.

I've been inspired by these photos of completely cute laundry rooms.

This is super cute if your washer and dryer take up space in a kitchen...

hide them!

Love the sink.  I don't have one, or the space for one in my galley style laundry, but if I did, I'd put this sconce over it!  Front loading machines allow for a nice tidy countertop - and the laundry is a good place for marble!

My laundry room is also a storage area.  I have cabinets above and a long floor to ceiling cabinet to the side of my machines.  Its where the light bulbs, cleaning products and tissue gets stored.  My isn't nearly as organized or as cute at this.  Love the tissue storage in the baskets.

If only.... 

Big room, lots of storage, cool floor.

Even a closet laundry can have style.

Love this stainless steel backsplash.

Gray cabinets.  I love gray cabinets.

 Fresh white subway tile walls and basket storage

Looks great!

I love everything about this little laundry area.

Especially the high wainscoat beadboard.

'Loads' of charm, too.

More gray - seems to be a great color for a laundry room!

Planked ceiling and paneled walls

and a great warm wood butcher block counter

I love this room

Oodles of style here.

This is the second room I've seen with only one machine...

Does it do both, do you think?

Well, yes... there is such a machine. 

 This one is by LG.

Customers seem to like it, although it can take up to six hours to do a load...

If I changed to this machine - I could add that sink....

Ah, here's my dream laundry,

windows galore,

big counter, sink, french door and a bench...

and super cute horizontal paneling

Another tight little spot with lots of style

A stone veneer wall takes laundry up a notch

I'd guess a big family - 

If you need two of each and a sink large enough to bathe

a St. Bernard...

Corrugated metal wall - rustic cuteness.

Glass cannisters for the suds - adorable.

Laundry sign - LOVE it.

Kind of crazy about the baskets...

Drama with the dark planked wall...

I need to find a space for hangers in my laundry room...

Simple and sweet.

Strong wall color prevents boredom in this room...

Great idea

White and bright

and I love the table - wish I had room for one!

QUESTIONS FROM MY READERS:

Hello. Hoping you can help. Our new farmhouse is done in warm, rich historic shades of green, golden ecru and olde forge mustard with cottage white trim. We are now finishing our basement. I used BM revere pewter thinking a lighter color for the basement. It doesn't flow with the rest of the colors. I'm looking for some color inspiration. 
Please help!
Sent from my iPhone

REVERE PEWTER is a truly gorgeous color, but lacking that gold undertone that would blend well with the greens and golds you already have in your home.   It is a cool tone,a gray with a beige undertone. Here are a few lighter colors that will probably blend better, having a little more warmth in them to go with your rich tones.  If you want to stay on the lighter side, you can still bring in those rich tones in the furniture, fabrics and accessories.

Muslin by Benjamin Moore is a nice neutral some warmth and less gray than the Revere Pewter.  

Benjamin Moore SHAKER BEIGE is a soft warm beige/tan

Good Luck!

SURVIVING A KITCHEN REMODEL

To all my clients who have survived a remodel....

I feel your pain...

living without a kitchen....

sucks.

On the positive side...

The sink is now located under the beautiful new windows.  

There is granite on my counter tops and my ceiling no longer looks like Swiss cheese. 

The trench across my entire kitchen floor, and its corresponding piles of dirt, 

has been closed, cemented and covered .  

I have new french doors to the patio and a fresh coat of paint on the walls.   

Progress is wonderful!

Through this renovation, I've learned a few things...

.

it's probably a bad idea to send ALL of your furniture out to be reupholstered all at once...

and leave nothing to sit on - (yes indeedy I did)

If you are getting a new range/oven - it might be a good idea to invest in a small counter microwave or a toaster oven if you don't have one....and don't pack the crockpot away...

Even if they tell you it will only be a few weeks without a kitchen...   It will be longer.

much longer...

It is actually possible to get tired of eating out...

'Magical Thinking'...is believing you can keep the rest of the house clean...

Because there is dust.

Everywhere.

Every day.

A new fine film of dust....

Even behind doors in areas there is no construction..

Even living in a plastic walled cocoon.

But today is a good day, because we are what seems minutes away 

from actually moving everything back in and using the kitchen...

The cabinets are installed in all their soft white glory - 

no longer looking like packages waiting to be unwrapped in my garage.  

The hardware just punctuates their beauty - bronze pulls from Restoration hardware - 

[happily they were having a great sale on their gorgeous hardware ... ]

The faucet, dishwasher, ovens and cooktop have been installed,

the backsplash is in...

and beautiful!

My outlet with USB plug-ins ROCKS!

I adore my kitchen windows...

 and my new, deep, sink.

the island granite (a mistake) has been replaced 

with this warm wonderful

walnut butcher block... (what I actually ordered)

The painting has been completed throughout.. except for the trim..

and new hardwood flooring warms the room

With any home improvement or remodel there are problems that arise.  

Some are mistakes.  

Some are unanticipated problems that need to be resolved.  

The grate for the new cooktop came out of its box broken.  The replacement came quickly.    

I had a moment of panic when they sent me the wrong oven/microwave - but it was quickly remedied.  [Thank heavens for Lanny at Pacific Sales who was kind and professional and made everything perfect.]  Since we moved the sink there was an issue with the vent pipe - 

it ended up jutting out of my wall at ceiling height. 

It is too large to be hidden by the crown molding. 

But I love a challenge and have come up with a solution.... 

You will just have to wait and see...

The light fixtures - lets just say they didn't do a thing for the room...
They weren't broken, they just didn't look the way I wanted.

Restoration Hardware didn't bat an eye when I wanted to just change the clear glass shades
to the black metal shades.

It made a huge difference and I'm so happy with them.

The only remaining items are the little finishing touches

Was it worth it?
Ask me when I'm all moved in and the final inspection has been done....

No, on second thought I actually can answer that now.

I walk into this space and see what an incredible change moving a wall and reworking the kitchen space has made and I can tell you it is well worth every take out meal and inch of dust... it feels amazing.
Mr. B was surprised how big a difference bumping that back wall out just 3-4 feet could open up the space.
 It seems such a lot of work for such a little extension, 
but truth is, we could not have created this kitchen without that extension.  
It made everything work.

Did I say problems arise?  

My pedestal sink was a casualty while they were removing the tile floor in my powder room 

  A new sink required a new faucet. (Of course).. 

And while we are at it, we need a new light fixture and how about some wainscote?  

It's like a little snowball going downhill and getting bigger and bigger....

Final pictures soon -
Bye for now...

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QUESTIONS FROM READERS

Hi Claudine,

I love your website and have found it very helpful! I am facing a design dilemma as I am remodeling my kitchen, and was hoping you would be so kind as to give me some of your input.  My cabinets will be white, and my countertops will be black Quartz.  I will do a simple white subway glass tile backsplash.  My Kitchen is only 10 x 15, and I am looking for floor tile and paint color, and I'm totally confused.  I have been using the Sherwin-Williams color palette similar to the Benjamin Moore palettes you have been discussing.  Colors are variations of Greige, slate gray, and khakis.  I originally was looking at hardwood floor, but the kitchen butts up to original red Oak flooring in the rest of the house, and it didn't look right.  I will have a new brushed metal and glass table with a frosted green glass top.  My question is this--will a darker gray/Greige floor tile look better than a light one, and what colors should I do on the walls?  Should they be the same tone as the floor?  I want to keep within the same palette I have been using, and notice that you said Gray Horse goes well with blue and green tones.  Will all of this work in the black-and-white scheme?  I know it's hard to answer these questions without pictures, but at this point pictures won't help --nothing has been done yet.  Any help at all would be so much appreciated!!  Many thanks,
Audrey 

Hi Audrey:

I would go darker on the floor as opposed to lighter if you are using a stone or tile.    A gray will look nice next to the red oak flooring, as well.  I would choose a dark to medium flooring in the gray tones, and then find a paint color that compliments the flooring.  Its much easier to find a paint color to match a floor than vice versa.  Pulling in Gray Horse could be lovely.  

BM Gray Horse

A greige (gray beige) may also be nice and add some warmth to the black and white color scheme, (my favorite from Sherwin Williams is Accessible Beige) and yes it will work - t

SW Accessible Beige

hese are all neutrals and will look good with your palette. So find your flooring first, and then pull some swatches from the amazing selection of grays and grieges in the Sherwin Williams paint palette to find one that will look nice with the floor.  Your cabinets and counter top will go with anything - its tying it to the rest of your house that will be more challenging - but with your palette not as hard as you think!  Good luck!

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I have an open floor plan and just painted it Zen Pebble by Valspar.  I am looking for a transition color that goes into the second level walls and staircase.  Any ideas would be wonderful.  Thank you. 
Amy

Amy,
Valspar's Zen Pebble is a nice gray with a lot of light or luminescence - but I'm not completely sure about your question.  Do you need a color for the second level walls and staircase?    Or do you just need a color leading up to that area and are they already painted - and if so what is that color?  So - I will assume for the pupose of answering this post that you need the actual color to go up the stairs and the second level walls....   My first choice would be to carry the Zen Pebble upstairs.  It carries a lot of light and would be perfect for a staircase.  Secondly - maybe adding a little blue or green or beige to the gray tone of the Zen Pebble would make a nice transition - like Quill or White Pistachio.

Valspar WHITE PISTACHIO

Olympic QUILL

Good Luck!