The laundry room’s finished!
And we could kiss Lesley for her idea of carving out a new dedicated laundry room. It’s like it was always there! (Plus a new glass door at the end of a formerly dark hallway with light streaming in = angels singing sound effect to us).
When we last checked in, things were looking a little unfinished, but it’s amazing what that last 10% can do for a room. Our first steps were to add the missing filler, baseboard, toe kick, and crown that we had accounted for when we installed the cabinets (to bridge those gaps on the side, top, and bottom). Then it was on to adding the missing door casing, baseboards, and the new doorknob that ties into the rest of ours. Lastly, we had a party and the under-cabinet lights were invited (and installed).
Can I just say that the under-cabinet lights are my new favorite thing? I want to cover my house with them. I want to put on some R&B and bathe in a tub full of under cabinet lights.
They currently plug in behind the washer – you might be able to see the small white cord snaking down the left corner of the room above the washer – but we have a call in to our electrician to add a switch for them on the wall by the door. That way we can flick them on when we walk in instead of using the toggle switch on the cord.
They were sort of an impulse update back when we were buying our cabinets and they were TOTALLY WORTH THE IMPULSE. I know I’m type shouting at you but I mean it. If I were talking to you in person my voice would be raised and my hands would be flapping around. It was all thanks to a reader who mentioned it was easier to see stains and spot treat them before tossing them into the wash after she added some. In summary: Twinkies are not always worth the impulse, but under cabinet lights? DO IT.
When they’re off the room is still nice and bright from the overhead light, although we’d love to add a skylight or a some solar-tube someday.
After our finishing trims, fillers, and lights were in, it was momma’s favorite part. THE THINGS! Like the drying rack, the ironing board, some art, a laundry sorter, and everything that I got to basket up and stack and pile into the cabinets and drawers.
The laundry room wants to hug it out. Look at those outstretched arms.
We thought things on the shelf should largely have simple functions to make life easier, so there’s a basket for lost socks (currently housing a few of Clara’s) and a dish for change and other random stuff we find in pockets before things go into the wash (if you’re a certain aforementioned member of our family that might mean Legos, mom’s earrings, and and a few crayons for good measure). We also like the idea of keeping our everyday detergent out on the shelf so it’s easy to grab (you can see that in the wider shot a few photos back).
There’s also a mint green caddy to store things like lint rollers and dryer balls along with a mint green trash can which we ended up putting right on the counter for small things like balls of lint and tags from clothing or old washed-papers-from-pockets. The little fake-o succulent is just there’s to add some life to the laundry room – even if it’s faux real.
If you spin around to the wall opposite the washer, we have a drying rack. And it’s kind of a game changer. We used to just lay things outside on the daybed to air dry (or in the extra deep windowsill in the living room of our last house) so to have a devoted pull-out drying rack for hanging or draping things (or clipping them up) is pretty great.
I was leaning towards ordering one from The Container Store but then I saw someone saying it was meh and I saw this one on amazon with a ton of good reviews that swayed us. It boasts over 12 square-feet of drying space for hanging or laying items thanks to the pull out design that extends two feet out from the wall. It’s so nice to have this much hanging and draping real estate. I’m officially on the drying rack train now guys. High fives! I feel like we need a secret handshake or something.
Oh and it closes up like this when it’s not in use. Stealth mode.
Underneath it we have a three-bin laundry sorter from Crate & Barrel. John’s sister grabbed one a few weeks ago and raved about it so we took the plunge. It has only been a few days but we’re drinking the same laundry sorter Cool-aid. Picture us sipping it while cruising along on The Drying Rack Express with spare under-cabinet lights in my purse.
For the ironing board we debated everything from a mini-pull-out or fold-down wall or drawer mounted one but I prefer a full sized board and I like it to be out of the way, but portable. Sometimes I just like to iron in front of the TV. We’ve used this system of two large wall hooks secured with anchors to hold it up off the floor in our last laundry area, which worked well (remember our ironing board wars? They are so ON).
We decided to hang it behind the door on the wall (not the door itself since we worried that might rattle). The hooks stick out a little and would otherwise get slammed by the door so we got one of those small white doorstop things for the back of the door. Ignore that light switch near the door though (it’s the old hall light that we debated keeping just in case but it’s ridiculous back there so we’re going to terminate it when our electrician comes to add a switch for the under-cabinet lights).
For now the art on the left side of the room is just framed pages from a book called Time & Tide by Christian Chaize (it’s full of gorgeous photography). I still have my eye on something like this by Emily Jeffords though, so there might be some musical frames going on.
Speaking of the frames, they’re from Target. We loved that the wood tone tied into our baskets and the laundry shelf and counter, so home they came.
The other side of the room has a little more art – like a wood canvas from Help Ink that I love (it says Bee Kind with bees having a blast all over it). I also hung one of my favorite pieces of fabric (it’s an old handkerchief that a friend of mine found with the name Clara embroidered on it). Something about the old linen fabric and the embroidery whispered laundry room to me.
There’s also another print from my Tide & Time book that I clipped up with a wooden pants hanger. Seemed laundry-room appropriate. I’d love to clip up a Clara painting eventually, so we might have a little crafternoon bonanza ahead of us.
In my mood board I also had a printing press drawer (Clara and I collect heart rocks and I thought it would be so cute to display them in an old wooden drawer with all those tiny compartments for them) but we haven’t come across any that would work yet. They’re totally one of those I-see-them-in-every-antique-store-when-I’m-not-looking-for-them-but-they’re-sneaky-like-a-snake-when-I-am-on-the-hunt.
For the cabinet hardware we went with these simple octagon pulls from Lowe’s. We actually grabbed a bunch of options from Anthropologie (Fashion Show! Fashion Show! Fashion Show At Lunch!) but after holding them all up the simplicity and the nice heavy feeling of the Lowe’s ones won us over. We have two metals going on in here (I like a mix as long as each of them are present enough times to look intentional), so these guys are sporting the polished chrome look along with things like the rolling cart and the knobs on the washer & dryer.
On the ceiling we went with a flush mount light from our Shades of Light collection.
We had a whiter/cooler light bulb dangling from the fixture box before we installed this light, but switched it out for a warmer LED one that makes the room feel less cold (it brings out the honey tones in the shelf, frames, and baskets – and zaps some of the starkness out of the white cabinets).
The oil-rubbed bronze doorknob and similar coloring on the washer and dryer tied it in – especially since the washer and dryer also have chrome on them – so they’re sort of a bridge between those two metals that we mixed throughout the room.
Look at John modeling the new laundry room. You’d almost believe he likes laundry…
Budget breakdown:
- Framing (labor & materials): $360
- Electric (labor & materials): $400
- Plumbing (labor & materials): $375
- New dryer vent: $87
- New HVAC vent: $59
- Drywall & insulation: $298
- Drywall mudding: $84
- Sub-floor materials: $30
- Tiled floor: $451
- Ikea cabinets, filler pieces, toe kick, and under-cabinet lighting:
$862$802 (we went with single puck LEDs instead of the long strip ones we originally got) - Appliance re-install: $15
- Tiled marble accent wall: $281
- Shelf & counter (including stain testers & stain): $97
- A new glass door for the hallway + framing and hanging two doors: $297 (new tools included)
- Trim, crown, baseboard and door casings for both doors + two new doorknobs: $268
- Function/organization stuff (including baskets, our laundry sorter, the drying rack, hooks to hang ironing board, etc): $112
- Finishing touches (like the overhead light, cabinet hardware, wood frames, etc): $176
- TOTAL: $4,192
We think it would be really fun to have a realtor come and estimate what she might list our house for so we can see how much value this reno may have added (along with the other stuff we’ve done over the past year).
And since we’re listing stuff, I think our favorite functional updates are the laundry sorting cart, the drying rack, all the storage in the cabinets and drawers, and the added countertop/shelf surface we’ve gained. When it comes to things that make it feel the most upgraded, the tile backsplash, under cabinet lights, crown molding, and soft-close doors and drawers definitely elevated the room for us (so if you have a laundry zone that could use a little love, those might be nice add-ons).
Couldn’t leave without a little before & after action. Remember when this was our laundry area back when we moved in?
So. Much. Better.
Thanks for coming along on this winding and long-winded laundry room renovation, guys! It’s one of our favorite house changes so far since it’s literally a room that didn’t exist before. We’re more gleeful than… I don’t know… a pigeon with a hotdog? A dog with a blog? A kid in a candy store without adult supervision and unlimited funds? It’s up there.
Psst- Wanna know where we got something in our house or what paint color we used? Just click on this button:
Mariela says
So so pretty!! And I’m surprised you guys didn’t add a rug?! Either way, looks awesome!
Christine says
What a huge difference! Sorry if you’ve mentioned this already, but do you know the dimensions of the room? We’re thinking about giving our laundry area a designated room too, but not sure how big we should plan it.
You guys have such an eye for putting up art! The room looks amazing.
YoungHouseLove says
It’s 8′ deep by 7′ wide!
xo
s
Starr @ The Kiefer Cottage says
It looks lovely! Definitely an upgrade and I’m totally jealous since my laundry room is a spidery wet basement.
Also amazed at your very small orphan sock pile–I think our washer must eat a lot of socks since we don’t have a dog that would…
Jill says
Soo, your saying you saw my comment on more posts featuring Teddy’s wrist?
Jill
Tina says
Holy moly, this is the most gorgeous, happy laundry room ever. Obsessed with the backsplash…I am considering using that for a feature wall in a small powder room. You never cease to amaze.
Linda says
It looks great! I think a lot of us manage to do the 95% when we’re changing up a room, but this shows how that last bit can really pull everything together. I was a little meh on the color of the shelves originally, but now it looks totally tied together and ‘just right’ to me.
Now off to search the blog about those undercabinet lights….that may be my next little project!
Maureen @Altes Haus says
WOW!!!!!!!!!!!!
Looks so beautiful!
Bonnie @ The Pin Junkie says
What an improvement! It’s such a beautiful and functional space and I love the soft colors you used. Great job as always!
Samantha says
So pretty! The final touches are always my favorite part!
Also, I was out of town for the big discussion on Thursdays post, but here’s my two cents! I love hearing from you guys, and getting a peek into your day-to-day lives is always wonderful, so I enjoy those posts! I also love the simple decor change up posts – those are wonderful for those of us with no carpentry skills who are terrified to tackle the big projects, haha!
Madelaine says
I love it! Seriously, every bit of it! You have given me renewed inspiration for the shelf behind our washer/dryer/utility sink that I have been dreaming about for two + years! I’m going to tackle it this winter for sure. Also going to finally hang the antique clothes dryer on the wall and make use of it. Yeah laundry rooms (or back walls of basements like ours)!
Rebecca says
#inlove
#jealous
#amazing!
Erin says
This is beautiful and both the form and function! Such a nice place to do laundry.
Quick tip someone gave me to stop kids’ socks from getting lost. Buy a couple of lingere bags and put them with the kids’ hamper. When they take off dirty socks, put them in the lingere bags. Zip them when you wash, and no more lost socks. We have done this since my four and two year olds were babies and have rarely lost a sock.
Lisa T says
Yep! This is our tip as well. It’s amazing how when I can’t find my lingerie bags (I have two) and attempt to wash my kids socks without one, that we definitely end up losing one or two socks. So I swear by this tip!
Mary Beth says
I like it… I wish there was a big fun paint colour on the wall, but other than that I think it’s clean, crisp, and pretty much what a laundry room should be. Well done. : )
MB
http://www.hystericallyeverafter.com
ps – I don’t even have a laundry room, it’s in a closet, so even if I hated it I wouldn’t be judgin’ – ya know? LOL
Megan says
I agree. I am dying to see some personality by way of wallpaper, more color or even bolder hardware… but overall, it looks REALLY well done. So happy for you guys! I’m sure the value add is an amazing percentage!
Julie says
Wonderful!!!! Looks great, guys. And I know you love having the extra room! I have dreams all the time that I magically discover hidden rooms in my house (probably because we are a family of 7 living in a one bathroom, way too crowded house). Enjoy!
Karen H. says
What a difference! Now that it is all finished, do you see yourself painting the room a color? Not necessarily a bold color, but something other than white?
YoungHouseLove says
I think for now we like how light it is since it’s windowless, but you never know…
xo
s
Laura @ Rather Square says
This turned out so beautifully. And despite what other commenters said in the last post, I have really enjoyed both the design and the construction aspects of putting this room together. We’re homeowners doing much the same thing you are (renovating our house over time) so the “behind the walls” stuff is really relevant to us. I understand it’s not as interesting to some readers, but I definitely appreciate it. Keep sharing!
Kali says
I agree! The detailed tutorials are so helpful to me, especially when I think a job is going to be really quick, easy, and cheap…the details remind me that I might need to take a step back and rethink my this-is-going-to-be-easy turned what-the-heck-was-I-thinking plans :) I also love love love the before and after shots and the budget break downs.
Great job, guys! It looks amazing :)
Nicole says
Agreed! Wow! I have also loved watching this unfold, maybe because it’s not the sort of thing I would do. I love seeing what makes a big impact and seeing your creative solutions. Would love to see more details on the under cabinet lights sometime. I’m often filing things away for a long time into the future or being inspired on little projects that might connect to bigger ones.
Also – I didn’t comment last week but I love you blog and have for ages. I’m glad you’re doing what’s right for your family and I don’t think you owe anyone anything, despite what some have said. If you can make it work for your family (and it sounds as though you’ve thought this through a lot and are prepared to be wrong and need to pick up more work and stuff) then you should absolutely chase that!
Selfishly, I’m really hoping you continue to blog even if it’s just a few times a week and I really appreciate how much I feel you have stayed true to you and kept it real here on the blog. I’ll be reading whatever you post for a long time.
Elyse says
Agreeee!!! Stick with your format #hatersgunnahate. I for one HIGHLY appreciate that it isn’t a perfectly wrapped up 22 minute HGTV show, it’s real. It’s a better barometer for REAL DIY projects where there aren’t 17 carpenters with every single gadget known to man behind the scenes. It’s a highly detailed job, and makes me think: hey this is a little more intense than I would think, maybe I wont tackle certain parts myself. I appreciate you sharing the intricate details (why i was so interested in how you add an air duct to an additional room I really don’t know, but I literally read that post three times.) These are the things I think about that no one else talks about. Although I’ve been reading for ages I never comment, but I feel strongly about this. #doyou #gowithyourgut #ceramicanimalsfolyfe #hashtag
Christina says
I totally agree with Elyse! I have no need to know how to add an air duct right now in my life, and I also read that post more than I care to admit. Cloth diapers are in my future (1st baby – yay!). I love you guys! I love the little, big, family, in the life of, and giveaway posts. I don’t care what you do, because I will read it – multiple times.
hashbrown #elysesays
Bernadette says
Agree. Love love LOVE the detailed posts you gave us during this project. So very helpful as I try to make decisions on DIY projects but also helps me be educated to evaluate contractor’s work should I hire help. I hope to see detailed posts on how you finished these last finishing touches…installing the under cabinet lights, the spacer trim for the cabinets, the toe kick, the crown molding, etc. That would be so helpful. Love your new room so much! Enjoy your drying rack. Could never live without mine.
Caz says
Agree! I was blown away by some of the nastiness of some comments – you’d think you were the only website on the web existence and they pay you large amounts to entertain them. Jealously poured forth on the flimsiest of excuses.
Please do absolutely whatever you feel like with your blog – you’ll regret it if you don’t. Don’t try and cater to the masses, or even worry about them. And perhaps identify personally 100 or so regular commentators (which rules me out!) who you trust and connect with, and instead survey those privately for audience feedback when needed.
And – the laundry room rocks! So impressed!
Bethany says
Looks ahmayzing! What’s the plan for the drawers?
YoungHouseLove says
They’re full of stuff like extra clothespins, scissors to cut off tags, stain pens, etc.
xo
s
erin says
future house aspiration (for when we buy a house) laundry room potential is a MUST. i wishhhhhhhh we had a laundry room! at least we have a washer and dryer!
that room is happening!
Ashley BoRo says
LOVE, LOVE, LOVE it! Our laundry room is set up exactly the same way and I will be creating this look ASAP! Whoop whoop! Now if I could just get my husband to do a little laundry ;)
Danielle says
Beautiful! But where do you store your portable laundry hampers (like the one in the picture with John) when not in use?
YoungHouseLove says
That’s either in someone’s room after we bring clothes back in it, or we sit it on the floor or the counter in the laundry room.
xo
s
Renee Hopkins says
OK on the laundry room front – AMAZING. Love the transformation from something to nothing.
On the rigmarole from Thursday – as a blogger I appreciate and empathize in the sheer amount of WORK blogging is. Maybe some readers don’t understand the blood, sweat and tears that go into blogging. If you have a corporate job and just don’t FEEL like working hard, well you can check out for a day or two. There isn’t that opportunity in blogging.
While I do agree with some of the more negative posts on the topic of this blog and your brand being your business – I also whole-heartedly agree with your choices to focus on family. I like quality posts over quantity. I do miss 5-day-a-week posts, but honestly I don’t even know how you two manage that. I’d rather have bigger projects, family updates, designy and craft content than more overall posts.
While I think there could have been a little more tact displayed in some reader’s comments – it’s the way they feel. Most ‘busniesses’ don’t care to the level you do about your customer’s feedback. I for one am enjoying the progressive change of the blog over time. I appreciate the changes your design aesthetic has taken and I feel like you have fulfilled your goals of being more grown-up without losing the fun DIY YHL roots.
And to concur with another party – I loathe sponsored posts even though I’m looking at doing them myself. I love looking at your content knowing it’s all YHL – John and Sherry, my friends I’ve never met.
Sarah says
I think to be fair, if you don’t feel like blogging you can just check out.
I also don’t think people’s negative comments were to do with them putting their family first. I totally applaud that. However, if you’re going to do that be honest and upfront. Don’t refer to being omg so busy all the time when you claim to be putting your family first.
Katie says
Just wanted to comment on behalf of those with corporate jobs. I can’t just “check out” for a day or two if I don’t feel like working. That would never ever fly. The only way I’m allowed to “check out” is with my very limited paid time off. Not saying bloggers have this luxury either but please don’t paint it like working outside of the home and commuting is living the good life.
Courtney says
Some of these reader’s comments, while maybe honest, are just almost discusting. Soo many folks are acting so entitled and damanding… isn’t every family in this country entitled to live and choose the life they they want to live?? John and Sherry do NOT deserve the harsh backlash they’ve received last weeek; it is THEIR business, therefore they should be able to create whatever kind of schedule they wish, whether a single person agrees with it (or their lifestyle) or not. If readers have a problem with lack of content one week (which we were absolutely warned about- helllooo, they were swamped with book work last week- C’mon people), then go buy a Home Beautiful magazine or something to hold you over and learn to QUIT BEING SUCH SELFISH AND NEEDY CONSUMERS of these AMAZING bloggers who do not charge us a dime for access to their content.
Lela says
Well said Courtney! Keep doing your thang J & S! Long posts, short posts, detailed posts, no posts…your die hards don’t care. We love you guys. Thanks for doing what you do!
minabey says
Very well said.
I for one, don’t really care if John & Sherry posts anything, nor do I care what they post. If they do, Yay! Otherwise, I’ll just check in the next day. Rinse,repeat. If the topic isn’t my cup of tea, it’s ok. I don’t think everything they post will appeal to everyone at the same time. What I don’t understand though, is why some people would feel entitled to dictate how other people (generally speaking) run their blogs. The are so many blogs out there they can go to. Some reader comments make me cringe. Like Renee said, “there could have been a little more tact.”
Anyway, I love this blog, whatever the content.
PS. Fabulous room! Love everything… especially the undercabinet lights.
Jennifer says
Umm, Katie–what exactly are you doing, other than “checking out,” when you’re reading blogs on your corporation’s time?
L says
Wow, really must’ve missed the part where I can just chill at my corporate job. Next time my boss comes by and wants me to do something, I’ll make sure to let her know I’m checked out and to move along. I’ll totally have my job after that. Seriously?
Kate says
I have to laugh that none of us pay a dime to read and learn here, yet some feel so entitled to a post every day!!! “How date you not give us reading material today!!!” Hilarious. #firstworldproblems
Hannah says
Jennifer, America is not the only country in the world. Just because you’re commenting during business hours, doesn’t mean everyone else is.
J&S I look forward to reading your response to all the feedback you received. I’m sure it must’ve been overwhelming, but I hope that YHL becomes a frequent read again for me.
FWIW, I’m glad you didn’t split this post into 2.3 or 4 posts. It’s nice not to read a small essay on just one small thing.
Also, perhaps you should think about writing a post to let people know google exists. You would save so much time if your readers weren’t constantly asking you questions they could find the answer to themselves… Eg where the hooks for the ironing board came from?!? Seriously people? For fans who in one post are sympathising with how hard it is to find time to blog when you’ve two small children, seems a bit ridiculous for them to then ask questions that waste your time in another post.
anya says
Wow, this is beautiful! and it really looks so lovely and functional. One question now that it’s completed, any thoughts as to why you didn’t end up putting in a sink? I do a bunch of hand-washing, so I think it would have been a helpful addition. You would have probably had to enlarge the room, but there could have been a bit more space you could have taken from the room over the garage? Just curious :)
YoungHouseLove says
We could only fit a very small one so we opted to skip it. Couldn’t go any wider with the room without taking a bite into the future playroom/bunkroom – it would make it more of an L than a rectangle :)
xo
s
Katie says
Did you guys decide not to put a rug in there? Is the floor cold on bare feet?
YoungHouseLove says
So far in the summer it feels good, but we might get one when it gets cooler out.
xo
s
Kate says
You guys! It is gorgeous!! I have laundry room envy! We have second floor laundry in a former porch that was closed in (boo to losing a sleeping porch, but the house wasn’t ours at the time!)… it is currently sporting lilac patterned wallpaper, wood-look cabinets (but I’m fairly certain they’re some kind of veneer that is probably impossible to paint) and all other sorts of mid-90’s goodness. It’s also a full bathroom (3/4 bath? Stall shower only) with a huge vanity in the middle, so our options are limited… but you can bet I’ll be drawing inspiration from this room! One bonus to the former life of our room – since it’s on the back of the house, there are two small windows that actually let in a nice amount of natural light… it’s just a narrow room. Anyway, Who would have thought one could love a laundry room??
Britt Tester says
So jealous of this amazing laundry room– you guys did an awesome job, as always! I can’t believe how far your house has already come! Congrats and enjoy your new room :)
Cat @ MaryMarthaMama says
A. I don’t know what everyone is so fussy about from Thursday. I read through it a little, but not too much. I think people are overly critical of you guys. The blog is YOUR space and it should be what YOU need it to be at any given time, even if that changes and people don’t like the changes. That’s just my 2 cents.
B. I LOVE the laundry room! Such an improvement! I especially love how all the functional stuff is pretty but it just makes like easier. I’m starting to look at our home and really invest more in making solutions instead of just living with things. Hence, we’re coming up with more organizational systems, etc.
C. I may have to go out and get that drying rack. It’s awesome.
D. Have a great Monday!
Johanna says
E. All of the above!
Stephanie DR says
Agreed!
Shannon says
I couldn’t have said that better myself…I follow a ton of blogs and had just recently stumbled upon these guys and I love all of their content. Blogging is hard. It’s your space. It’s your time. I’ve known so many bloggers lately that have been burnt out by their demanding schedules. So take a break, relax, you definitely deserve it but then come back and post whatever YOU want to post. :)
jessie says
Looks great. The trim finished everything off nicely. Good job!
Maria says
Does the light fixture give sufficient light? I am also planning a laundry redo and instead of going with recessed lighting, I decided a mounted light fixture would personalize the space more. I keep coming across 60 watt fixtures that I like, but am worried that one bulb may not be enough lighting. Thoughts?
Jen says
I’m wondering the same thing Maria, I’ll have to check back to see if they respond.
Caitlin says
It says in the post that the overhead light is sufficient for the room but the under cabinet lights are good for treating stains.
YoungHouseLove says
It’s great for a room like this (it’s 8 x 7 without any windows). Very bright in there!
xo
s
Olivia says
We’ve started a mason jar to fill with the funny things you find in the bottom of the washer (after a load of kids clothes, obviously). So far it’s full of Legos, beads, rocks from the playground, squinkies, and a nerf darts. Great gift for the grad when they leave home ;)
Christi says
Okay – I am a mom to be – but what is a Squinkie? ;)
Jennifer S says
Looks beautiful! Can you share your source for the undercabinet lighting? I have tried the ‘stick on,’ battery powered under cabinet lights in my laundry room, and they burned out too quickly. I would love some that I can plug in (trying to get some under cabinet lighting without involving an electrician).
Jackie C says
I’d love to know which undercabinet lights you chose, also! We’ve been contemplating for our kitchen but were put off by some of the displays at Ikea because they felt incredibly hot to the touch.
The room looks great! Thanks for sharing :)
Laura Belle says
Would also love to know which undercabinet lights you went with! And how you installed them!
YoungHouseLove says
We went with these (in white): http://www.ikea.com/us/en/catalog/products/50119351/
xo
s
susan says
whoa! that looks so lovely!
i really like the warm counter top, frames and baskets with the grays and white. very nice.
did you get the under-cabinet lighting from ikea? you said it was an impulse thing when you bought your cabinets, so i’m guessing yes. could you please share the style and how they were to install? i’m desperately needing some and not a fan of the flickering fluorescents.
thanks much!
YoungHouseLove says
We went with these (in white): http://www.ikea.com/us/en/catalog/products/50119351/
xo
s
ang says
Love!! hey, where did you get mint basket and decor, and also those clothespins? Kinds obsessed.
Andrea says
Me too! I mean, the room is fantastic, but I REALLY want to know where those clothespins were found! :)
Andrea says
Boom! Found ’em at Bed, Bath and Beyond. They’re by Real Simple. http://www.bedbathandbeyond.com/store/product/Real-Simple-reg-36-Count-Rubber-Tipped-Wood-Clothes-Pins/1017916289?Keyword=clothespins
Cynthia says
Yum. I am mint green with envy.
valerie says
I LOVE using a wooden pants hanger to hang the fabric more than you could ever know. I’m going to be redoing my laundry area and think I’m going to steal that idea!
Alice says
Love it! I’m about to snag one of those drying racks. I think my kitchen chairs would appreciate it. I love how you guys think of everything (e.g. Missing sock basket, change dish)! How do you think of it all??
Renee says
Looks great! I’m not ready to tackle my laundry area, but a shelf like that over the washer & dryer is floating around in my brain… wouldn’t take that long… so handy…. hmmm… I’ll be back. :D
em says
Looks great. Well done! I may have to steal your cute little green garbage can idea for the link- not that the Target bag hanging from a shelf next to the dryer hasn’t worked well for us . . . I do have a question. What is the point of the sorter in the laundry room? Do you bring a hamper full of dirty clothes into the laundry room and then sort it? I confess that I pretty much never sort laundry- I just do darks and lights all together. I have only had a problem once when some red thing bled onto everything. Mostly we had a few new pink undershirts and socks, so no big deal. But, my husband’s lab coat was in that load so we had to toss it (or he’d have to sport a Dr. Barbie look). Now we just wash lab coats separately. We don’t really have anything else that this white and worth the trouble.
I can’t believe you have lived without a drying rack all this time. We have a not very stable one, admittedly. But, it is indispensible for bathing suits, bras, sweaters, and work-out clothes.
Isabel says
A sorter is the best thing ever. I couldn’t find mine after my last move and it was crazy how much I missed having it. I sort colors from whites but I also use it a lot for stuff that I may not need to wash right away, like sheets and towels, or for stuff I might have to hand wash at a later time, like sweaters.
J&S – the laundry room is gorgeous! Great, great job! I would want to do laundry every day :)
Lisa E says
You don’t have to throw those pink clothes away em! RIT has a box you throw in that removes that oops!
Leah says
I do the lazy sort, which might work for you — I wash “lights” and “darks.” So, khakis, light blue shirt, grey shorts, white shirt, etc all go in the same load while anything darker goes in another load. Super simple and doesn’t take much time.
I also wash towels and jeans separate. Towels fuzz other clothes up. We wear a lot of nice work clothes, and we don’t want them roughed up by jeans.
Stephanie DR says
Love our laundry sorter, but we don’t have a hamper or basket for dirty clothes in any of our rooms. We take our dirty laundry to the laundry room daily and sort it out as we go. Its actually a great time saver!
YoungHouseLove says
Yes, we have done whites, darks, and sheets/towels in that last slot.
xo
s
Morgan says
It looks amazing! Do you know the dimensions of this room? We are building a house in NC and I’m wondering how the size of our laundry room compares. Thanks!
YoungHouseLove says
It’s 7′ wide by 8′ deep.
xo
s
A says
Really, REALLY love it. Makes me want to do laundry lol.
Colleen says
So BEAUTIFUL!!!
I love the aqua/green accents, and having all laundry things in one place is to die for. My laundry room is currently in the dungeon (unfinished portion) of my basement. I love laundry but hate my laundry area. This is a dream com true, and I am so happy for you guys. Even if it doesn’t gain you a cent in home value (which it will), you have gained SO MUCH in beauty, function and durability. You could even add a cozy chair or bean bag, and read with your under cabinet lights on while little ones nap, basking in the gorgeousness :)
Great job!
Rachel says
Beautiful as expected!! (I FULLY support a solar tube light. I have one over my master shower, and would love to have one in every dark room. They are worth EVERY penny!)
Christy says
Rachel, how much did your solar tube light cost to install? Did you hire someone or put it in yourself?
Laura @ a nurse and a nerd says
I totally thought John was standing there in his boxers! :-) Best to keep that behind closed doors! Ha!
Mandi says
The mint color from World Market is the perfect color! I looooove your new laundry room. Don’t mind me, I’ll be petting the screen for days. It’s not a big deal…
Emily, Our house now a home says
I love how it turned out! The combination of light with gray is one of my favorite color combos. And that herringbone back splash is amazing. But I have to say one thing. If that is what a load of laundry looks like for your family of four I am jealous. I have a family of 5 and one of those baskets holds the hangers needed to do the laundry. Either you are “doing” laundry (posing), or let me in on your secret. Repeat clothing? Nude days? What gives? :)
YoungHouseLove says
A bunch was already in the washer, with some in the sorter too. We like to let things build up and do big loads :)
xo
s
Ashley says
Can you update if you still like your washer/dryer/ i was actually looking at that set this week, and i am interested to see if you still like it.
YoungHouseLove says
Still love them!
xo
s
Lori says
Uh-mazing…makes me want to come over and do laundry!! Totally bummed with what i got going on now!
Allison says
So nice! Where did you get the mini mint garbage can?
YoungHouseLove says
World Market!
xo
s
Allyson says
This. is. awesome. I’m loving every bit of this post.
And just to hopefully help you guys with an example, this post could have probably been content for 3 posts (a post about art, a post about organization/function, a post about your thought process around each piece?) Maybe you guys just need to put less pressure on yourselves/timelines and split it up to be more manageable? I understand you’ll get the “what’s that art on the wall? how did you do xyz?” as you post in smaller chunks, but it might be what could work better for you and your busy selves :)
ashley says
i second this….as much as everyone likes a big, dramatic reveal, i think if this were broken down into multiple posts it would have the advantage of being smaller/more digestible (for those of us who read at work), and you’d be able to post more days of the week.
Michela says
100% agree!
Suzie says
Have to 100% disagree! I appreciate that they did not drag this out into multiple posts. It was refreshing to finally see the finished product.
Cara says
I’m with Suzie. This “room reveal” was the perfect post to kick off the week! No need to drag it out any more… keeping all the final details together in one post makes the debut of the space even more exciting. It looks fabulous! And having read all of the technical posts makes me extra appreciative of the hard work it took to create this new room!!
Nicole says
Chiming in to agree with Allyson that this could have been fodder for 3 posts, and then to agree even more with Cara that this post was actually really exciting because the room was completely finished – it was like a final ‘ta-dah!’ moment for the project. Congratulations on the product of all your hard work, it looks like a lovely functional space to be in! (Oh and I love that you have designated spots for spare change, random objects and rubbish, it’s those small but seriously functional suggestions that I often find myself using in my own home. :))
Meg @ Meg, Acting Out says
Awesomesauce! The art you’re looking into (plus some Clara art) will brighten it even more (not that it’s not already bright…argh, Monday, you’ve stolen my ability to speak). :-) It’s a super cheery space; must make doing laundry a bit less of a chore!
Liz says
Oh, I would love to hear what a realtor has to say about the added value!
This is hands down my favorite renovation you guys have done. I personally loved getting the low down on all the technical stuff. If you can do this with a laundry closet I can’t wait to see what kind of magic happens in the storage room!
alex says
You must be a new reader then if you think this is THE best renovation they’ve ever done. This is fine but mostly just basic stuff, nothing life changing. White cabinets, white machines, plain wood shelf are nice but their kitchen renos are far more dramatic and tons of other stuff from their first two houses. But, 100 different people, 100 different points of view ;)
Lena C. says
We younghouse heads are a lively bunch :)
Abother post idea…you have done SO many amazing things to your home, have you ever considered a post doing a comparative of investment to return on investment? Not trying to get too technical, but stuff like that is also helpful. So in case we aren’t in our forever homes, we have some perspective on what we should tackle for maximum return.