Young House Love

Home Decorating & DIY Tutorials

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More Tile, Room Plans, & A New Door

Back to THE ROOM THAT DIDN’T EXIST A FEW WEEKS AGO. Pardon my type-screaming, but it doesn’t get much more exciting than that in my world. (Sidenote: I had a dream last night that there was a column in the newspaper called Shellac This! – all about shellacking a different piece of furniture each day – and the world was so enamored with it that normal morning conversation was “did you see what they shellacked this morning in Shellac This?” and it was getting turned into a major motion picture).

We left you with a primed-&-ready picture of our new laundry room in Monday’s post, so let’s start there (we used VOC-free Kilz Premium from Home Depot). This room is only around 7′ wide by 8′ deep so it went pretty fast. Here she is all ready for paint:

Paint Primer On

Oh but before picking a paint color we picked floor tile. It’s from The Tile Shop & it’s called Blast Anthracite. It’s $6.59 a square foot so the whole floor will be around $350 (we got 10% off with the YHL10 discount code). We loved how it looked with the accent tile we bought (remember that will go above the washer & dryer but below the wall cabinets).

Paint Tile In Store

We appreciated that the floor tile wasn’t too light (read: it won’t show every ball of lint or hair) and that it would look good running up against the hardwoods in the hallway (it always helps to remember what will be next to what). But the main thing that sold us are the striations. You can sort of see the pretty veins and variations in this shot, but in person they’re gorgeous.

Paint Tile In Store Detail

After we picked the tile, I sat down and played around with a little mood board action – just to see what we liked together, and to figure out what wall color we wanted. Of course everything here might change as we go (except for the appliances and tile picks), but it feels like a nice place to start:

 

Laundry Mood Board

  1. Some warm wood elements will balance out the gray tile & the shiny appliances – like a butcher block counter for the cabinet next to the appliances.
  2. Here’s our washer & dryer (more on those here).
  3. We think this cozy room is a nice spot to try out one of the newer designs from our Shades of Light collection.
  4. This colored basket is charming. Colorful yet natural. So… coltural?
  5. I’ve been pining after these prints for a long time, and the laundry room might be just the place.
  6. A cute wood letterpress drawer on the wall could display something Clara & I have been collecting for a while…
  7. White cabinets to tie into our appliances and make the butcher block pop.
  8. These knobs could be fun on the cabinets – especially since they resemble our lighting choice.
  9. Here’s the tile we already got for the wall above the washer & dryer (more on that here).
  10. And here’s our floor tile.
  11. Last we have a Dash & Albert rug to add a little more texture and a hint of color.

After playing around and seeing things like the tile and the warm wood tones with some colorful art come together, we were ready to pick our wall color. We knew we wanted something light (it’s not very big and doesn’t have any windows), but we also didn’t want to go with stark white since we want the trim and the cabinets to feel more like architecture by standing out a bit from the wall color. But finding a good light-but-not-white tone for the walls still felt a little arbitrary (hello 167 swatches, I’m sure one of you will be perfect). So we decided to make a more abstract, in-person mood board right in the room:

Paint Moodboard

We just sort of grabbed things from around the house that we thought could loosely represent materials/colors/patterns that might end up in there, like the shiny white drum stool (it’s really close in color to our appliances), our tile samples, some warm wood tones, etc. Oh and the terrarium actually represents the light fixture, since it has similar coloring and lines.

Paint Moodboard Detail

Bringing all of these things together into the room made picking a paint color feel less arbitrary (we could hold swatches up to the tile and the wood tones and the finishes and see what looked best right in the room). And imagine our surprise when our favorite swatch ended up being Going To The Chapel by Benjamin Moore – which we actually used in Teddy’s room! We like the idea of repeating that color somewhere else in our house since we’re fans of a whole-house palette that ties together, usually with a few colors that reoccur a few times. So into the laundry room it went (we went with an eggshell finish in BM’s VOC-free Natura line).

Paint Room Painted

I realize that photo isn’t wildly different than the priming one that started this post, but in person the room went from feeling stark and unfinished to feeling a lot more polished and room-like. And it was amazing to give the new end of the hallway a fresh coat of paint to tie it into the original walls. Aside from those raw doorways and floors, it looks like it has always been this way!

Paint Hallway Painted

Remember we were just drawing on pictures a month ago and now these rooms and doorways are a reality?!

LaundryTwo Drawing Of Doors

I can’t wait to get our special glass door to the future bunk-room in. Speaking of that, we picked one out! After considering a bunch of options (something that came frosted, one big glass pane, etc) we decided it would feel nice and cohesive to go with the same type of 15-paned glass door that we have downstairs leading out to the deck.

Egg Chair Final Pulled Back

We also would love to add glass paned french doors like that to the office someday (like this), so knowing that those would be the same style felt like it was a good choice for upstairs as well. That way they might all look original, if that makes sense. And we liked the idea of the glass being clear so that we have the option of frosting it or adding a shade from behind the door (like this) instead of committing to a frosted door forever.

Bunkroom Door

The good news is that it’s an in-stock door at Home Depot so it’s only $149. We do have to paint it ourselves and of course frame it in, add hinges, add a knob, etc – but it’s going to be one of my favorite parts, I just know it. So now our to-do list looks something like this:

  • Move washer & dryer and remove cabinetry (more on that here)
  • Demo cased opening, side wall, back wall, part of the floor and the attic step
  • Frame new walls & doorways
  • Move laundry plumbing hook-ups & drains
  • Move laundry electrical (plus other lights, switches, and outlets) (more on those last four bullets here)
  • Move dryer vent & HVAC duct (more on that here)
  • Hang drywall (more on that here)
  • Add insulation (more on that here)
  • Mud, tape, and sand all the drywall seams in the new room (more on that here)
  • Prime & paint laundry room and hallway walls
  • Tile & grout new laundry floor
  • Add baseboards and door casings
  • Rehang laundry door
  • Add new glass door to future bunk-room
  • Add upper cabinetry and crown molding
  • Add lower cabinet next to washer & dryer with countertop
  • Tile & grout laundry room backsplash
  • Reinstall washer & dryer
  • Add ceiling light fixture
  • Hang art, ironing board, and bring in other laundry room items
  • Finishing touches and repairs (drywall in garage, step in attic, etc)

So before we hang any doors we have to install & grout the laundry room floor tile, which we hope to have done by Monday. I can’t even handle how much that’s going to make things feel like a room. And we’ll be one step closer to bringing the washer & dryer back in. I know doing laundry doesn’t excite many people, but the idea of being able to wash things at home again is pretty captivating to this girl right now. I predict a reenactment of Happy Feet while those machines hum.

Comments

  1. Susan says

    Looking great! We are going through the same process at the same time. We enclosed the covered area of our deck making a sunroom/craft room. And I am at the floor tile portion of the job. Hope your post is super step by step like all your DIY posts are. I have an idea how to begin but your blog just seems to give me more confidence over generic how-to websites. Then after that, for me, will be alllllll the moulding–new windows and doors so all the moulding for those (haven’t even decided what I’m doing there). Then the crown and base. Think I’ll use your search box to see what you’ve posted on those subjects!

    Reply

  2. Lisa says

    I love your blog because my taste is similar to yours. For years, I had been wanting your west elm day bed and parsons desk. I used to go visit them in the store, but never found a place for them. Lo and behold, they seem to have lived in many incarnations in your last three homes. I have also been visiting the rug you just bought for your office but I didn’t get it because I can’t warrant the purchase (even on sale) with my 3 year old who throws up when upset, accident prone me, and my one year old daughter who is more comfortable clinging double fisted to snacks. That, plus my neurotic husband meant that it’s not in the cards for right now.

    But I digress. I just put your floor tile down in my kitchen and am about to put it in my bathroom. I literally almost bought your backsplash tile from Home Depot–herringbone, small, marble to match your floor tile in my in progress bathroom. I saw your post on my I phone while at work and I laughed at loud to see the parallels in our lives and tastes.

    So if you don’t have the tile in your hands yet, the Jeffrey court (I thnk) marble from Home Depot was a dead ringer. Not sure if it’s in stock by you.

    What the tile expert said above about setting the floor tile is true. I did it in a hopscotch pattern to minimize that in my kitchen. I was planning to 50 percent brick it out in my bathroom so now I am not sure. I’ll see what my handyman thinks. (I don’t have anyone in my house as fearless as you and john and I have to hire out though I hope to become more diy savvy as time goes on, I am like you guys at the beginning of your blog and journey,)

    Reply

    • YoungHouseLove says

      Thanks so much! If you give Shades of Light a call on their website they can give you shipping info (I hear it’s just what Fed Ex would charge to deliver it overseas, but it can be extremely expensive). Another idea would be to find one of those services that ships things from one country to another (so Shades of Light could have a US address to ship the light to, but that address would be a company that reroutes things to Australia).

      xo
      s

    • Leanne says

      I did exactly that and you’re correct very expensive. So i’m now looking into the other shipping company options. However i need size of the light box and weight so i’m waiting on a reply from Shades of Light.

      Hope i can get my hands on this light <3

  4. Robyn says

    I’m curious did you put a drain in the floor just in case there is ever a issue with water and the washing machine? Or maybe you will use one of those tray thingys under the washer?

    Reply

  6. Shellie says

    Wow, the laundry room is really looking like a room now! And it’s looking great! I love the tile you guys picked – the colors and styles really complement each other. My washer and dryer are stuck in a big, ugly room with all of the mechanicals (furnace, water heater, etc), so I don’t think we will ever have a pretty laundry room like you two are going to have… but it’s sure nice to dream :)

    Reply

  7. Kelly says

    GORGEOUS. Classic, but fun. I love it!

    Have you guys considered installing some undercabinet lights? They’ve been a lifesaver in our house; we’ve found that, when you stand in front of the washer, trying to figure out if you need to spot treat a stain, your shadow actually blocks the view because the light source is behind you. Undercabinet lights will be easier on your eyes, and they will make that accent tile SPARKLE! They’re super easy to wire (since you’ve got an outlet on that wall already and the back side of that wall is unfinished for easy access!

    Reply

  9. Jenny says

    I would love to know how to make a virtual mood board like you did here. Maybe everyone else already knows how to do this? Do you need photoshop?

    Have you ever done or considered doing a post about how to gather images and products found online into a mood board?

    Can’t wait to see the finished laundry room!

    Reply

  11. Jennifer Cobb says

    Love EVERYTHING you do, and this room is no exception! cant wait to see the finished article (I bet you can’t too!)

    Will there be some family posts soon? I adore hearing about your family life, even just a few Clara-isms would tide me over :-) xxxx

    Reply

  12. Lisa says

    One other thing, I also love the light fixture but i would love it in satin or brushed nickel. Would you guys be able to make that?!!!

    Reply

  13. Libby says

    Glass paned doors to the laundry room! I think it would help that part of the hallway look less closed & dark. Besides I like them & would put them on bedroom doorways! (with frosting of course!)

    “ShellacThis!” I’d watch it! Develop a proposal!

    Reply

    • YoungHouseLove says

      Just don’t look too closely. Haha! Just kidding, but I tend to dust every few weeks (just with a microfiber cloth or a feather duster) and it’s not too bad. Honestly my least favorite thing is dusting the baseboards!

      xo
      s

  16. Kerry says

    A friend shared this blog with me, and it is so exciting! I’m so impressed with the projects that ya’ll have completed, and I can’t wait to see the laundry room all finished! That tile is GREAT! My husband and I are currently house shopping and plan on doing many renovations ourselves, so I’m planning on keeping up with your progress on here to borrow some of these amazing ideas :) One of the houses we are looking at (http://www.kerrysbox.com/blog/2014/08/15/monstrocity/) is pretty much the ultimate DIY that would take FOREVER, and we could use all the ideas we can get! :)

    Reply

  17. kati says

    Are you dreaming: of all new things for accessories, or of saving some dough and using what you’ve got on hand (maybe in the storage room????) I thought we were getting a sneak peek of your final accessories when you made the mood board. Can’t wait to see how it ends up!

    Reply

    • YoungHouseLove says

      I think most of the pretty accessories will be things we have but some functional new stuff (like a trash can and maybe a drying rack) might be new.

      xo
      s

  18. Lauren says

    Sorry if you’ve spoken about this before, but do you use a particular program to create your moodboards? I know you’re an Apple family, and I’m a pc girl, but do you have any programs for them that you would recommend? Thanks for any input. Love the way this room is coming together. I draw so much inspiration from your homes to use in my own house.

    Reply

  19. A says

    Have you hung an unhung door before?

    I have, many of them (I paintedthem before we trued to hang any). I strongly strongly STRONGLY advise you to get the pre-hung version instead. Even if it’stwice the price,it’s worth it.

    Reply

  21. mikey says

    Care to share what the final product looks like? I have some space in my house and I wanted to do some laundry / working area. Btw, love the patio :)

    Reply

  22. allison says

    Do you mind sharing where you purchased the lantern light fixture? I checked Shades of Light, but don’t see it. Thanks so much!

    Reply

  23. Nicole B. says

    I love all the progress so far! The herringbone accent tile with the anthracite floor tile is going to look really beautiful. It must be a great feeling seeing the plans come to a reality.

    Reply

  25. Jennifer says

    First let me say how much I LOVE your blog! I always look to you to know what is going to be the newest craze…(insert fox dance). I do have to admit that I was a little surprised with the herringbone backsplash. With the horrible chevron insanity going on I would have thought you would have avoided it altogether and show us a pattern I dont see everywhere I turn. I love that you always introduce us to new patterns and colors and shapes. Keep up the good work and keep showing us something new and different:)

    Reply

  27. Krissy says

    My favorite purchase in our house were the washer and dryer. It was so nice not to walk down to Nathan’s grandparents’ house in the rain/snow with hampers of laundry. Laundry in your own house is the best.

    Reply

  28. Matt C says

    Not to sound like a total creeper, but I have spent the last week and a half going through every single post you guys have written. My wife has been a diligent follower for about 4 years now, so I was familiar with the blog. I even went with her to DC so she could go to your book signing. We have recently moved to RVA and are looking to buy a house. With home projects on the brain I pulled up your blog. As I started going through a few posts I realized I needed to go back to the beginning. It has been like a binge watching a Netflix series. Just one more post I would say as I. Now that I am done it is like having to wait every week for a new episode. So thanks for the ideas. I’m sure I will be going back and reviewing several things while embarking on future projects. This also explains my wives obsession to buying a fixer upper brick ranch. So John add another tick on the list of men who read your blog!

    Reply

  29. Jamie says

    What about a barn door for your laundry room? We love ours and always get so many compliments and you can hang just about any type/style of door!

    Reply

    • YoungHouseLove says

      We definitely considered that but decided the same six-panel door we have in the rest of the rooms off of the hallway will tie things in (and make this feel like it has always been here). And that way the glass door to the future bunk-room can be the star!

      xo
      s

  30. Emily says

    Maybe this is a dumb question, but where will your washing machine be draining to? My laundry room has a large pipe that stands upright about 4 ft tall and goes through the floor to the basement where my washer drains after rinsing. I’d love to get rid of it or modify it if possible because it’s location is perfect for a small pantry cabinet.

    Reply

  31. Cheryl says

    I’ve searched through all the comments and tried to find it on these update posts, but I can’t figure out whether your floor tiles are stone or ceramic? I also clicked on the Tile Shop link, but it doesn’t say either! Eek!

    Reply

  32. Michelle says

    Faux frosting with “clear” contact paper is an awesome temporary fix! I did my glass front door 2 years ago and it’s still perfect. Well, as perfect as it started out. I used the method found on Ashley’s blog 7thhouseontheleft.

    Reply

  34. Leo says

    Have the same exterior light!! love vintage style. So lucky to have come across this blog, best thing to happen to home decor after the invention of wall decals. Speaking of which those vast areas of whitewash on the wall look like like need filling with something creative :D Knowing your blog, you’re always willing to try something new and exciting :P Good luck!!

    http://www.infinitywallart.com

    Reply

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