I’ve been showing you bits and pieces of our new house in Savannah, and today you’ll get to see what I did in our laundry room {here are the links to the front porch, back porch, and front hall/entryway}. I usually take the time to make the laundry room look nice, since I spend so much time in that room. One day, I’ll have one large enough to hold a TV, mini-fridge, and chaise lounge! And a housekeeper to actually DO the laundry for me, of course! 🙂
It will be hard to beat the laundry room redo that I did in our Nashville home; while that was a very small space, I had so much fun redecorating it, and it wound up in the pages of Cottages & Bungalows magazine (see more here).
Our Nashville laundry room
Our new laundry room is slightly larger, with cherry cabinets and a small laundry sink, which is always a nice bonus. It’s right off the garage, though, so there are two doors to contend with. Here’s the before:
If you were following the discussion we had on Facebook about which washer and dryer set to buy (we had to leave our old LG set in Nashville for our renters), I wound up buying the LG 2650 washer and dryer and they’re both great. I love the steam options!
I’m not allowed to paint the cabinets white, so I had to make the cherry work. I chose Sherwin-Williams Sea Salt for the wall color and was thrilled with how it worked with the colors and fabrics I already had in the laundry room.
Here’s a long shot from the hallway. I added the iron brackets for some visual interest (I found them HERE).
The fabric-covered baskets are from HomeGoods; I decided to upgrade from plastic laundry baskets and haven’t regretted it. The vintage wash board is from a flea market (find a similar one HERE).
The sink was decorated with some of my enamelware collection (the rest of it is in use behind the cabinet doors). My husband hung my beloved and much-used drying rack just to the left of the sink.
The white pitcher holds dried lavender, so it doubles as an air freshener, too. The old photo is of my great-grandparents, my grandmother (at about age 5) and great-uncle. Some of the enamelware in this room is my grandmother’s, so it seemed an appropriate place to display her picture.
I posted this picture on Facebook a few months ago; it’s from Psalm 51:7 and I think it’s a great verse to have in the laundry room. You can download a free printable of it {here}.
My ironing board is on the wall, ready to go. I’ve had the cover for quite a few years, but it’s from HomeGoods (similar custom ones are here).
I bought some of the matching fabric a few years ago, and used a small scrap of it to make a curtain to cover the faucets and hoses behind the washing machine. The plastic square around the hoses usually will pull out enough that you can just tuck the fabric behind it, or you can use a hot glue gun (like this) to attach it. Hot glue will usually peel off the plastic without leaving any residue when it’s time to move (or change your fabric!).
I made the ironing board holder from a set of hooks; you can read more about that {here}.
I used a vintage-looking tool box to hold my laundry supplies, but I actually bought it at HomeGoods a few months ago. I’m still looking for a “real” vintage toolbox at the flea market, though! (similar available here)
I changed out the cabinet knobs (they were plain brushed nickel) for these light blue ones I had from my master bathroom in our old house. I’ll just change them back when it’s time to move.
While we’re talking laundry, the best smelling laundry detergent in the history of the world is this one; I use it to wash my guest sheets and towels and people always ask what it is. It’s pricey, but I cut it with unscented laundry detergent to make it last longer.
The top of the cabinets are put to use, too, and the pieces up there are decorative and functional. If you’ve followed us for awhile, you’ll recognize lots of the items, since I just move things around from one house to the next!
My housekeeping books and soaps are corralled in a vintage wire freezer basket and an enamelware bowl:
My grandmother’s aqua mason jars hold borax, OxyClean, and baking soda:
And spare boxes of borax, extra clothespins and twine hang out in the corner:
I needed to utilize every inch of this small space, so I hung a row of hooks at kid-level behind the door, and another one on the back of the door. While one of my old baby dresses makes it look so cute right now, in another few days we’ll have backpacks, sweaters, and sports bags hanging there instead:
I decided to repurpose this chicken wire basket as a shelf. It will probably never look this neat again!
This trio of white plaques hangs above the door to the garage:
And that’s it–for now. I’m still debating on whether it’s worth the trouble to take down the fluorescent light fixture and put up a small chandelier. Since I have the cabinets and doors to contend with, it might just be easier to leave the flush-mounted light in place, but I’ll keep you posted.
Tell me I’m not the only who decorates laundry rooms, please!
Thanks for stopping by!
Thank you for this post. I have a small pass through to the garage laundry room that is in need of brightening.
Just like mine! It’s well worth decorating then, because not only do you do your laundry in there, but it’s also a main thoroughfare in your home. Good luck!
Looks amazing, Christy! You know the answer… We love to decorate the laundry room! We spend so much time in there, it needs to be amazing!!! Right?!?
Exactly, girl! Maybe a flat screen TV in my next one?!
Wow, Christy! What a beautiful laundry room! I love your idea of making a curtain to cover those pesky hoses behind the washing machine. I’m going to look through my stash of fabric scraps and try to make one. I just decorated my laundry room a couple of years ago and I love being in there now. 🙂
Thanks, Lisa. I also considered using a cord cover on those hoses, but then the faucets would still show. Hmm, maybe I need to invent something?!
I love decorating my laundry room. It’s were I enter the house from the garage so I figure since it’s the first place I see when I come home, it should be as nice as the rest of my house.
Glad to hear I’m not alone, Debby. Thanks for stopping by!
Is there a how to for the “hose” curtain you made?
Misti, there isn’t. I just cut a square of fabric (I didn’t even hem it!) and tucked it in around the white plastic plumbing box. Those pull out from the wall a little bit so you can shove the fabric in there. It’s not very high-tech, that’s for sure!
I am so excited to see this since my new laundry room will have the same setup. I also enjoying how you are brightening up the rooms with dark cabinets. They are pretty, but white make such a difference. I will have more of honey color in all the rooms and until I paint them these suggestions will work wonderfully. Happy first day of school! Adriana
I would definitely prefer to paint the cabinets, like you’re planning to, but since I can’t do that in this house, I just have to use other tricks! 🙂
Another milspouse here – and I decorate mine too! I even have an antique washboard & my enamelware in there. 😀
Sounds like we have a lot in common, Shari! I’m glad you left me a comment to let me know!
another masterpiece! Love the wall color perfect for a laundry room. Bet you enjoy having a sink, too. Cute idea to cover the hoses with matching fabric. Did you make the white towel holder to the left of the sink? Handy to have for drying small items that are slightly damp. So tasteful. Pinned.
Thanks, Patty V! Yes, I love having a sink. It’s funny, though, because I will forget that I have one in there. I found myself washing a paintbrush at the kitchen sink the other day…I haven’t had a sink in the laundry room in more years than I can count!
No, I didn’t make the white drying rack/towel holder. It’s from Ballard Designs, and it was my Mother’s Day gift a few years ago. My husband will want me to tell you that I ASKED for it, lest you think he’s the sort who gifts me with vacuum cleaners and the like! 🙂
Hi Christy-
Your posts are so inspiring; super organized yet thoughtful and personal! We just did a mini renovation in our laundry room…now I need to get at it with the finishing touches! I’ve been in a home-work slump, but your post has me motivated. Thanks for sharing.
Anna, thank you so much for your kind words! I love decorating and sharing the finished product with all of you, so it’s great to hear that you find it inspiring. Good luck on your laundry room–I’m sure that when you’re done you’ll (almost) enjoy spending time in there!
Oh!! I love your laundry room. Makes me want to skip my Master Bath makeover and go do my laundry room. And, the bible verse is perfect!
xoxo
Denyse
Thanks, Denyse. Hmm, the master bath is all about relaxation, but I’ll bet you spend more time in your laundry room. Better do them both ASAP! 🙂
I am just in awe of your skill in making such a lovely home environment. You leave no stone unturned, and your abilities to organize are fabulous!!! You are an inspiration 🙂
Wow, Susie, what kind words. Thank you so very much! XOXO Christy
What is the color of your laundry room? Do you have a brand a name?
Yes, Danielle. It’s Sea Salt by Sherwin-WIlliams, and I used a flat latex.
Love your blog. My daughter is married to a Marine and moves around alot, I’m going to tell her about your blog she will love it. I decorated my laundry room this last year, I was tired of looking at boring white walls. I painted it a dark green, hung up vintage washboards and hung a huge Laundry sign over that window that I got from Hobby Lobby. Now I love my laundry room and it’s a great entrance into my house from the garage.
Lori M
That sounds really nice, Lori, and I think you’re smart to decorate it, especially since it’s one of the main entrances into your home. Yes, please tell your daughter to stop by–we have a great community of military spouses that follow us!
Chrissy,
Where did you find those wire baskets? I love your laundry room! I am working on mine.
Thanks so much, Holly! The basket on the wall is from TJ Maxx, and the one on top of the cabinets is actually an old freezer basket. Hope that helps!
I love the stencil that you used in your former laundry room. Did you buy it or did you make it yourself?
Elise–it’s a hand painted stencil; you can read all the details in the original post here: https://www.11magnolialane.com/2011/09/19/laundry-room-redo-making-the-most-of-a-small-space/
For the number of comments it looks like you are not alone in your desire for a pretty laundry room. I love the idea of a fabric panel to hide those ugly little hook up boes. How did you attach the panel to the box?
Traci
Traci–The box just slides into the drywall, so there’s a bit of lip that I tucked the fabric into. I know, it’s not very high-tech, but it works!
Oh! My! Lanta! Another person who loves to “decorate” the laundry room!!…and WOW is yours “totes adorbs” as my daughter would say! LOL Hubby and I are in the beginning faze of building a home and I FINALLY have a laundry room that isn’t a pass through to the garage! I’m in Florida and since this is our pre-retirement home…we realized we can’t retire in old town Key West…SO…we thought we’d bring old town Key West to US! I just LOVE both of your laundry rooms and have gotten the best ideas (better than the ideas that I’ve looked at for HOURS and HOURS on Pinterest!!) Now I’m going to try and recreate the feeling of BOTH of your laundry rooms (YES…complete with a chandelier!!) Thanks for the inspiring ideas!!
How did hang the fabric to cover the hoses?
Love love love your hose curtain. I’m going to copy it right away.
I am building a new house and my laundry room will be decorated I purchased a tiffany chandelier my husband thinks i have flipped I want mine pretty also
Love the ideas for on top of the cabinets! I think I might steal this idea! Thank you!
I just recently decorated mine. I always had a little, but I went all out. I have a small wash board similar to yours that I hung on the wall and a Tin picture of a little girl hanging clothes on the line. We had some older shelves already there, but they were brown, the Hubby painted the shelves and brackets white for me and he added a white shelf over the top of the washer and dryer so I could sit my pretty stuff! ha! I have displayed my collection of blue ball jars, a lamp sits on the shelf along with a jar with clothes pins and a small tin that says borax and I hung a sign from the window that simply says “laundry”. So I guess what I’m trying to say is….yes, I decorate my laundry room too. Lol! if I have to be in there, I think it should be pretty! I love yours, it all looks great! Actually I think we have very similar tastes.
Pam, it sounds awesome! I’m glad I’m not the only laundry room decorator out there 🙂 although somehow I knew I wouldn’t be! You should see the one at the house we live in now–it’s in the creepy, crawly old basement and there’s nothing nice about it. Oh, well, it’s only temporary.
Hi super happy I saw your post. Love the little fabric cover over the water tubes coming into washer! I already sent a email to my bestie who just got a new sewing machine that we need to do this! Your laundry room darling. Currently slowly redoing mine. Will be so happy when done. And yes it will be decorated. it is a basically closet laundry tiny room in our upstairs hallway so redoing has been challenging!
Hi, Molly–
That little hose cover is so easy to make, but it changes the look of the room! Good luck with your laundry room–we’ve had big ones and teeny closets, but they can be cute no matter what the size! You can see more of our laundry rooms over the years here: https://www.11magnolialane.com/room-by-room/laundry-rooms/
Take care–Christy