it’s been about 9 months since we finished our laundry room and I couldn’t be happier!! Finally after being in our house for over six and half years, we started renovations on our basement! Our basement is a finished basement that features a full bathroom, bar, living space, kitchenette, storage area and of course our utilities. Besides your typical kitchenette appliances, the washer and dryer were also featured there. We decided to completely remove the kitchenette and build a laundry room instead.
As many of you know, laundry is the pain of my existence. I can have piles and piles of laundry that needs to be folded all over that kitchenette area for weeks on end (which I can’t believe that I am even admitting this, but I’m hoping that some of you reading this can relate!). Life gets in the way, work gets in the way, especially nightshift work and the laundry just overpowers me. BUT I am hoping this new and improved laundry room will change that. I’ve created a beautiful space for me to do that.
Over the course of a month my husband worked his behind off creating this laundry oasis for me. He framed the room, worked on electrical and updated our plumbing. He sheet rocked, spackled, sanded and respackled again. He leveled the floor, laid down tile and grouted. It was a true labor of love. And totally worth it.
When we first moved into our house, the kitchenette area housed a row of cabinets, an electric stovetop and oven on the one side and on the other there was a sink cabinet with a wall separating it from the washer and dryer.
As you can see, all this was pretty outdated. So, we removed all of this for a clean, new slate.
My husband is very handy. He pretty much can do anything which I am incredibly grateful for. We’ve saved a lot of money over the years doing the work ourselves between his handiness and my painter’s touch. To tackle this laundry room, we talked about what we both wanted out of this room. We both wanted a slop sink and a cabinet with a large counter top to fold laundry and I wanted a utility closet to store my ironing board, hangers and a few other odds and ends.
So let’s start with the kitchen cabinet I found on Ikea’s website aka the folding station.
I originally thought we were going to go with kitchen cabinets from Home Depot and find a countertop of some sort that would fit, but then I saw this gem on Ikea’s website and we were sold. This whole unit – cabinet and countertop – was less than $200! Now some people may think that Ikea’s products are cheap and won’t last long, but let me tell you, I have had several Ikea furniture pieces that have lasted over 10 years and still going strong. So with that being said, I am pretty confident that this cabinet will last. I still need to get a few cabinet knobs to complete the look, but I love it!
After successfully finding the cabinet on Ikea’s website, I searched for a closet or wardrobe that would serve as the utility closet. It had to fit perfectly in the space that was left and Ikea did not disappoint.
This wardrobe I came across is actually from Ikea’s children’s line. Yes, you heard that right! This children’s wardrobe was exactly what we needed. It fit perfectly in the space between the cabinet and wall. And the best part about it is it was only $69! So affordable!
Next up we wanted a utility sink that could be used for easy hand washing or rinsing out clothes or other items. I didn’t want your typical utility sink, I wanted something that was nicer to go with the flow of the laundry room.
This utility sink from Home Depot fit the ticket! What I love about this sink is it’s a nice deep sink with storage underneath! You can’t ever have enough storage! Our sink isn’t sold at Home Depot anymore, but this is a similar one at the same price point. This paper towel holder was easy for over the sink. Just wash your hands and grab a towel. Hubby wanted a mirror over the sink and I had this mirror lying around from HomeGoods I bought a few years ago. It was perfect for over the sink!
Now let’s talk about the floor! I LOVE the tile we picked out! This flooring trend is pretty popular right now and I love the farmhouse look. I wanted something that would be bright and exciting. Something that would actually bring a smile to your face and you’d have no problem doing the chore ahead of you!
We bought the tile and everything we needed from Home Depot. This grout is what one online reviewer used for their bathroom. It matched perfectly!
Now onto the decor! It might seem crazy to buy decorations for your laundry room. I mean you’re just folding laundry, a typical household chore right? BUT I wanted to still try and make it flow with the rest of the house and if it’s decorated, the laundry would be more enticing.
One thing I absolutely love is the laundry sign above the washer and dryer.
You walk into the laundry room and that’s pretty much the first thing you see. You know right where you are!
On either side of the dryer, I bought lint bins from Amazon. One for actual lint and the other for garbage right next to the sink. There’s no room for a trash can at the moment and I figured this would be perfect!
One of the things I was super excited about was a laundry sorter. I wanted one that had four compartments – one for everyday clothes, my work uniforms, my hubby’s work uniforms and whites. Currently I am using a separate laundry bin for my uniforms due to the pandemic, but this laundry sorter is great! It has wheels so I can easily move it about the room, which I love!
Next to the washer, I wanted a shelf to hold dryer sheets, laundry detergent and stain remover. This two-pack of floating shelves was perfect. I used one next to the washer and the other on the wall next to the folding station.
My hubby started a new hobby using a laser router to carve out designs and lettering in wood and other elements. He enjoy it so much, he even started his own Etsy shop. He made these signs for our laundry room and I placed a potted faux plant next to them. I also came across this laundry sign from Hobby Lobby and I just fell in love with it! And the saying is totally true, at least in our home!
I found this mini lamb’s ear wreath from Target. I actually found it online in their Bullseye Playground section. It came with a four-pack of mini wreaths and I thought this would be perfect on the back of the laundry room door.
I hope you enjoyed this tour of our laundry room and has given you inspiration for your own laundry room. Even a few changes can enhance any space!
I love love love your new laundry room! It is so pretty. I never would have guessed the cabinets and countertop was from Ikea. I may look into those for myself!