Laundry Room Finishing Touches

Right now it feels like all of our spaces are only about 75% done.  Taking a few months off of major DIY was nice, but I am diving back in and it is creating a huge trickle effect.  The office/boy den swap started months ago, but we are finally getting around to actually making the spaces our own with some personal touches.  Not only will we be finishing up those two areas, the adjoining family room will receive a few updates, as will the laundry room.  And then there is the kitchen/dining/living room.  Only a few final things to complete and those spaces will be finished as well.  #yikes

It can get a little overwhelming, and the organizer in me would love to just go down a list in each space and knock each one out, one after the other.  But our schedule right now just is not allowing for that as I had hoped.  Bryan took on coaching high school ball this year, so that means five nights/week of practice and games for him and our oldest son.  We are two months in and still have at least one more to go.  That paired with his already busy work schedule and our other boy's activities and we have been left with very little DIY time.  I didn't mind it for awhile, the break was actually welcomed.   But all of the unfinished areas are beginning to wear on me and get under my skin (I realize I drove the changes in the first place).  And the nicer weather means we can whip out all of our bigger tools and project supplies again.  I sort of wish I could just snap my fingers and be done with them all...  Am I the only one who has lofty dreams of unicorns sweeping in and making magical DIY moments happen?

That said, I apologize that I might be skipping around a bit.  I was going to save up a few projects to try and blog in space specific order, but there may be times we have to move around based on our schedule and project magnitude.  If the laundry room has a project on the list that can be done during the week, we are going to just try and get it done, and maybe move to the office or boy's space on the weekend.  I will try to link back at the bottom of each post so it doesn't become too confusing as we bop around over the next few months.

So, the laundry room! I am VERY excited about this.  This is a space I have been wanting to finish up since we purchased our front loading washer and dryer about 8-9 years ago.  It actually has come a long way with the addition of new flooring, floating shelving and built-in wall-to-wall storage.  However, there are still areas that need to be addressed.  The small counter we installed a few years ago is warping pretty badly, the temporary paper we added eventually curled and half has come down, we never created storage for the boy's sorting buckets (and two ultimately broke) and our utility sink has 15 years of grime and paint layered on all sides.  We have also been wanting to install a counter over the washer and dryer, as well as a cabinet, sink and pull-out faucet.  The only thing that was stopping us are the appliance hook-ups that are too high, which we should be able to lower fairly easily.

The boy's new hang-out room will boast a mini-fridge, snacks and a popcorn maker, so we would like the nearby laundry room to be set up in a way that a few dishes can be washed and aid in keeping the spaces tidy.  And that is where the push to just get things finished up comes in.

LAUNDRY ROOM TO-DO LIST:

1. Remove remaining paper backing from our built-in cabinetry, and try a beautiful peel-and-stick option instead.
2. Install three wire sorting baskets into the built-in for the boys (inspiration image here).
3. Replace warping counter with a solid, reclaimed wood option.
4. Lower washer/dryer hook-ups and add counter over appliances.
5. Install new wash sink, cabinet and faucet.
6. Tile behind washer/dryer and sink.
7. Install additional sconce lighting over floating shelves.
8. Simplify washing product and accessory clutter.

One of my favorite features of our house is the size of our laundry room, and that it is such a happy place to do chores.  I really don't like doing laundry; it is probably one of my least favorite household tasks.  But we are fortunate to have a great space and I can't wait to finally finish it off right.  With all of the storage that it offers, next to the kitchen it is the secondary hub of our home.

I have started to pull samples of all of my ideas, and I am really liking the overall feeling.  The temporary wallpaper is so lively and bold while the tile is a subtle compliment in a soothing color.  The baskets don't exactly fit the cubbies yet, but we hope to get those installed this week with some minor modifications.  And I absolutely can't wait to add the natural wood element to the space to really warm up all of the cool blue and gray tones... And those sconces?  I may have done a little jig when I stumbled on them earlier this week.

A few folks have asked for an office update, so I will try and put one together soon.  I don't really have all of those design plans nailed down, but I do have some ideas and love that the majority of the room should come together with things we already own and love.

All of this project chat tells me I may have to finally overcome my fear of sharp electric tools, we clearly have a lot of fun ahead of us in the next few months!  #justdoit