Monday, September 29

Basement Laundry Room

I have an itty bitty laundry board on pinterest. It only has four pins on it. Why only four? Because they so perfectly pin down just exactly what I dream of for a laundry room. This is my single favorite laundry room in all of time and space (and I'm pretty sure it was one of the very first things I pinned):

 image via pinterest

The whiteness, the wood countertops, the plants, the natural light, the oversize pendants... this is my laundry room love. Followed by this close second (yep. basically exactly the same thing):

 image via pinterest

But let's hop out of pinterest for a moment and into my actual laundry room dungeon basement.



Yup. Complete with wires, pipes, vents, and even our crown jewel - the fuse box. Behold its mighty splendor. There is a single window high on the wall so there's some hope for natural light. But the rest is pretty dismal at the moment.


Right next to the washer we have a would-be-cool-if-it-wasn't-painted-the-same-color-as-the-wall sink. And right next to that is our back-up fridge. That's my laundry room. So basically it's just pretty blah and dark and ugly there are crickets freaking every where. And we (like the previous owner) have not found the time to remove the big yellow sticker from the washer. Winning.



So why am I so worried about its current state? I mean, it definitely gets the job done and that's the most important thing. But you may remember we're updating the basement to use as a second living area (you can see our rough plan here and our most recent progress here... from two years ago. Ha. Not a lot has changed apart from adding another concrete countertop to the bar, but we're using it anyway as-is!). Our goal is a comfortable, welcoming area where our family can chill or guests can stay when they visit. And this little laundry corner sits there like the epitome of basement creep. So eventually we'll have to spruce it up at least a little. I'm not totally sure how we'll pull this off for a basement since it's basically the opposite of everything I've pinned, so I've been doing a little searching of specifically basement laundry rooms to get some ideas. The first thing I've found is that things like lighting, curtains, and artwork can make a big difference in how liveable a space feels. Family photos? I think so.

image via pinterest

I'm also toying with the idea of some kind of shelf that would add storage above the washer & dryer while hiding some of the pipes and wiring behind it. Although we'll need to be able to access the fuse box pretty easily, so I'm still working on that.

image via pinterest

Painting the walls and floor are definitely part of the plan for the whole basement and the laundry corner will not be left out of that action. This pic again shows how adding lighting can help brighten a basement. You know, because it's light.

image via pinterest

The real moral here seems to be light light light. Light paint, light curtains, more lights, lots of white, etc. So while we still don't have an exact plan, we'll be keeping this in mind as we move forward. And I'd love to hear any tips and tricks you've used in a basement laundry room.

image via pinterest

The other two images I've actually pinned are more decoration and less function, but here they are too. The first is the idea to use old hangers to hang pictures. Super fitting for a laundry room.

image via pinterest

The other is just a happy little bunting. Because I always love a bunting. And again, lots of bright white.

image via pinterest

So no specific details yet, but maybe being cooped up inside this winter will be just the motivation to get it started. What have you done to spruce up your laundry room? I'd love to hear your tips for keeping it tidy and organized, whether it's in a basement or not!

7 comments:

  1. Buy your white paint (something in a gloss--maybe high gloss--for that area of the house, and then send out the word that you are ready to paint. Maybe someone will show up and help!

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  2. Get masonry drill bit and coordinating sz lag bolts w/washers to attach shelving/cabinet to block wall. After drill hole, vac out debris, fill w/adhesive and quickly attach shelf for super strength/sealed holes. (Don't drill any further than ness!-bolt package tells u) cheap under cabinet lighting always good in basement space. U can get cheap vinyl for 50¢/sgft if u shop. It will scratch easy, .99sqft on sale will get u good quality, use scap PCs/furniture ft under everything n b mindful NOT to drag heavy furniture over vinyl n it'll treat u well for price!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Drilling into those wall just makes me nervous! When we lived in a rental across town there were holes in the walls and water would pour in like a fountain when it rained. Using adhesive would seal them up so that wouldn't happen?
      A vinyl floor sounds beautiful! Thanks for commenting!

      Delete
  3. Did my first not publish?? :((( geeeez.
    Paint sink pop color (blue family!) Lightly Match curtains that don't block window@all when open, and a washable/vac friendly rug.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Love the idea to paint the sink with a pop! And a washable rug is a great idea. Thanks! :)

      Delete
  4. Get masonry drill bit and coordinating sz lag bolts w/washers to attach shelving/cabinet to block wall. After drill hole, vac out debris, fill w/adhesive and quickly attach shelf for super strength/sealed holes. (Don't drill any further than ness!-bolt package tells u) cheap under cabinet lighting always good in basement space. U can get cheap vinyl for 50¢/sgft if u shop. It will scratch easy, .99sqft on sale will get u good quality, use scap PCs/furniture ft under everything n b mindful NOT to drag heavy furniture over vinyl n it'll treat u well for price!

    ReplyDelete

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