Getting Started
If you have been following my blog for a while then you know the Laundry Room was the first room I renovated! This was one of my very first DIY projects. Originally, I wanted the laundry room to have a tile wall. However, I did not feel comfortable tiling the room myself. I ended up buying and installing peel and stick tile. While the tile look was cool, it definitely did not look like real tile. Check out the original blog post for DIY Peel and Stick Subway Tile!
The room had tons of unused space. There was also exposed piping that was not aesthetically pleasing. I needed the laundry room to function better for my family. A Laundry Room Remodel was a must!
Laundry Room Before Pictures
The Laundry Room before pictures feature a hodge podge of design. There was no functionality for cleaning supplies and I was unable to reach a majority of the soap because the shelf was too high.
I added a curtain at some point to hide all of the ugly exposed piping making the room feel dark and closed off. This space was no longer functioning for our family and needed to be updated!
Creating A Storage Shelf
I created a second shelf above the washer and dryer. This shelf was put in place to hide the exposed piping but also provide me with extra storage! Due to lack of studs in the area I wanted to hang the shelf, I applied the shelf support with drywall anchor bolt screws.
Luckily I did not run into any of the piping for the washer and dryer! After the shelf supports were in place, I added pine wood to create the shelf. I added a larger piece of pine facade to the front of the shelf to help conceal the exposed piping. The top shelf that was already in the laundry room prior to the remodel was white. I simply left the white shelf and applied a pine facade to the front of the existing shelf to match.
Wall Treatment
First, I decided on the wall treatment I wanted to use for the space. I chose a board and batten style design with small 1×2 MDF primed boards. Primed MDF is cheaper than wood and the best product to use if you plan on painting! I ordered all of the 1×2 primed MDF boards and the 1×3 primed MDF border from Home Depot.
Second, I prepped the space by removing all of the items from the room. I removed the peel and stick wallpaper from the accent wall. Removing the peel and stick wallpaper caused some damage to the drywall. In order to repair the dry wall, I applied a skim coat of professional strength spackling to the damaged area. Once the spackling was dry, I sanded the wall smooth.
Next, I attached the 1×3 primed MDF border (crown molding) to the top of each wall with brad nails. After the border was in place, I began hanging the 1×2 primed MDF board and batten boards. My walls are over 10 feet tall. Instead of spending more on longer boards, I cut each 8 foot 1×2 primed MDF board at a 22.5 degree angle and connected them together to create a longer board for my space. While this was extra work, it saved me tons of money!
After all of the 1×2 primed MDF boards were up, I spackled all of the nail holes and gaps in the wood. Next, I sanded all of the spackling and painted the walls and accent wood white.
Adding a Storage Cabinet
The odd lonely nook needed to be addressed. Since we desperately need extra storage in our house, I decided to add a storage cabinet. I purchased a painted shaker style cabinet from Home Depot.
Next, I added support framing to the wall where the cabinet would be installed. I installed the cabinet by attaching it to the framing with screws.
After the cabinet was in place, I added 1×2 trim pieces to each side to make the cabinet appear built in.
Finally, I installed the cabinet door hardware and built and installed a cabinet top. To complete the cabinet top, I cut and joined pieces of pine wood with wood glue and my Krig Jig to get a seamless connection. Once the countertop pieces were joined, I sanded the counter top down and applied a sealant.
Finishing Touches
Once everything was in, I added decor items to make the space function for my family. I added a clothes drying bar above the storage cabinet, glass jars with soaps and dryer balls, and a sign for our space.
I could not be more happy with the way this laundry room turned out! While the inside of this laundry room is complete, we will be removing and building custom doors for this space shortly. Keep checking back for when that project drops because you will not want to miss it! In the meantime here are a bunch of pictures of our new and improved Laundry Room.
