Our multi-year, delayed-more-times-than-I-can-count laundry room is FINALLY finished… and I’m so excited to share the long-awaited before/after pictures on the blog!
Those of you who have been hanging around here for years and years remember that WAY back in the Spring of 2018, I shared our proposed “3-Phase Bathroom + Laundry Room Renovation Plan” .
Basically, we flip-flop the laundry room and the bathroom off our kitchen, resulting in a bigger, brighter laundry room and a smaller, more private half bath (instead of a tiny laundry room and a really large full bathroom with a toilet and shower right in front of big windows).
It’s been over 3 years since we started the project… but we’re finished now, and I’m pleased as punch with the pretty + practical results!
Keep reading for lots more before/after pictures of the laundry room… but first, I’d like to share an overview of this 3-phase project!
Phase 1 = May 2018
Our first step was to move the current washer and dryer out of our tiny laundry room and into the basement so we could still do laundry throughout the renovation.
It wasn’t the prettiest laundry room ever — but it worked.
We never dreamed it would be 3 years until we finished our main floor laundry room and I’m so thankful we had a fully functional laundry space all those years!
Read more about our basement laundry area here.
An added bonus to this 3-phase project is that we ended up KEEPING the old washer and dryer in the basement and buying new appliances for the new laundry room. The new appliances are considerably larger than our old units, so I can literally wash 3 loads of laundry in the same time as 1 load before!
It’s amazing how quickly I can plow through our laundry each week!
Phase 2 = May – September 2018
Once the washer and dryer were hooked up and ready to go in the basement, we officially started demoing the current laundry room to transform it into a new half bathroom.
At the time, our very naive goal was to be completely finished with the bathroom AND laundry room by September of 2018, when Dave went back to school for the year.
Well, we DID finish the new half bathroom by September… but due to major delays in cabinets and tile, that’s all we finished.
Here’s the before of our tiny laundry room:
And here’s the new half bathroom “after”:
This little half-bathroom project took much longer than we anticipated, but we are very happy with the results — especially with how much more we were able to utilize the space we had.
See all the half-bathroom before/after pictures here.
Since we try not to do home projects during the school year, we figured we’d wait until the summer of 2019 to tackle the laundry room. After all, we technically had a working laundry area in the basement — which wasn’t all that bad.
Plus, with 4 young kids (one of whom we were potty training at the time) it was really convenient to have 2 working bathrooms right off the mudroom!
Phase 3 = April – June 2021
Fast-forward 3 full years and we FINALLY finished the laundry room… yes, it was worth the wait!
There are many reasons/excuses for the delay…
- The bathroom was very delayed in 2018, and we didn’t want to have construction mess during the school year.
- We were busy with projects during the summer of 2019 — specifically our outbuilding and backyard, in preparation for getting our pool in the summer of 2020 (we got the pool in the fall of 2020).
- Then came the summer of 2020… I don’t think I need to elaborate on why we couldn’t move forward with our laundry room then!
- Finally, 2021 rolled around and we could actually order cabinet doors (with a 16 week wait) and hire a plumber and tile guy less than 3-months out.
With a bunch of help from my dad, we demoed the former bathroom, added a bunch of insulation, updated all the wiring, added pretty white trim, and transformed it into a cute (yet practical) laundry space for our family.
Not too shabby, if I do say so myself!
Are you ready for the Before / After Photos?
Honestly, once we actually got started, this room came together fairly quickly and it wasn’t all that expensive.
And even though there were 3 years between the bathroom remodel and the laundry room remodel, we were able to tie the rooms together with several similar elements — which is nice since they are right across the hall from each other.
- The hexagon tile floor with grey grout is the same.
- The cabinet doors and paint color is the same (Americana Egg by Magnolia)
- The wall color is the same (Frost by Behr)
- We used dark wood accents in both rooms.
- I used primitive decorations in both rooms
It’s been a few months since we finished our laundry room and I still smile every time I walk into this space. It’s so bright and cheery… it almost makes doing the laundry fun!
Here are a few more pictures:
We found our appliances on a “scratch and dent” sale so they were drastically reduced! We still haven’t found the dents!
The counters are made from old wood from my grandpa’s barn. I had the decorations in the house.
I’ve never had a big laundry room sink — so I’m thrilled with this purchase. I REALLY wanted an antique cast iron sink, but they were significantly more expensive and so much less practical. Dave encouraged me to go practical in the laundry room… which meant a giant fiberglass sink for a fraction of the price!
Our sink is wall-mounted so the legs don’t get in the way of anything. This is a really nice feature.
I keep our cleaning supplies in the bathroom cabinets across the hall, so I decided to use these laundry cabinets as extra pantry storage (super helpful since the laundry room is right off the kitchen).
I also use the laundry counter when I’m prepping for an upcoming event — like a birthday party. I set out everything I need in here so I don’t forget anything, but can still keep my kitchen looking nice.
We built the cabinets extra-deep to accommodate our laundry baskets (which is part of the reason we had to wait 16 weeks for the custom doors to arrive.)
I’m so glad this room is finally finished!
A big “thank you” to those of you who weighed in on my questions as to how we should renovate this room way back in 2018… I referenced many of your ideas and used several of your suggestions as we transformed our spaces.
I certainly didn’t think it would take this long to finally share the before/after pictures with you — but if you’re still reading my blog 3 years later, know that your suggestions were valuable in the process!
Terri says
Beautiful and inspiring! Where did you get the ceiling light fixture? Those small details really pull the space together.
Andrea says
Thanks Terri — the light is from Home Depot 🙂
Liane says
I just bought a very similar one from Amazon.
The room looks awesome. I’m hoping one day to have a laundry room. It’s always been in a garage. I’m so happy for you.
Andrea says
Thanks Liane!
Here in Michigan, a garage laundry room would never fly… but we have friends with garage laundry rooms in CA. Some of them have done some really cool things with their garage spaces (one even made a recording studio!)
Claudette says
So cute. I like the white tile with the gray grout.
Andrea says
Thanks Claudette! I’m a HUGE fan of grey grout — it hides A LOT!
Karen S Jerread says
Absolutely beautiful and I am a bit envious.
stacie says
Hi Andrea!
I’ve been a long time reader since not long after you had Nora. Love this project you guys have done! All the spaces you have recreated are always inspiring! I was wondering how your washer does with your homemade laundry detergent?
Andrea says
Hi Stacie! Thanks so much for your long-time readership 🙂
I actually stopped using the homemade laundry detergent a few years ago and instead use reusable laundry balls. I share more about them in this post
Sue says
I LOVE it… my biggest complaint in my laundry is not have a place to fold everything. LOVE the counter, I tend to dump everything on the couch in the family room to get it put away. You both should be sooooo thankful to your father to share his knowledge and time with helping you guys with all these projects. He must save you sooooo much money. I am envious!
Sue
Andrea says
thanks Sue. I’ve never had a sink or a counter in my laundry room before — so they are both big bonuses for me!
And yes, we actually talked with my dad before buying the house and asked if he’d be willing to help. He agreed — but might be regretting that decision all these years later — LOL!
lindabolt says
Could you share what brand & model are the washer & dryer, and what is the cu. ft. Capacity? Thanks
Jeni says
Yes please! I am really interested in this info too!
carol says
Your spaces are just beautiful! To have a window view in the laundry room is a bonus. We also have a large laundry tub, wall mounted when we were building. It was my husband’s idea which was brilliant! I’m stealing your idea of updating the faucet, it’s gorgeous. Thank you for the tour!
Andrea says
Thanks Carol 🙂
Yes, the window is a great addition — especially considering my former laundry room was basically a small closet with no natural light.
Husbands are so smart, aren’t they! Dave usually doesn’t have strong opinions about design elements, but he insisted that we do the more practical laundry tub versus the “cuter” cast iron tubs that were super shallow (and super expensive). So smart!
And yes, I purchased a kitchen faucet for the laundry sink — it’s AWESOME. I’m so glad I went with my gut on that and didn’t let the plumber talk me out of it!
Jill says
Hello, Andrea. I’ve subscribed for years (since Nora was a baby!) but never commented until now. I love your laundry room! This space is so cheerful and usable. What a pleasure it will be to do chores in a space where you can have some natural light! Although I love everything about this remodel, I’m especially interested in that braided rug. Any hints on where I could find one like that?
Andrea says
Hi Jill — Thanks so much for your long-time readership… and for leaving a comment!! yay!
All our rugs come from rugsusa.com, however, they recently got REALLY expensive, so I actually found this rug at Lowes’. They had lots of primitive-looking braided rugs on their website!
Shelly says
Looks wonderful! I’ll be curious to know how you like the front load washer and dryer (you may already have an opinion as your older set looks like front load as well)… I’ve heard so many horror stories of problems with mold growing and stinky/mildew smells from the washer… do you have any problem with that? Or do you have to leave the washer door open between washings so that it can dry out?!
Andrea says
Thanks Shelly — yes, we’ve had a front-loader for over 10 years now so I’m used to it. I had a top loader all my life before that — both have pros and cons.
For this room, I REALLY wanted a countertop, so my only logical option was a front-loader… and when we found it deeply discounted, it made our decision even easier!
Oh, and I do leave the door of the washer open for a few hours after I’m finished with laundry.
Debra says
Congrats on finishing the laundry room. Both rooms are beautiful and turned out great. Having a view of the outdoors must take away some of the drudgery of doing the laundry. Thanks so much for the update on the children!! I’m glad little Nora is enjoying preschool. Enjoy your fall.
Andrea says
Thanks Debra — and yes, I love looking out the laundry room windows onto my giant row of hydrangeas!
Debbie says
Your new laundry and 1/2 bath look great! I especially like the big windows in the laundry room and the trims all around it. Your farmhouse style is definitely shining through. I’m always amazed at how you transform your home layout to something more functional. It’s a big task and you and Dave carry it through like it’s no big deal.
Andrea says
Thanks Debbie — we love the windows too (and the fact that the toilet is not right in front of them anymore!)
My dad does the trim — it’s really nice and we get tons of compliments on it.
Also, remember that Dave and I are both home ALL day in the summer — making projects a whole lot more manageable when we’re not trying to squeeze them in after work, dinner, kids, etc. We can take our time — it makes a big difference!
Jen Kelly says
We brought our laundry room upstairs 2 years again and still haven’t finished the room! A slow process… I love your laundry sink! Where did you get it?
Andrea says
haha — yes, renovating a home you’re also living in is always a slow process. You’ll get there eventually!
I found our laundry sink on eBay, but it’s nothing special, just a really heavy-duty plastic/fiberglass sink. Just make sure you look for one that can be wall-mounted. If it can’t be wall-mounted, it’s not heavy-duty enough.
Christina says
How do you like the front loaders?! I hear so many people either LOVE or HATE them. I also know people who have already replaced them a few times.
Andrea says
I’ve learned 2 things about appliances over the last 10 years of many renovations…
1. EVERY appliance has pros and cons, so you’ll probably need to compromise some of your wants
2. They literally don’t make things like they used to — you should only plan on 7-10 years from any appliance you buy.
Thinking of my appliance purchase as more of a short-term investment makes it way easier to just buy something and move on! (I hate wasting time on lengthy decisions!)
Honestly, my “dream laundry room” would have a top-loading washer — but I really wanted a countertop, and the only way I could make that happen in my smaller room was to have a front-loader. They are totally fine… I have no issues (especially since we got them about 1/2 off as they were scratch and dent).
If they last us 10 years, I may change my mind and go with a top loader at that time — who knows!
Stephanie says
I love seeing the updates you do to your home. And this laundry room is gorgeous! You’re very talented when it comes to decorating. Your entire house and front/back yards are just so beautiful and functional! You’re truly inspiring, Andrea, and reading your blog posts makes me want to clean and redecorate and plant and do all the things to my own home. Thank you for sharing! 🙂
Andrea says
Thanks Staphanie! I hope you sometimes also act on your thoughts after reading my blog too 🙂
Gabriela M says
It looks great. And I can see how it can make you want to do laundry. ☺️And I really like a sink in the laundry. (Probably because I grew up washing by hand, but I find great use for it )
I have been thinking for a while too to make our laundry room more practical and maybe a bit cute. I feel there is a lot of waste space in it. I don’t even know where to start!!!
Andrea says
We had TONS of wasted space in our bathroom… and almost no usable space in our laundry room — so we feel like we’ve made major improvements in the form and function of our home (plus, it definitely looks nicer!)
it’s hard to know where to start — I usually try to figure out if there’s a way I can simply rearrange furniture or change the paint color before getting into a big construction project — but I’m not sure how helpful that would be if you’re working in a laundry room (not usually much furniture in there!)
Shan says
Andrea! This is totally amazing and gorgeous! What tenacity and labor of love over three long years! Congratulations to you and Dave!
Andrea says
Thanks Shan! To be clear, we were not actively working on the project for 3 years — we just took 2.5 years off in the middle! LOL
But yes, we are very happy to finally have this project crossed off our list!
JJ says
So lovely!!! The storage is perfect, and wow!!! I am most impressed how you can take a room and totally renovate it to fit your family’s needs. Congratulations on your new laundry room!!!
Andrea says
Thanks friend 🙂
We LOVE the extra storage (previously, our laundry room and bathroom had almost no storage!)
Kim says
This all looks wonderful! Brilliant that you have 2 washer/dryer units. The two finished rooms look cohesive, well thought out and beautifully decorated. I notice there are no knobs on cabinets in laundry room. Are you not concerned about the paint wearing away from opening? Growing up, my mom’s cabinets didn’t fare well from not having knobs.
I’m thinking the interior projects of your home are pretty much finished? Please remind us how long you have owned the house. You guys have done a fantastic job!
Andrea says
No knobs yet — I can’t decide what kind I want. They will come eventually — but I didn’t want little knobs to hold me back from finally sharing this long-overdue post!
And yes, the interior projects are finished — YAYAYAY!
The only thing we might do in the future is something else in the kid’s bathroom upstairs. We already added the tub and did some updates, but we’d really like to get rid of the junky tile floor and perhaps separate it into 2 rooms (shower on one side, sink and toilet on the other) so that 2 kids could be getting ready at the same time.
We’re just looking 6 years down the road when we’ll have 3 teenagers and wondering how it will be sharing a bathroom with 2 girls and 2 boys.