Back to the room that didn’t exist a few weeks ago. Excuse the all-caps excitement, but this project has been one of the most thrilling things happening here lately. (Side note: I had a dream about a newspaper column called Shellac This! devoted to shellacking a different piece of furniture every day. In the dream it was wildly popular and getting adapted into a major motion picture.)
In Monday’s post we left you with a primed and ready laundry room (we used VOC-free Kilz Premium from Home Depot), so let’s pick up there. The new space is roughly 7′ wide by 8′ deep, so progress moved quickly. Here it is, ready for paint:
Before choosing paint, we picked the floor tile. It’s Blast Anthracite from The Tile Shop, at $6.59 per square foot, so the entire floor will be about $350 (we used a YHL10 discount). We loved how it paired with the accent tile we bought for the wall above the washer and dryer and below the cabinets.
The Blast Anthracite isn’t too light (it won’t show every lint ball or stray hair) and it complements the hardwoods in the hallway. What sold us most were the subtle striations and veining—the photos hint at the variation, but it’s even more beautiful in person.
Once the tile was chosen, I made a quick mood board to visualize how everything would work together and to help choose a wall color. These ideas might change as the project progresses (appliances and tile picks are fixed), but it gave us a solid starting point:
- Warm wood elements to balance the gray tile and stainless appliances, like a butcher block countertop next to the machines.
- Our washer and dryer.
- A geometric ceiling light from our Shades of Light collection to add a modern touch.
- A colorful woven storage basket to introduce texture and a hint of color.
- Small framed prints to make the room feel cozy.
- A wood letterpress drawer on the wall to display small collectibles.
- White cabinets to tie into the appliances and let wood countertops stand out.
- Brass-style knobs that echo the lighting choice.
- The accent tile we’ll use above the washer and dryer.
- The Blast Anthracite floor tile we already purchased.
- A Dash & Albert rug to add another layer of texture and subtle color.
After seeing the tile and warm wood tones together with some colorful art, we were ready to select a wall color. The room is small and windowless, so we wanted something light but not stark white—enough contrast so trim and cabinets feel architectural. Rather than make a random choice from swatches, we created an in-room mood board to test colors against the actual materials:
We gathered items from around the house to represent finishes and colors we anticipated using: the shiny white drum stool matching appliance tones, tile samples, warm wood pieces, and a terrarium to represent a light fixture with similar hues and lines.
Bringing everything into the space made the decision easier. The swatch that worked best with the tile and wood was Benjamin Moore’s Going To The Chapel—the same color we used in Teddy’s room. We like repeating a few colors around the house to create a cohesive palette, so this was a welcome repeat. We used an eggshell finish in Benjamin Moore’s VOC-free Natura line for the laundry room walls.
The finished paint makes the room feel much more polished and cohesive with the hallway. Even with the raw doorways and unfinished floors, the space already reads like it belongs.
It’s wild to think that just a month ago we were sketching on photos, and now these rooms and doorways are becoming reality.
We also selected a glass door for the future bunk room. After considering frosted panes and single large glass options, we decided to match our downstairs 15-pane glass door for a cohesive look. Choosing clear glass gives us the option to frost it later or add a shade behind the door if we want privacy.
Good news: the same style is in stock at Home Depot for $149. We’ll need to paint and install it, add casings, hinges, and hardware, but I already know it will be one of my favorite details upstairs.
Current to-do list:
Move washer & dryer and remove cabinetryDemo cased opening, side wall, back wall, part of the floor and the attic stepFrame new walls & doorwaysMove laundry plumbing hook-ups & drainsMove laundry electrical, lights, switches, and outletsMove dryer vent & HVAC ductHang drywallAdd insulationMud, tape, and sand drywall seamsPrime & paint laundry room and hallway walls- Tile & grout new laundry floor
- Add baseboards and door casings
- Rehang laundry door
- Add new glass door to future bunk room
- Add upper cabinetry and crown molding
- Add lower cabinet next to washer & dryer with countertop
- Tile & grout laundry room backsplash
- Reinstall washer & dryer
- Add ceiling light fixture
- Hang art, ironing board, and other laundry essentials
- Finishing touches and repairs (drywall in garage, attic step, etc.)
Before hanging doors we’ll install and grout the floor tile, which we hope to complete by Monday. That step will make the room feel truly finished, and we’ll be much closer to getting the washer and dryer back in. Washing clothes at home again might not excite everyone, but right now the idea of doing laundry at home feels pretty thrilling—and I fully expect a celebratory Happy Feet reenactment when those machines start humming.