11.07.2008

Is It a Spa or a Laundry Room?

It all started with our new washing machine.  

My husband's company is very "green," and every year they offer a lump sum of money to their employees to do something "green" to their house.  We had been in need of a new washing machine, so a few weeks ago the nice men from Best Buy brought me this lovely front load washer:

I had seen so many people around the blogging world make their laundry rooms look more like spas, and I wanted to join in the fun!  First, I took my cork board, which holds some random coupons, calendars and other junk, and moved it to another, less conspicuous, wall.

Then, I found an old lamp in the basement and recovered the lampshade so that it looked sufficiently cute for this space.  Then I just did some good, old-fashioned decluttering.  Let's all take a deep breath as we look at the now clutterless laundry room!

Ahhh...much better!  A while back I blogged about that "Laundry" sign on top of the cabinets, so if you want to see how I made that little guy for so much less than the Ballard Designs catalog, click here.  

Otherwise, have a great weekend!


74 comments:

Half Gaelic, Half Garlic! said...

The Laundry room looks so nice!! Unfortunately that is an area that still needs some work in my house!

How terrific to get some bonus money for "Green" projects! Don't you just love the front loaders....it almost makes laundry fun!!

Hope you have a great weekend!

Lisa

Stacey said...

That's really nice. I like that the N is different in the laundry sign. The color is pretty too.

Free Art Printables said...

Your laundry room looks great!

Unknown said...

How pretty!! I'm jealous...mine is just a tiny closet! :)

Ruby Red Slippers said...

I love it! I clean up and then junk up my laundry room! I just picked it up yesterday-so the cleaning lady won't throw up today!!!

duchess said...

What a nice space. I love the pear & wire thing on the wall. Very cute.
Makes me want to fix my laundry room too.
My hubby thanks you.
Have a great weekend.

CMB said...

Laundry room looks great! I'm jealous of the lamp in your laundry room...I have front loaders with a counter top over them and can't access the outlet for a lamp:(

CAC said...

that is super cute! love it. we have to go to the basement of our building and pay for laundry. not fun!

AndreaLeigh said...

I think it looks lovely, and very soothing. Unfortunately my laundry room is a bit of a pit right now. LOL... things to do!

Jboo said...

Wow -- I think it's a spa -- not a laundry room! That turned out great!

Have a fun weekend! Brrr -- it's getting cold, isn't it!

janet

Amanda said...

cute, cute, I want a front loader, jealous!!!! have a great weekend.

Sweet Simplicity said...

I'm so jealous of that new washing machine! It looks really nice. I'm headed over to check out your laundry room sign project...

Darlene said...

Your laundry room looks FABULOUS...unfortunately I don't think I would EVER be able to show mine. It is a storage area as well as a laundry room....kind of that catch-all space!

Carry Grace said...

Beautiful laundry room!

Wendy said...

Don't lamps just make such a difference. They warm up a space so quickly! Looks nice! I always enjoy coming to visit your blog!

Kelli said...

Beautiful. When I have a laundry room I will decorate it too! Love your blog.

Rhoda @ Southern Hospitality said...

Very cute, Carrie! I'm totally in agreement that a laundryroom should be pretty & mine is one of my favorite spots in the house now.

Anonymous said...

What a great company. Our company is pretty green but nothing like that. The only green thing we got was free coffee mugs in order to not use the styrofoam cups.

Shannon said...

Looks great!! I love the pear accents. So cute! Isn't it fun to have a cute laundry room?? :)

Laurel @ Ducks in a Row said...

Everyone is doing their laundry room, guess I'll have to join the crowd.

Naturally Caffeinated Family said...

Oh it looks great, I tried to do the same thing with our laundry room, it makes ya feel good huh?!

ROXY said...

Of my laundry room looked like yours...I wouldn't mind doing laundry! I'm dying for a front loader!! I'm also dying to relocate our laundry room upstairs instead of in the depths of our scary basement!

The Golf Widow said...

I think both! I'm so jealous of the new machine. I would love, love, love a new one.Getting paid back for being green would be even better!
Oh, then there's Ballard...I could go on and on.It really looks great.I'm off to declutter mine!

julie & joe said...

It looks wonderful! My laundry room is in the basement. No roaches but in the dark dreary basement. Oh well. I can look at everyone's makeovers and dream. I love my front loader.

Lisa said...

That is so funny...I just hung a few pictures in my laundry room too. My hubby laughed and me and I told him that laundry rooms need to be pretty too, ha! Great minds think a like!

I can't wait to get together again....I'll e-mail you when we get back! : )

Your hubby's company is awesome to offer money for "green" projects. We will be needing a new washer and dryer soon...so I may need to find out what you got! Take care my friend. : ) Lisa

Mrs. Gray's Class said...

This is the first house I've ever lived in that doesn't have the laundry room in the basement - it's actually off of the foyer so I think it needs a cute makeover like this!

Carolina Mama said...

Love it! What detergent do you use? I use the liquid so was wondering? I know there are some really good green ones. :)

Shell in your Pocket said...

It looks great!!! It's amazing how changing one thing can make it look great!....Laundry rooms are so much fun to decorate!!!
-sandy toes

Joanna said...

It looks great! Our laundry room also is the incoming and outgoing to and from the carport, so it's a catch all! Argh. I would love to change some things in there, but at this moment, I have no idea how to get my hubby to stop piling his shoes on the floor and not the little shoe rack!

CIRCLE OF LIFE said...

iam lol that is awesome if i had a spa/laundry room that looked as awesome as that i would not leave i would not have a pile of dirty clothes that need to be done and i would not be saying ok ok ok in a min that reallys turns in to another day!!

that is awesoem that his job does that it shows helps you all out. i love that washer i have see tye on that dream show that he comes and re does your home and sends you to disney land i love that showw, yeh it true even though iam blank with the name. love it. best wishes in clean clothes and relaxing place to hide away do you have andre butochille in there as well candles and that armoma of fresh clean laundry i love that . wish i was there!!! enjo your friday as well and thanks for stoping bye and giving me that sweet complment it blesses me that i have met some pretty amazing bloggers friends here and that is worth more then a award in my book. but i love it as well can we say

affirmation tahe care and god bless. go do the laundry now!!!

jennykate77 said...

OK...totally inspiring...as usual! I think since we women spend so much time in the laundry room or laudry area, it should be "spa-like"...I'm feeling a re-do at my house coming on very soon! Thanks for the ideas :)

Happy Friday!

Lisa & Gerald said...

WOW that's great! Buy thing on them thats the way to do it! Love your new Laundry room! You go girl!
Heheheheh

Faith said...

Looks great! I am loving your laundry sign!

Aleta said...

I've never heard of changing the laundry room into a spa. What a lovely idea and wow - what a difference it made to your room!

For me, my laundry room is a closet that co-exist with the pantry. I wouldn't have a clue as to how to fix it!

Unknown said...

What a great company! I wish I had a laundry room ;(

AJ said...

Once again I am jealous of someone else's laundry room;) If you could only see mine! It is in our finished basement but yet it sits unfinished, concrete walls, exposed pipes and beams. Concrete floor with carpet remnants:( Sad, sad, state of affairs in there. No wonder I don't like to do laundry! Even with my pretty front loaders:( Someday!

Ms. Tee said...

Wow, that is so neat that your hubby's company actually gives money to make your house more green - how great is that!
I love the pear lamp, too! :)

Julie said...

The laundry room looks great! Mine looks like crap it's a storage room also but I'm working on it..
Have a great weekend
julie

angie {the arthur clan} said...

My sister has made those cut out letters before and I love them! I might need to have her make a "laundry" sign for me now.

Your laundry room is gorgeous. Please tell me that it doesn't look like this all the time?! Wow!

Betsy said...

IT'S BOTH! I might do more laundry if it was in a spa! I LOVE, I mean LOVE that laundry sign with the different N. It could not be anymore perfect.

Angie said...

Looks so awesome! I want that cute chalkboard. You have such great taste.

Angela said...

Oh I am so jealous! I think that I might actually enjoy doing laundry in that room! Unlike in my little laundry closet. I'm thinking that may be my next project now that the kitchen is done. You've inspired me!

WhisperWood Cottage said...

There's a gift for you on my blog!

Amy

Our Complete Family said...

Love it! Ah, you can sit and really enjoy laundry time now girly! A new nifty, and green, washer and your room looks super cute, too?!? BONUS! Happy weekend ahead~ Les

Lorie said...

Off to see how you made the sign! I am jealous of your pretty new washing machine!

Kristen said...

I think it looks fablous - much better than my living room right now that is for sure! 2 little boy pirates have taken over so you can only imagine...

Keeper of the Skies Wife said...

Looks great!!!! As usual!!

Eloise said...

That looks great! I love my front loading washer. I hope you're as happy with yours.

Brittany said...

So,so,so cute! I really need to get my laundry room in order like all of the rest of you! I love the big candle holder thing along the back of the washer and dryer. That is very unique. I have never seen something like that one before.

Midwest Mama said...

Love the idea of making your own words! My mind is racing with different words I can create! Thanks. Laundry room looks great.

Saucy said...

You did a great job on your laundry room. I think it is fantastic for your husband's company to get behind green improvements! What a great idea.

You will lurrve your front load washer. So much better for your clothes and guess what - another green hint - they tumble out so much water that I now air dry almost everything we own!

Jodee said...

I love your laundry room. I especially love the "laundry" letters.

Have a great weekend!

Kim said...

LOVE this redo. Now I'm feeling inspired to try it on my laundry room.... we all certainly spend enough time there! :)

Lee said...

Sadly until we get the chance to move, our laundry room will remain a hole in the wall. But yours is so cute!

Jules from "The Roost" said...

Isn't it amazing what a little de-cluttering and a lamp will do? ;)

Harbor Hon said...

I don't have a laundry room or any room for laundry in my little apartment. I love your space though and you did a great job making it look nice. Thanks for sharing. xxoo

Anonymous said...

we have all gotten in this laundry room makeover mood huh? looks great!
~nicole

Unknown said...

Lucky you! Is your hubby's co hiring? J/K
♥Jen

Jill said...

I love your letters! I may have to try to do that myself! Thanks for the idea!

Dawn S. said...

I won't be posting pictures of our laundry room! Even your before picture is better! :0) Nice job!

Tausha said...

You are going to love your front loader!!!! Just a little tip that I learned along the way.
Sometimes, your washer will get a funky smell because the seal gets wet and doesn't get all the way dry. So, sometimes leave the door of the washer open to dry it out. it will take care of the smell.

i wish that I had a laundry room that was cute. i have a laundry closet-and my front loaders are stacked on top of each other because of space issues. That means the other side of the w/d is full of dirty clothes baskets, shelves with boxes of dryer sheets, vinegar and laundry det. Very scary and uncute!!! For some reason-my husband doesn't think that this little closet is a priority. Silly man!!!

Unknown said...

Nice! I'm in need of a new dryer as well and going to buy a front-loader model. I'm in the process of painting my laundry room a nice purple and I want to put the quote "What if success is just getting the wash into the dryer before mildew sets in?"

Lana said...

This looks great! I love the "Laundry" sign! The pears also look great in there!

Mamajil said...

what a great laundry room!!

Brad said...

Wow, Carrie, your laundy room looks great! I especially like the little lamp; it adds such a nice touch!

Jo said...

I wish mine looked that nice ~ currently it's in a state of distress!

With the amount of time I spend in that room, I really should "redecorate" the room.

What a fabulous gift from the company. Very practical in so many ways.

Heidi Boos said...

So jealous!! This definitely has the feel of tranquility. I can just smell the freshness of newly washed clothes and the serene sound of the washing machine. (Love the front loaders!!) I could go on and on about the cute little touches you have added. They are all so wonderful. One of these days I'll have a laundry room...but for now I'll try to make do with my laundry closet. At least there are no cockroaches! ;)

Always inspired...

Capegirl said...

What a great laundry room. Whenever I go to showcase houses I always fall in love with the laundry room. We spend so much time there it should be nice. That said mines in the basement were this serf washes, dries and irons after work. Though I do find ironing a lot of aggression!

Rick said...

Very nice. I have a color load to bring over if you don't mind. I'll bring my chair and sit a while in your spa.

Sarah Kate said...

It looks great. I am inspired. I already took my before pictures, but have a long way to go.

Anonymous said...

I love your laundry room and thanks for letting us know how you made the sign. That is cute and I too love the 'n' in a different font. I read you were raised in Ohio? I was too (and my hubby). Northeastern Cleveland area. We lived in Chicago for 25 years and then moved to the Philadelphia area (SE PA) 9 years ago this January. We still have family in Ohio so we go back to visit at least once a year if not more. My hubby fixed up my laundry room for me hanging very nice white storage cabinets. It's more a functional room than decorative. My laundry room is only large enough to walk through from the hall way to the garage. I do have a small laundry tub and a small closet that we put a tall cabinet in on wheels. We removed the door to the closet because you couldn't use it as a clothes closet (it wasn't deep enough). I don't know why the builder didn't make the laundry just a tad bigger. If you open the dryer door it blocks the door going out into the garage. Women should design houses. I don't have a blog yet but am working on drafting one up. Once of these days I will be happy with it and get it published.

Thanks for sharing your room!

Tea Cup Lady (Sandy)

Belle (from Life of a...) said...

I want my laundry room to look like that. I have a few little signs up but not a wonderful front loader.

Connie said...

You will love your front loading washer! I was a mad woman washing everything in sight when I got mine and still love it 3 years later. Enjoy! Your laundry room looks great. Connie

Anonymous said...

Your laundry room is cute! I love how you made your letters. I am going to do something similar for my kitchen to put above my cabinets. :)