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Laundry Room Opinions..lots of photos

lindybarts
15 years ago

So Fairytalebaby (and many others here) have inspired me to do something with my undecorated laundry room. I don't have much space to do anything but there is a spot above the washer and an empty counter that usually is the dumping ground when we come in. Maybe if I prettied it up, I wouldn't be as likely to put junk on that counter.

Should I do traditional laundry room signs? A topiary or two? What would you put here? (note walls are Cappuccino color and NOT green..dang flash)

Opposite wall is a shoe/coat hook bench

Ballard wooden laundry letters (not the shelf)

Vintage laundry signs??

{{!gwi}}

{{!gwi}}

Comments (28)

  • mpmg46
    15 years ago

    I don't have any advice, but I have to tell you that I have major laundry room envy at the moment. All of that storage would make me think I was in Heaven! And the area for coats and backpacks would make my day soooo much easier, if my kids had easy places to put their stuff when they come home.

    If you couldn't tell, my w/d is in our unfinished (hopefully, finished in the next few years) basement. So I already think yours is beautiful, just as it is!! Excuse my drooling. :)

  • fairytalebaby
    15 years ago

    Ahhhh, Lindy! Look at all those cabinets--beautiful. It looks very crisp and clean with all your white and latte.

    What...no sign that says, "LAUNDRY ROOM
    DROP YOUR PANTS HERE"?

    I'm not good at picturing things but what about a metal/wrought iron scroll decoration on the wall?

  • lindybarts
    Original Author
    15 years ago

    Thanks mpmg46! I do love the space in there! ;c)

    fairytale...LOL! I'm not fond of the "drop your pants" sign! I love how yours turned out with your cute saying but don't want to copy! ;c) Never thought about a metal scroll....hmmm? Maybe have to photoshop up some visuals! Thanks!

    Lindy

  • lindybarts
    Original Author
    15 years ago

    Does anyone think that clothespin sign that says "Mom's Laundry" is too corny? Otherwise, I might just get the Ballard wood letters...I'm so unoriginal....sigh!

  • jan_in_wisconsin
    15 years ago

    Lindy,

    I just have to say that every photo of your home is SO beautiful! You must be enjoying your space to the fullest! Of course even your laundry room is no exception. It's fantastic! I love the vintage laundry signs, etc. I don't think the Mom's Laundry sign is too corny. It's cute. And your kids will probably get a kick out of it.

    Jan

  • funkyart
    15 years ago

    Lindy, I don't know, your room is so pretty with the window out to the greenery/gardens, I'd play that up. I love the idea of topiaries and I'd borrow from soonermagic (i think) and add a cushion on the coat rack bench. Color and pattern! stripes and florals! You can go funky or traditional.. abstract or toile.. but I'd definitely play up the space rather than the laundry theme.

  • jaymielo
    15 years ago

    Gotta say that I love the "lost socks" sign Lindy. Maybe I'm a cornball. Also like the vintage "5 cents a load" sign, but I'm a sucker for all things vintage. Beautiful room, of course!

  • lindybarts
    Original Author
    15 years ago

    Thanks everyone!

    funkyart, I hadn't thought about cushions for the bench, that's a great idea.

    jaymie, I liked that lost socks sign too but mine would be overflowing. I have the biggest stack of mismatched socks all the time. I have no idea where they go! LOL

  • susanlynn2012
    15 years ago

    I love the laundry room's colors, size, design and all the signs are great? Maybe you can incorporate the all in the beautiful room? I am also having laundry room envy and wish I had that space and beauty but at least I get to enjoy looking at the beautiful room you created.

  • patty_cakes
    15 years ago

    With all that white ya just gotta go bright! I had a lime green laundry room that I absolutely loved. It was accented in black/white~birdhouses, shelves, window box with red geraniums. I even did a black and white checked floor.

    I *could* see lime in there, especially with the black hardware, and you could use signs with black lettering.

  • bungalow_house
    15 years ago

    That's a great room.

    Personally, I'm not a fan of new stuff that is trying to look old. Just something about a decorative item, probably made in China last month, trying to look as if it came from Grandma's old country store that she ran in the 1930s in Vermont just doesn't jive with me. As an alternative, if you look on ebay you can find some genuine old stuff like washboards and soap boxes, if that's the look you want.

    Also, there are some laundry-related prints at art.com. Search for clothes line and/or laundry. This one is nice.

    {{!gwi}}

    That said, I don't think you have to limit it to laundry-related decor, if something else strikes your fancy.

    Disclaimer: my "laundry room" consists of an old washer and dryer in a dark corner of a dank 85-year-old basement, with absolutely no thought toward decoration, so take my advice for what it's worth. :)

  • funkyart
    15 years ago

    Patty Cakes.. I could so see that too! The green and red would be great with the cappuccino walls and bright light.

    I don't remember your style, Lindy (traditional?) but it is definitely a room where I'd have some fun with color.

    Sorry to be the wet rag here-- but I am not a fan of the signs.

  • brutuses
    15 years ago

    I don't have any suggestions, just compliments on that great laundry room layout and size. Wow, now that's a laundry room!! You have more cabinets in your laundry room than I have in my kitchen. LOL

  • parma42
    15 years ago

    I'd kill for a laundry with a window.

  • lindybarts
    Original Author
    15 years ago

    funkyart, you're not a wet rag. Bungalow thanks for your input too. I think the reason I haven't done anything yet is that I wasn't really sure about those signs either. patty_cakes has me intrigued about the lime green but not sure if I could pull it off?? I have to go do some online shopping! LOL! I definitely could see red as I have pulled red into the Great Room now. Agreed I could use more color in my house! My style is definitely traditional/European but not country.

    Thanks Brutuses and Parma, how we came up with the layout was kind of by accident. The pantry was supposed to go in this space and we flip flopped it...long story. I knew I wanted that bench but the rest..I had no clue.

    Okay, off to search for more inspiration. Street of Dreams opens soon...I love that tour. I'm sure I could steal an idea or two from there.

  • cindyloowoo
    15 years ago

    I love your laundry room. Actually it is very similar to mine, except you have more storage space. I'm facing the same dilemna b/c my counter is always cluttered and I would like to add decorative touches.

    I would suggest adding a valance to the window. Maybe you could add something to the basket area above the coat hooks - either a printed fabric liner to the baskets or darker baskets - to make them stand out a little more. How about some artwork behind the hanging bar over your w/d? As far as the countertops, think about what you normally put there - keys, mail, etc. I would add a decorative papertowel rack or towel rack to the wall to the right of the sink, add a decorative liquid hand soap dispenser and put a basket or box on the counter to conceal the dust buster. You could cut a cord access hole into it so you could still charge it. Or even better, add an outlet in a lower cabinet so you can put it out of sight. You could also add a decorative crock, bowl, or canister to hold spare change. I am totally envious of your coat hooks/bench. I really wanted something like that and it just would not fit.

    Just so you can see how similar our tastes really are, here is a pic (bad lighting). I have since added woven wood shades, a crock for spare change, a large clock for getting the kids to the bus stop on time, and a LOT of clutter. I have one valance made, but I'm not sure if I like it, so that project is on hold.


  • jaymielo
    15 years ago

    Lindy, I have an aside question for you. How far apart are the hooks in your mudroom cubbies? I need to pick some up and want to maximize utility without crowding them too much. Thanks! j.

  • lindybarts
    Original Author
    15 years ago

    Cindy, thank you so much for all your great ideas. About the clutter...I don't think there's any one category of stuff that ends up there. It could be toys, something cleaned out from the car and tossed there, newspapers waiting to go outside to the recycle bin...you name it. Just clutter. I love how you have those mail holders or letter separaters on your yours.

    Jaymie, I just measured them for you. It's 4 1/4 inches between them. If I measure from the center of each peg to the next, it's 5 inches. We definitely use all 14 of them.

  • jaymielo
    15 years ago

    Thanks Lindy! I want lots of hooks for bags, purse and coats. Better get those ordered! j.

  • postum
    15 years ago

    Your laundry looks the way I dream my laundry will look someday. ~sigh~

    I would have some family black and white photos enlarged and framed in black. I'd skip the signs - it's all too clear that you're doing laundry when you're up to your armpits in it! ^_^

  • sweetbean
    15 years ago

    LOVE your laundry room!!! :) It's lovely and peaceful and just needs a punch of color to bring it alive.

    I'd add some easy-care plants near the windows and a photo or painting that you adore in the spot above the dryer.

    I like the suggestion of a valence or a roman shade above the window. Find a fabric that coordinates with your artwork and ideally includes green from the plants and a maybe a punch of red.

    Overall, find a few things you truly love. You're going to spend a lot of time in this room and guests will rarely see it, so I think making it a "haven" for yourself would be wonderful.

    Here is a link that might be useful: {{gwi:2107225}}

  • patty_cakes
    15 years ago

    Funkyart, I swear it was the laundry room that sold my condo! LOL Five women, none married, looked at it, and always commented about the laundry room. I had a little storage area(where I kept the litterpan)and I hung black/white toile curtains tied back to conceal it.

    I never used to fold the clothes there, but after decorating it, started spending more time folding clothes too.

  • natal
    15 years ago

    You have a beautiful space! Don't feel like you're obligated to do a "laundry" theme.

    I'm enjoying my first laundry room ever. Hung a print that I've had forever of a lady making soap, but the other stuff is totally unrelated ... an old piece of stained glass in the window, an angel hanging above the window, a playful cat & ball mobile, and a Ballard Design cork board that I got for a song at Marshall's.

    It's a room where you can do whatever you like. Have fun with it!

  • fourtogo
    15 years ago

    If I had that laundry room...I wouldn't change a thing! It's beautiful and so spacious. What is the color on the wall? I have an old washboard on one wall in mine and a few old b/w framed of me when I was little sitting outside with an umbrella.

  • lindybarts
    Original Author
    15 years ago

    fourtogo, that sounds so adorable. Do you have a picture of it??

    The color on the walls is Restoration Hardware Cappuccino but the flash makes it look green/goldish.

    I've gone round and round with this decision all week. I was looking for art with lots of color but didn't find much I liked. Then, I was back to that Mom's Laundry sign above...sigh...can't make any decisions.

  • zipdee
    15 years ago

    I don't have any wonderful suggestions either, but I just wanted to say what a beautiful room it is, Lindy! Love all the space you have, I wish we had more room here for a dedicated laundry area like that.

  • dekr8
    15 years ago

    Lindy,

    Love your laundry room! Here's a cute one with a topiary.

  • fourtogo
    15 years ago

    Hello Lindybarts...sorry it took me a few days to take some pics of my teeny laundry room compared to yours. I guess the pics of me are in color! I remember I picked them because my umbrella matched the blue in my room. I just went to an uppercase living party. Have you ever heard of them? Go to their website. They have some cool laundry room sayings that I think you'll like! Good Luck!
    http://images.kodakgallery.com/photos4720/3/19/98/77/5/1/105779819306_0_ALB.jpg; http://images.kodakgallery.com/photos2978/3/19/98/77/5/8/805779819306_0_ALB.jpg