A $1,500 Laundry Room Makeover Used “Cabinet Tetris” to Pack in So Much Storage
To make arguably one of the most-hated chores more bearable, it pays to have a well-designed laundry room. Not only can it make a practical difference with things like added storage, more counter space, and other functional features, but it certainly can also make the room just a little bit more pleasant to be in.
This rings true for DIYer Caitlyn Kalsek (@hazelwoodhaus), who decided it was time to give her laundry room an upgrade. “The before was very ‘builder grade,’ so it wasn’t some terrible space, but it just felt unfinished,” she says. “We added a few things to make it more functional, but it was very thrown-together and didn’t feel like the rest of the spaces we had upgraded, and it for sure didn’t function as we needed or wanted it to.”
Caitlyn and her husband, Jason, needed the space to act as both a laundry room and an extended pantry, plus a space that she could truly love. “Laundry is never-ending with three boys and a dog, and I wanted to enjoy the time I was spending in this room,” she says.
The goal was to maximize the square footage — and cabinetry.
The couple knew that they needed to make use of every part of the space — all 35 square feet — to get its full potential. “Planning and playing cabinet Tetris is where a lot of my time was spent before any work was actually done,” Caitlyn recalls. “All of the work we did was so purposeful, and that’s a really great feeling. We have a pantry now. We have hanging space for towels and snowsuits depending on the season. All of the storage is amazing.”
She and Jason installed larger cabinets and raised them higher than the previous ones to make room for a floating shelf to hold laundry essentials, and the large pantry cabinet was installed next to the washer and dryer.
“We added some faux feet at the bottom of our cabinets, along with some cove trim to really add character,” Caitlyn adds. “This room truly reminded me that it’s the little things that can really elevate a space.” The cabinets/trim are painted a khaki color, Farrow & Ball’s Elephant’s Breath.
Design details, including some leftover materials, make the space sing.
The geometric floor tiles were left over from another room, as was some of the decor. As for the faux shiplap panels, they’re an easier alternative to traditional tongue-and-groove shiplap and are considerably cheaper, Caitlyn says. (The walls are painted Behr’s Silky White.) The budget-friendly choices helped keep the total cost of this makeover to $1,500.
Overall, the space has a relaxed, farmhouse feel, and the couple is thrilled with the transformation. In the end they were able to maximize the space’s square footage and create a cozy laundry room that is as stylish as it is practical. “I love that I can walk into the room and know that I added all of the details I wanted, and that it functions so well for us,” Caitlyn says.
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