Before & After: A 45-Square-Foot Laundry Room Is Packed with Storage Solutions
Doing laundry isn’t the most fun household chore, but having a clean, bright space to do it in can make a huge difference. DIYer Natalie Park (@Parkplaceabode) put that theory to the test with a $1,000 makeover of her home’s 45-square-foot laundry room.
“I wanted to not only refresh and modernize [our] laundry room, but also make it more functional with additional storage, a countertop, and a bar to dry clothes,” Park says. Her mission was to take it from “dingy and boring” to “tranquil and beautiful.” That included covering the linoleum floors and updating the orange-toned oak cabinets.
The laundry room also serves as the most-used entry point from the garage to the house’s main hallway, so Park knew that updating it would make their space more welcoming and functional.
A Quick Switch
Rather than ripping out the gray-and-white flooring, Park put down Massimo peel-and-stick tiles from WallPops over the laundry room’s linoleum, costing her $70. “Changing the flooring instantly made this small laundry room feel brighter and more airy!” she says. Park adds that as a first-timer, the peel-and-stick tiles were “such a beginner-friendly way to update flooring.”
She also installed a wooden countertop over the washer and dryer to add “cozy warmth” and “functionality.” Park says she saved money by staining a 1.5-inch-thick spruce plywood project panel instead of buying an expensive piece of butcher block.
Park put her woodworking skills to the test, completely replacing the room’s old doors and hinges. She also gave her full concentration to adding inset shaker cabinet doors crafted from 1-inch x 3-inch poplar boards and plywood inner panels. “[Inset doors] called for a lot of measurements and precision,” she says. “I had to triple-check my measurements before cutting down all the lumber.” Her dedication paid off, and Park says the inset doors “really elevated the space to make it feel modern and high-end.”
Storage Solutions
Park added a skinny cabinet box between the washer and dryer to store laundry detergent, fabric softener, and other cleaning supplies. Park also installed a floating shelf above the laundry room’s window, which doubles as a place to hang wet clothes.
Of course, paint really helps transform a space, and this project was no exception. Park brightened up the room’s beige walls using Benjamin Moore’s Chantilly Lace. She also used Benjamin Moore’s Stone Hearth on the shiplap, baseboards, and cabinets, coating them in what she calls a “neutral greige” hue.
“I absolutely love [its] beauty and functionality,” Park says of her new laundry room. “[It] makes doing laundry feel [like] less of a chore!”
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