Before and After: A Cramped Porch Becomes a Pastel Laundry Paradise
The enclosed porch on Ashley‘s 1905 home did not live up to expectations: a low ceiling and burgundy walls and floors turned the space into a “sad little box,” she says. “It felt disconnected from the rest of the house,” especially after doing extensive renovations.
“I know how much some updates would transform this room,” she says. So over the course of six weeks, she transformed this dark and dreary porch into a pastel, botanical laundry room. Vaulting the ceiling allowed Ashley to expose the original transom window and give the room height and depth—and painting the ceiling white helps with the breezy effect. The art is from a 1900s-era artist, which Ashley updated with a modern background.
The space is filled with bold touches, like the “showstopper” floral wallpaper and the colorful flooring she painted herself. Even the door got a Millennial pink makeover. A minty set of drawers and a blush bench complete the pastel palette.
“I was going for a Kate Spade look while sticking to my girly aesthetic,” Ashley says. “I know this space is more colorful than most people would choose for their own home, but by choosing pastel colors in the furnishings, it really is a happy space to do laundry in.”
In total, the project took six weeks and cost $10,000—most of which went toward installing a new tankless water heater. That project lead to another horror-story surprise: The wall behind the previous water heater was fully rotted and had to be entirely removed. “That definitely set us back, but we’re grateful that we discovered it while it was relatively easy to fix,” Ashley says.
“Just because a laundry room is a utility space, doesn’t mean it can’t be pretty,” Ashley says. “I love how light and bright the room feels now.”
Thanks for sharing, Ashley!