I’m excited to announce, I’ll be participating in my second One Room Challenge as a guest blogger. You can see my first ORC right here, where Emmett and I transformed our one and only bathroom! This time around we’ll be tackling the laundry room. I know what you’re thinking… “the kitchen isn’t even finished”. That’s a valid point and hopefully we’ll wrap up that GIANT project soon, but my reasoning in diving straight right into the laundry room is because the spaces are connected. We’re using lots of the same materials in the laundry room and ultimately, it’s less expensive and faster to finish that space than the kitchen at this point. While I’m saving up for dining room furniture and kitchen accessories, I thought we might as well jump on board the laundry project… so that’s the plan! Click through for the details, design plan, and before images. Let’s step inside the icky space as it currently is…
If you found me through the ORC site, hi there! I’m Sarah, a designer located in Salt Lake City, UT. You can see my current home renovation here, as well as my previous Ohio home here. Thanks for reading!
F L O O R P L A N
To give you a little reminder of what our floor plan currently looks like… I’ll copy the entire footprint of the home below.
As you can see from the floor plan above, the laundry room, kitchen, and eat-in dining area open into one another and need to look and feel cohesive.
B E F O R E I M A G E S
Although we’ve been working on the kitchen for months, we have yet to touch the laundry room. Seriously- it is one big eyesore.
Here’s what it looked like upon moving in (I pulled the images directly from the real estate listing)… fun times, right? YUCK.
Can we take a minute and talk about that WEIRD planter wall. What in the what is that and who thought it was a good idea?! There was literally musty soil sitting inside that thing when we moved in.
I’m honestly a little embarrassed to show you what it currently looks like because not much has changed, but I’ll copy in those images below…
The space has kind of turned into the dog room and place where tools and supplies accumulate (in a very unorderly manner).
Upon moving in, we did purchase a stackable washer and dryer, as well as replace the back door (although I never got around to painting it).
We also recently widened the doorway, and added height to the opening between the kitchen and laundry room, in addition to removing the weird planter / pony wall. I wanted some separation between our dining area and the dog area. Something about having that totally opened up really grossed me out, and the half wall looked dated.
Everything else in the space looks exactly as it did the day we moved in- pretty nasty, stained, and shabby. Emmett also accidentally went a little demo crazy and now there’s a chunk missing from the drywall… so we’ve been living with that for a few months (shown below). I swear, our friends must think we’re nuts when they come over and see things like this.
F U N C T I O N A L M U S T – H A V E S
Although it’s not a huge space (it’s comparable in size to our bathroom), we need this room to work very hard for us.
Once we’re finished- it will be one of the most functional rooms in the entire house. I’ll copy the “must-have” list below:
- Laundry Units – Washer & dryer (that pretty much goes without saying- it is a LAUNDRY room)
- Closed Storage – In addition to laundry supplies, we store A LOT of unsightly items in the tiny space: dog food, cleaning supplies, outdoor equipment, extra paint, etc.
- Dog Crates – We’re obviously a dog-friendly family and our boys aren’t allowed to roam free throughout the house when we’re not home… therefore, dog crates are a top priority.
- Entryway – This is the back entry to our home and it’s used more frequently than the front entry. We open and close the back door multiple times each day to let the dogs outside, as well as access our backyard. Therefore, we need a place to hang coats, dog leashes, kick off shoes, etc. It sort of doubles as a “mudroom” and makes us miss our old one.
- Counter Space – Given this room gets used for a variety of things, including laundry, we also need some countertop space to fold clothes, mix detergent, scrub stains, prep dog food, etc. Right now, there is nowhere to sit things and it cramps our productivity.
- Crawl Space Access – This is an annoying must-have because it’s an eyesore (shown below), but it’s definitely a necessity in keeping our home up-to-code. The crawl space access door is located in the laundry room. It has to remain in the same location for permit purposes, but our goal is to find a way to better disguise it. PS… no matter how much I scrub the linoleum floor it always looks like this- stained and disgusting.
That might not seem like a lengthy wishlist, but trust me when I say it’s a tall order for a tiny space… especially given the size of our largest dog. Finn is a 100 pound giant schnauzer and therefore, his dog crate will need to be pretty sizable.
D E S I G N P L A N
Onto the fun part… the design plan! As I previously mentioned, this space shares a lot of matching elements and similarities with the kitchen, since they are open concept to one another. Here’s what I’m thinking for the laundry room:
The concept is pretty straightforward… wall-to-wall cabinetry, a space for the laundry units to slide in, a built-in dog crate, counter space, updated floor tile, a tiled backsplash, updated light fixtures, and a fresh coat of paint. Here’s to hoping it’s as easy as that sounds.
C O N C E R N S
I do have some concerns going into my second One Room Challenge. Check out my 3 biggest worries below:
- Timing – This is my biggest concern. We’re also doing custom cabinetry (to match the kitchen) in the laundry room and are just now placing the order (due to budget). Anything custom takes A LOT of time and our kitchen lead-time took a month longer than expected. There’s honestly a good chance something will be delayed and that could mean not completing the challenge in time. I’m a very scheduled, detail oriented person… and it would be hard for me to swallow an unfinished project- especially in a “challenge” setting.
- The Dog Crate – I’m still designing the custom dog crate element of the cabinetry and it’s proving challenging. Given the size and weight of our big guy, most of the latches available to fit the cabinetry don’t meet the heavy duty specs we need. Johnny Cash, our smaller dog, is also a chewer… so finding a material that is durable and resistant to chewing has also been a headache. This part of the space HAS to be functional, designed with longevity in mind, while remaining safe for the pets.
- Shooting – If we make it to the deadline, I’m also a bit worried about shooting the space. It’s pretty tight and dark- which will definitely be a challenge. Eventually we’d like to add a solar tube to bring some natural light into the space, but our roof will need replaced this summer and we’ll have to wait until that occurs… which unfortunately won’t be in time for the ORC reveal. Here’s to hoping my camera skills are up to par. Ha! I’m trying to force that to the back of my brain and worry about it when the time comes.
To wrap things up, Emmett and I are eager to get started. We definitely have some hurdles ahead, and it will certainly get worse before it gets better (as it has the entire home renovation)… but I’m excited we’re taking the initiative to tackle this space. It’s so important to our kitchen design and at a stage where we’re nearly burnt out (after three months of the nonstop kitchen reno), we’re making it happen anyway. Ready to follow along?!
To see the other guest designer spaces in the challenge… click the logo below!
59 Comments
Monica Benavidez
April 4, 2018 at 9:48 amThis is going to be a huge transformation! Excited to follow along. :)
Sarah
April 4, 2018 at 9:58 amThanks so much, Monica!
Susanne
April 4, 2018 at 11:18 amWe have 3 little guys that aren’t allowed to roam our home when we aren’t home either. Their crates are in our laundry room and I sit our laundry baskets on them, lol! I can’t wait to see the transformation!
Sarah
April 4, 2018 at 12:50 pmThat’s a smart idea… hampers on top! I wish we were going to have space for a built-in hamper- they’re currently living in our bedroom closets.
J
April 4, 2018 at 1:29 pmHave you thought about replacing the exterior door with a half-life door in order to get some natural light into the space?
Sarah
April 4, 2018 at 2:03 pmNo, the backdoor is new, so I’ll just be painting that. We’ll be adding solar tubes (essentially skylights) once we do the roof this summer or fall to add more natural light.
Melissa
August 22, 2018 at 7:02 amWhere is your door from!?
Sarah
August 23, 2018 at 11:19 amYou can find the door here: http://bit.ly/2MxRE40
Jessica Devlin
April 4, 2018 at 2:30 pmI’ve been following you on instagram and so excited to see how this turns out!
Sarah
April 4, 2018 at 5:42 pmThank you so much Jessica!! xox
Tee at Beauteeful Living
April 4, 2018 at 3:22 pmLaundry makeovers are so useful! Our laundry is in our basement connected to our boiler. Wish it was a bigger space or I’d revamp it too. Good luck with updating this space! I can’t wait to see how that dog crate turns out!
Sarah
April 4, 2018 at 5:41 pmThank you Tee! At our previous home, the laundry was also in the basement… so this is a fun change. xo
Becky
April 4, 2018 at 3:24 pmLove the new design. And you’ll love your solar tube once you get them. We don’t have the kind with the built-in light, but I keep wanting to turn the light off because it’s so bright. Excited for you!
Sarah
April 4, 2018 at 5:41 pmThanks so much, Becky! I’m excited for the solar tube, but not for redoing the roof, ha. Talk about EXPENSIVE. Yikes! xox
Susie
April 4, 2018 at 5:55 pmHey Miss Sarah! So excited to follow along on this amazing renovation! Love your plan and space. It’s going to be so awesome when it’s all said and done. …Oh yea….you got this. :-) ~~ Susie from The Chelsea Project
Sarah
April 5, 2018 at 8:36 amThank you so much, Susie! Excited to cheer each other on again. xo
Cheryl
April 4, 2018 at 8:56 pmHi Sarah, I am so thankful I stumbled across your blog (via Pinterest). You are truly an inspiration and I admire your style and design choices in every way. I am a new home owner in the very early conception phase of renovating and can really appreciate the numerous challenges of design logistics. I am especially curious about the laundry room design plan rendering – can you share the app or software you use to achieve the realistic view? Thanks!
Sarah
April 5, 2018 at 8:41 amAww, Cheryl! You made my day. Thanks so much, and congratulations on your new house! That specific rendering was done in Photoshop. Maybe I’ll try to come up with a post about the tools / software I use?
Ruthie
April 4, 2018 at 9:32 pmI can’t wait to follow along with your remodel! Looks like lots to do but fun to start with a clean slate!
Sarah
April 5, 2018 at 8:37 amThanks, Ruthie! We’re all about the clean slate. After starting demo, it seems like everything needed to be replaced anyway! Nothing like a rotten subfloor to kick start the project. Haha! xo
Marci
April 4, 2018 at 10:10 pmLove the design plan for this space!
Sarah
April 5, 2018 at 8:42 amThanks Marci!
Leslie
April 4, 2018 at 10:23 pmOf course I can’t wait to see your kitchen! Based upon that room, I know your laundry room space is going to be so good! Sounds like you’ll be extremely busy the next 6 weeks with both projects!!
Sarah
April 5, 2018 at 8:43 amWe’re definitely busier than ever, but I hope it will all be worth it! Thanks for following along, Leslie! xox
Jordana @WhiteCabana
April 5, 2018 at 5:38 amWow – this is going to be a great makeover! I like your design plan. The wall of cabinetry is going to be so useful!
Sarah
April 5, 2018 at 8:44 amThanks so much, Jordana! We need all the store we can get. xo
Kalila
April 5, 2018 at 5:43 amI love your design plan, it will be a beautiful space.
Sarah
April 5, 2018 at 8:45 amThanks, Kalila!!
Emy
April 5, 2018 at 6:43 amI love your plans for this space! I can’t wait to see how to make a dog crate pretty.
Sarah
April 5, 2018 at 8:49 amWe desperately needed a better solution for the dog crates, so that’s probably what I’m most excited about!
Jewel Marlowe
April 5, 2018 at 7:00 amIt’s going to be a huge change! I look forward to following along. You’ve intrigued me with the kennels
Sarah
April 5, 2018 at 8:49 amThanks, Jewel! I’m really excited to have a designated places for the pups.
Tracey / Porch Daydreamer
April 5, 2018 at 7:03 amIt is so fun to see you incorporate a dog crate into this space! This design trend is not going anywhere and the space looks like it will be amazing. I was up with you at midnight posting too, so you know you have some virtual support those late nights!
Sarah
April 5, 2018 at 8:50 amI can’t wait to follow along and cheer each other on Tracey! Those late nights are crazy. Haha!
Vicki and Jenn 2 Bees in a Pod
April 5, 2018 at 8:13 amYou will love your laundry room when this is all over. We feel your pain about the dark photos. Our ORC room is the guest bathroom that has zero windows and no natural light LOL. We know that you are up to the challenge and will create an amazing space!
Sarah
April 5, 2018 at 8:51 amThanks so much you two! We’ll suffer through shooting our dark spaces together ;) xo
Cathy | the Grit and Polish
April 5, 2018 at 10:11 amI am SO impressed…a kitchen AND a mudroom! You guys are busy! And I really can’t wait to see this space come together, especially with the kitchen too. It’s going to be beautiful
Sarah
April 5, 2018 at 10:32 amBusy and probably a little insane. I’m going to lose my mind. So much for the clean house! Argh.
Stacy G.
April 5, 2018 at 1:41 pmYou’ve got a diamond in the rough here. I know it is going to be functional and beautiful when you are finished. Your worries are my worries too. It doesn’t help that I seem to be drawn to our worst rooms to shoot for this challenge. If it’s cramped and tiny, I choose it. :)
Joy
April 5, 2018 at 4:16 pmThis is going to be quite a beautiful transformation! Definitely a swan hidden under ugly duckling feathers!
Tiffany
April 5, 2018 at 9:55 pmWow I think this will look amazing! Love your plans and you definitely have a challenge before you, but those make the best reveals. BTW program did you use for the drawing?
Sarah
April 6, 2018 at 6:01 pmThank you, Tiffany! That specific rendering was completed in Photoshop.
Traci
April 6, 2018 at 5:16 amAs always I’m impressed with your design choices! I’m very much looking forward to seeing how you transform the space. Also not sure if you recall but I was the one with the grout issue the other day. I decided to go ahead and purchase the one you linked. I’m not much of a risk taker and I couldn’t find a good color match. So it will be worth putting the project off for a week for the right color. Thanks again for sharing your sources.
Sarah
April 6, 2018 at 6:02 pmThanks Traci! So excited you went with the Pecan grout! It’s going to look great. How did tiling go? Or is that happening this weekend? I can’t remember. Good luck! xo
Traci
April 8, 2018 at 5:34 pmThanks so much! It happened this weekend and I am extremely pleased. The tile is amazing! Can’t wait for the grout. Lol! Thanks again, you and Emmet are the absolute best!
Rachel
April 6, 2018 at 11:59 amThis is going to be such a fun room to follow along on the transformation!! Can’t wait to see how you tackle it! :)
Jude
April 6, 2018 at 2:18 pmSo excited to see this unfolding! The moodboard is gorgeous. I’m joining in with ORC for the first time :)
Sarah
April 6, 2018 at 6:02 pmThanks, Jude! So happy you’re participating this time around- it’s a lot of fun :)
Meghan
April 6, 2018 at 9:05 pmSarah,
I am so excited to follow your progress!!! We are making over our laundry room for the challenge as well! Best of luck to you!!!
tim@designmaze
April 7, 2018 at 3:59 amnice plan!! that trap door … but your floor will be amazing! looking forward to seeing it coming together in 6 weeks.
Brittany Goldwyn
April 7, 2018 at 11:08 amThis is going to be great. And don’t be embarrassed about what it looks like now. Have you seen the before pictures of my yard? We were those trashy neighbors with a terrible yard until now.
Carol@BlueskyatHome
April 7, 2018 at 1:25 pmSarah, nice to meet you here at ORC. We redid our laundry room last summer so I can’t wait to see how yours turns out. It looks like a large space to work with.
Caireen
April 9, 2018 at 10:47 amLovely plan – it’s going to be beautiful very soon!
Jessica | Petal + Ply
April 10, 2018 at 7:00 amLove this plan so much! That tile!! Be still my heart!
Lisa
April 10, 2018 at 3:55 pmI am so very envious of the space you have here! The plan is beautiful and I can’t wait to see the progress each week! BTW, Finn is too cute! :)
Sarah
April 10, 2018 at 8:46 pmThanks, Lisa! Finn says thanks too :) haha! xox
Lisa
April 11, 2018 at 8:07 amSarah I love your plans for this room! It’s going to be beautiful!
ElleK
September 17, 2020 at 3:06 pmHi, I just browsed through the finished Laundry room from the link in your current blog post. It is a lovely space. Could you let me know the dimensions of that room, especially the wall where you have the washer/dryer to the tall cabinet. Thank you so much.
Sarah
September 18, 2020 at 9:55 pmThank you! That space was around 6 feet x 8 feet.