Back to the room that didn’t exist a few weeks ago. Excuse the shout-y tone—this is about as thrilling as it gets around here. (Side note: I dreamed there was a newspaper column called Shellac This!—a daily feature that shellacked a different piece of furniture each morning—and everyone talked about it. It even became a movie.)
We left off with a primed and ready picture of the new laundry room in Monday’s post, so we’ll pick up there. We used VOC-free Kilz Premium for the primer. The space is compact—about 7′ wide by 8′ deep—so progress moved quickly. Here it is, ready for paint:
Before choosing paint, we picked the floor tile. It’s Blast Anthracite from The Tile Shop, priced at $6.59 per square foot—so the whole floor will run about $350 (we used a YHL10 discount). We liked how it played with the accent tile we’ll install above the washer and dryer but below the wall cabinets.
The floor tile isn’t too light—so it won’t show every lint ball—and it’ll read nicely against the hallway hardwoods. The real selling point is the striation: pretty veins and subtle variation that look much better in person than in photos.
After choosing the tile, I made a simple mood board to see what combinations felt right and to narrow down a wall color. Everything is still flexible (except the appliances and tile), but it was a useful starting point:
- Warm wood elements to balance the gray tile and polished appliances—think butcher block counter next to the machines.
- Our washer and dryer, which we’ve written about previously.
- A geometric ceiling light from a recent collection could add character to this cozy room.
- A woven storage basket for a splash of color that still feels natural.
- Small prints to bring personality to the walls.
- A wood letterpress drawer for displaying little collected items.
- White cabinets to match the appliances and let the butcher block stand out.
- Simple knobs that echo the light’s geometry.
- The accent tile that will sit above the washer and dryer.
- The chosen floor tile.
- A Dash & Albert rug for texture and a subtle color accent.
Seeing the tile, warm wood tones, and a little colorful art together helped us decide on a wall color. We wanted a light shade to keep the small, windowless room feeling bright but not stark white—so the trim and cabinets could register as architectural details. Rather than guessing from swatches at the store, we made an in-room, hands-on mood board:
We gathered items from around the house that represented the finishes and colors we might use—the white drum stool that matches the appliances, tile pieces, warm wood samples, and a terrarium that mirrors the lines and hues of the light fixture.
Holding swatches up to the tile and wood made the selection feel intentional. Our favorite ended up being Benjamin Moore’s Going To The Chapel—the same color we used in Teddy’s room. We like repeating a few colors throughout the house to create a cohesive palette, so that worked well. We chose an eggshell finish in BM’s VOC-free Natura line for the laundry room.
The painted room looks more finished and polished than the primed shot, even though the photos don’t capture the full difference. Painting the new end of the hallway to match helped the addition feel like it’s always belonged there.
It’s wild to think that just a month ago we were drawing ideas and now doorways and rooms are actually in place.
We also picked a glass door for the future bunk-room. After weighing several styles, we chose a 15-pane clear glass door to match the one that leads to the deck downstairs. Using the same style upstairs will help the house read consistently and feel original. We like having clear glass so we can choose to frost it or add a shade later if needed.
The door is in stock at Home Depot for $149. We’ll paint and install it ourselves—frame it, add hinges and a knob—which I’m already looking forward to. With that in mind, here’s our current to-do list:
Move washer & dryer and remove cabinetryDemo cased opening, side wall, back wall, part of the floor and the attic stepFrame new walls & doorwaysMove laundry plumbing hook-ups & drainsMove laundry electrical (plus other lights, switches, and outlets)Move dryer vent & HVAC ductHang drywallAdd insulationMud, tape, and sand all the drywall seamsPrime & paint laundry room and hallway walls- Tile & grout new laundry floor
- Add baseboards and door casings
- Rehang laundry door
- Add new glass door to future bunk-room
- Add upper cabinetry and crown molding
- Add lower cabinet next to washer & dryer with countertop
- Tile & grout laundry room backsplash
- Reinstall washer & dryer
- Add ceiling light fixture
- Hang art, ironing board, and bring in other laundry room items
- Finishing touches and repairs (drywall in garage, attic step, etc.)
Next up is installing and grouting the floor tile, which we hope to finish by Monday. Getting that down will make the space finally read as a room and move us one step closer to returning the washer and dryer. Laundry might not excite everyone, but the idea of washing clothes at home again is pretty exciting to me—expect a reenactment of Happy Feet once the machines are humming.