Laundry Room - Before and After

If I had been smarter, I would have submitted these pictures to HGTV or something and tried to get them to come and "Save my Laundry Room!" Although they don't really have that show... but I still might qualify for Save my Bath. Anywho... here's the horrendous BEFORES!!

this is the best picture I have of the "laundry room." It was actually a breeze way connecting the kitchen to the garage. This pictures is standing in the kitchen looking at the washing machine. You can see that there is hardly a passage way between the door and the machine- it was a tight squeeze. And if you take just a few steps to the left once in the "laundry room," you will find yourself in the garage. Oh and don't worry that this tiny space had the washing machine, 2 windows, 4 doors, a set of drawers (blocking a door), a broom, and other odds and ends. It was full and not functional.


You might be saying to yourself... where is the dryer? to that I would say, great question. When the washing machine is finished, please load all of the wet clothes into a basket. Turn around in the cramped space and carry the heavy basket out to the garage. Be careful when trying to exit, the garage door tends to close on you and your hand will get hit while holding the basket.

Please place your basket of clean clothes on the gross and dirty garage floor so that you can load them into the dryer. Be very careful not to drop anything onto the ground, or you will have to wash it again. Thank you. Good job. (Just looking at this photos gives me bad memories!)

Did I mention that our "laundry room" had concrete floors and 2 of the doors leaked water under them when it rained really hard and that this was the light fixture?

Needless to say, anything we did was going to be a HUGE improvement!! I actually took daily photos of the progress and intended to blog daily. But due to the large Spanish test looming over my head, I did not blog. But I very wisely used my time to study. And thus missed out on huge blogging potential. Oh well, I saved you from days of boredom because there were many days that I had to look REALLY hard to find something new to take a picture of :)

So here are a variety of photos from the process and the end result. I actually still need to "decorate" and "beautify" the space. But after 1 full month of doing laundry at the laundry mat (while studying Spanish), I am thrilled to have it looking as it does.

Now on to the tour!!

AFTER

This picture was obviously early on in the progress, but i feel it gives a good view of the layout. I am standing in the door to the kitchen when I took this. Straight ahead is the HALF BATH that we added!! (we only have 1 full bath in our home, so this half bath was much needed!)

To the immediate right, the wall goes back about 18 inches (okay exactly 18 inches) so we were able to put a full wall of cabinets there. If you walk to the left, that is where the washer and dryer are and the door to the garage. Do you get it?

Here's our main worker! He's great. cheap labor and works constantly!! very trustworthy!! I'll give you his number if your interested. (oh yeah, he's my father -in-law :)

We put that bathroom door on an angle to save space. It really was a wise decision!! this small spaces feels so large and ROOMY!! I love it!

Now here is looking off to the left. Those cabinets are above the washer and dryer (obviously MIA in this pic). the bathroom is just out of view to the right and the garage door is just out of view to the left of the cabinets.

Here is the beautiful light fixture in the bathroom!! It is a combo light/fan fixture! Can you believe they make such beautiful fans?? I was so excited to find it!

Here's my sink! Oh how I love it!! corner pedestal- ordered from vintagetubs.com. I am in love!! The bathroom is this deep blue color. The laundry room is kinda creamy with a yellow hint to it. I think all of this pictures were taken before we did final paint touch ups- but you get the idea.

Here's the whole bathroom- very small - but very necessary!! you can see how the white fixtures just pop against this gorgeous blue! and isn't the tile just great :) I love it!! we're actually going to replace the kitchen tile to make it match this... in time. I will put up a mirror and decorate this eventually. And also there is a towel hook and toilet paper holder up now, but this pic was before that.... so I'll have to blog again!

and the most exciting moment in the last month!!!!!! MY FIRST LOAD OF LAUNDRY IN OUR NEW LAUNDRY ROOM!! I made Ty take pictures of the whole process. He was actually so excited that he didn't even make fun of me for wanting the pictures!! notice how the dryer is RIGHT next to me! oh the ease! oh the comfort!! oh how i love laundry!! (well at least for a few more loads, until the honeymoon wears off.)

So the two machines actually sit about 5-6 inches off the wall because of the hoses behind them. SO I think I'm going to put up a small white shelf just over the machines- and really just to decorate on and to cover the hole. I love decorating :)

Now- here's the BEFORE and AFTER from outside.

BEFORE: (notice the breezeway - it sat back from the garage and the living room- so it was the fartherest part back... it has 2 windows and a door on it) ps- my spell checker is telling me that "fartherest" is not a word- but it IS when I'm trying to explain something, duh.


Now- the garage and LAUNDRY ROOM are all the same level... smooth!! and the new windows are tall (instead of short and long like before). The door is gone!! (we NEVER used it before) and eventually we will get black shutters to match the front of the house. OH and eventually we will landscape as well. can't wait!

And that is what has been happening here. Since you missed out on the day by day building process... I think I will make up for that by doing constant "Decorating" posts. So get excited. Oh and feel free to give some advice or opinions as well :)

I'm actually missing a few other pics you should see... more motivation to post again :)

Now we are off to little brother in law's high school graduation! Happy Memorial Day Weekend!