From Blah to Oh la la...

Okay
Before you start to read this, be forewarned it is a long post.  You might have to get a cup of coffee or tea...maybe even a snack.  You will be here for a while.  


Once again, leave it to me to give an obscure area of my house a make-over.  After 4 months I am finally done with my laundry room make-over!  

I am as giddy as a little school girl.  

Really...I am.

My laundry room is off of my kitchen and also houses our food pantry.  It is also the only access to our back yard through the house.  I go through the laundry room several times a day.  My laundry room was looking a little...well...neglected.  

For years, the hubster and I talked about putting new cabinets in there to match the cabinetry in the kitchen.  Sad truth is, life takes over and more pressing financial matters demand attention.

Now that I have been attacking..uhh...I mean...attending to more areas of the house...the laundry room was looking a bit shabby.  

And not the cute shabby chic kind either.

The first thing I attended to was the current cabinets.  The cabinets are the original cabinets that were most likely built on site when the house was built in 1969.  At the time I am sure they were very modern and chic, but for me they were very plain and in need of some serious attention.  

BEFORE
This the food pantry kind of before I started.  You can see it is very plain and painted white.  It was impossible to keep clean.  Especially when the hubster comes home from work all grubby.  You will see my solution to this problem. Let's just say...if you can't beat them, join them.  

BEFORE
This is the top of the food pantry.  Really plain.

AFTER
I added crown moulding around the top of the cabinet and picture framing around the doors to give it a more traditional look.  I also painted the cabinets black.  Now the grubby hands of the hubster can touch all he wants.
hehehe

AFTER
A close up of the cabinet.  I distressed the cabinets a little bit...just because I wanted too.  I also added those gorg glass knobs.  I got them for a great deal too!  I got all of them for the price of one!  That was a great day for me.
Ahhh...the memories!

AFTER
Just another after.  I love it!

WARNING!

There is an after picture ahead.   It is downright horrible to gaze at.  

BEFORE
I am sorry to have frightened you.  But you needed to see the sad ugly truth to what I started with.

AFTER
Ahhh...so much better.  I put bead board up 2/3 of the wall and then added a board across the top with knobs.  I was thinking I could hang the broom, mop and other items off of it.  But I am not sure I can do it now.  It is so pretty.

AFTER
Another view of the knobs.

One of the problems with this was room was the lack of organization.  Things were just piled on top of the dryer and sometimes the washer.  No matter how hard I worked to keep it tidy, it just didn't last.  One problem was the hubster's obsession to own every small appliance ever created.  Sometimes I think the Lord put me in his life to keep him out of an episode of Hoarders.  (Just kidding sweetie!)     Once I  decrapified I was able to organize what we wanted to keep.  This was a few day process.  

BEFORE
Yep...there is the proof.  It was a mess.
Part of the problem was that there was so much stuff in the cabinets that there wasn't room for all the things that should have been in there.  Also, the shelf became a catch all place for appliances we seldom used.

AFTER
Except for the picture being crooked, it looks so much better!  Like I said before, I did a lot of decrapifying and threatening of anyone who shoves stuff on the dryer again.
 I added a little curtain behind the washer and dryer so I can't see the hoses and knobs.  I updated the shelf by getting rid of the curvy moulding on it.
I also added baskets on the shelves.  I even numbered them.  If the fam wants to know where the trash bags are...why they are in basket 4.  Hopefully this will help keep it nice and tidy in there!

AFTER
Look!  No ugly hoses to look at. 

AFTER
I wanted to add a pop of color to the room.
So, red it is!

I chose to add wallpaper to finish the walls.  I really am not that big of a fan of wallpaper.  When we bought this house, the previous owner was a big fan of the stuff.  Every wall was covered in it.  Every wall.  And to make it even more exciting, it was the same pattern in the entire house.  Who does that??

I digress.

The black and white is very stark. I thought that a black and white toile would tie the whole look together.  I have to say, I really do like it.  Don't expect to see it anywhere else.  

The back door also needed some attention.  I framed the window with moulding and made a faux roman shade.  I really like the results.  

A little close-up of the rosette.
I think it is so cute!

Now for my favorite addition to the laundry room!  

I have heard that in decorating, one needs to add a little something that is unexpected.  

It's kind of hard to do something unexpected in a laundry room.

I added a mini-chandelier for lighting!  

I just love it.  

BEFORE
In 1969 this light was probably the bees knees.
Not so much in 2012.

AFTER
This was really a splurge in the room.  I did have it on my Christmas list and Santa came through!
I added a little medallion too.
I think it added a nice touch.  
I bet you want one in your laundry room now too!

Well that's it.  It is done!  Finally!
Yep.