Without much introduction to my new blog, I want to share a small renovation project I recently completed in my home. With a manageable scope and timeline, and about $4,500, I added my personal style as well as value to my home by transforming my basement laundry room into a pleasant place. Of course I had help from my contractor, Mike, and his team. I did select and purchase all finish materials myself, though Mike supplied the behind the scenes items like the drywall, rough in plumbing and electrical, 2x4s, and so forth. My supportive husband Brian gave me the nod and the planning began.
Let me step back. We bought our now 74 year old Tudor house in the Woodhaven neighborhood of Bethesda, Maryland 20817 on April 29, 2011, so we just celebrated our one year anniversary. Though the house had undergone considerable and gorgeous renovations by the previous owners, the laundry room had been improved only by the addition of new front-load washer and dryer in 2008 and maybe the toilet was relatively new too. Oh yes, there is a toilet in our basement laundry room. But I strongly disliked the color and being in the basement without any windows, it was not the most cheerful place to make my laundry clean.
The washer and dryer were on pedestals, all the rage in laundry appliances, but being only 5'3" tall, rounding up, the tops aligned just below my shoulder and even if there had been a nice surface, folding would have been at eye level. The old wash tub with drain pipe from the washer and the leaky old faucet, exposed pipes and wires and all, contributed to the overall mood. I dreamed about shiny, happy laundry rooms. I created a Laundress Pinterest board. I coveted a new laundry room. I set a budget, scheduled the work once I got an estimate from my contractor Mike, and went shopping.
Let me step back. We bought our now 74 year old Tudor house in the Woodhaven neighborhood of Bethesda, Maryland 20817 on April 29, 2011, so we just celebrated our one year anniversary. Though the house had undergone considerable and gorgeous renovations by the previous owners, the laundry room had been improved only by the addition of new front-load washer and dryer in 2008 and maybe the toilet was relatively new too. Oh yes, there is a toilet in our basement laundry room. But I strongly disliked the color and being in the basement without any windows, it was not the most cheerful place to make my laundry clean.
A few more notes on my blog before the debrief and the reveal. Although I am reasonably handy, this is not a Do-It-Yourself blog. Certainly not an interior designer, I care about and plan to discuss room and house layout and design. This is not an "on-a-dime" super budget conscious blog, though I find bargains where I can. Tying it all together is my interest in real estate, homes and projects. More on real estate in future posts.
Welcome to our perfect new laundry room! Pretty pale yellow walls (Duron SW7123 "Yellow Beam") in eggshell finish, gorgeous "White Ice" granite counter (a remnant from Granite Works in Rockville) at comfortable folding height, bronze cabinet knobs, plenty of extra, always-appreciated storage, crisp white porcelain farm sink with stainless gooseneck pull-out faucet, all with a fresh and clean perspective!Other details....
- New flush mount electronic ballast fluorescent ceiling light fixture from Home Depot, no flicker or delay so voila, instant light!
- Under-cabinet LED light strip with switch on wall above counter plus extra outlet, say for ironing (ha)
- White painted wood cabinets from Ikea, some with glass panels and others above and below the sink with solid doors
- Under-cabinet LED light strip with switch on wall above counter plus extra outlet, say for ironing (ha)
- White painted wood cabinets from Ikea, some with glass panels and others above and below the sink with solid doors
- Crown molding to tidily conceal the wires and some pipes
- Direct drainage for washer into behind-the-wall sewer stack
- Repair the broken dryer handle, switch order of washer and dryer and side of dryer hinge for easier transfer of wet clean clothes to dryer.
For the finishing touches, I need a towel bar and a toilet paper holder, to reinforce the combo powder room and laundry room functionality. We kept the existing tile floor and just rerouted existing plumbing and electrical. I spent a little more than I probably needed to on the cabinets because I wanted the nicer wood finish with glass and the bronze cabinet knobs from Union Hardware in Bethesda were an extravagance (I'd buy online for much less in the future).
- Direct drainage for washer into behind-the-wall sewer stack
- Repair the broken dryer handle, switch order of washer and dryer and side of dryer hinge for easier transfer of wet clean clothes to dryer.
I did this project to make an everyday chore more pleasant for myself, to add some of my own personal style to my home, and to improve the value of my home, in that order.
But I am one cheerful laundress now. I'll have a smile on my face for years to come.
