Our washing machine recently bit the dust after a good 10 year run. In all honesty, I was secretly THRILLED to finally get rid of our front loader. Truth be told, it just wasn’t my favorite…especially toward the end. After a lengthy conversation with our repairman about the life span of different washers and dryers, we decided that a basic model would be best…y’know, a washer like grandma used 
A top loader with an agitator and NO electronics. We ended up with the Maytag Commercial Grade High-Efficiency Top-Load Washer & Electric Dryer Set.
Our previous washer and dryer set were big and bulky and made our small laundry room feel even smaller. A lot of extra space was freed up when the new set arrived. This set has no fancy bells and whistles (praise Jesus) and isn’t necessarily aesthetically appealing. And because our laundry room is basically our foyer (everyone comes and goes through this space!), I figured it was time to give this little space a makeover.
Here’s where we started…
While I absolutely adore our built-ins, I knew I wanted to repaint them a darker color because the white wasn’t forgiving at all and the locker portion definitely takes a beating. And when I started thinking about painting the built-ins, I knew I’d have to paint the walls as well (a whole If You Give a Mouse a Cookie sort of moment).
The wall opposite the built-ins has always been pretty low key. A few hooks to hang laundry and that’s about it. As I got to thinking about what I wanted from the makeover, my mind kept going towards simple and functional…cozy, but fun…and most of all, INVITING. I mean, if we’re going to keep using this area as our front door, I want this space to welcome people in.
First up on the agenda was choosing my paint colors. At the beginning of the year I painted this little cabinet the most gorgeous shade of green and since then it’s been my favorite piece in the house. I knew I wanted to incorporate that color into the laundry room and thought it would be the perfect color for the built-ins. Definitely darker than the white, but incredibly bold and beautiful!
I also knew I needed a lighter color to offset the green so that the room would feel more open. Bright and airy on the walls, dark and bold for the built-ins. Here’s what we went with…
White = Alabaster, Sherwin Williams
Green = Wilderness Trail, Sherwin Williams
I ended up going with a semi-gloss finish in both colors mixed with Valspar paints from Lowe’s.
I’m absolutely ecstatic with how it all turned out. A truly inviting space that’s playful, but cozy…warm and inviting. And most definitely functional!
Let’s start with the built-ins. These were an absolute beast to tackle, but I adore the color and how it all came together. The small cubbies were honestly being wasted with decor beforehand and the lockers were a catch-all. The baskets in the floor cubbies were a little too small and housed all of my laundry supplies as well as random pairs of shoes.
BUILT-INS BEFORE
BUILT-INS AFTER
Such a HUGE difference! I added these baskets in the cubbies up top to provide additional storage and conceal the contents. I tried baskets in each cubby, but it felt way too busy, so I broke it up with some random decor pieces I repurposed from other rooms like this artificial plant and some white decor pieces to brighten up the spaces. The big baskets on the floor are so much better and now hold laundry instead of laundry supplies!!! And of course, we’re saving one for shoes, too
I love the way green and gold pair together and knew I wanted gold garment hooks, but also didn’t want to spend a fortune on new ones since the original are in perfect condition. So I decided to spray paint them instead and this Krylon Metallic Gold Leaf Spray Paint was the PERFECT shade! I adore the way they turned out. These garment hooks are truly the best.
The difference in the space we have now as opposed to when we had the front loaders is huge and I love the way these look so much more! Clean and simple.
I knew I wanted to add shelving above the washer and dryer to hide the hook-ups as well as provide me with a space to store my most frequently used laundry supplies. Pulling them out from the basket on the floor of the built-ins wasn’t ever my favorite. And I cozied it up with this rug that really plays well with the room colors.
I found these shelves at Lowe’s and loved the width and finish + the brackets that hold them. They’re 36″ and the perfect size for this space and the color is natural.
I also found this peel and stick wallpaper at Lowe’s as well. I only needed one roll and it was really easy to install. Our walls are semi textured and I didn’t have any problems getting it to lay flat (I used a credit card to really flatten it out) or adhere and it was really easy to peel back and reposition when I laid it crooked. I love the added texture and the way it sections off this space of the room.
These one-gallon glass canisters are perfect for storing my detergent and extra dryer sheets on the top shelf and the tray on the dryer. I also used the smaller glass canisters to store my wool dryer balls and laundry scent beads. The glass canisters with the wood lids hold clothespins and honestly, those are just for decor.
The tray on top of the dryer will definitely double as a catch-all for pocket change and anything else I find hiding in our pockets.
I found this tiered cart and knew it would be perfect for holding all of my other cleaning supplies and it fits perfectly alongside the dryer. We didn’t have space for anything like this when we had the bulky front loaders so I was thrilled to have a little spot where I could store these for easy reach.
I love the way the cart tucks into the additional space on the side of the dryer without being an eyesore.
The wall opposite the cubbies/washer & dryer also got a little makeover. I wanted it to be functional as well, so I added a trim piece to separate the white and green and then attached these hooks (spray painted with the Krylon Metallic Gold Leaf Spray Paint) to hang our laundry or guest jackets and coats. I found these gallery frames that play really well with the gold accents and couldn’t pass them up. Not sure yet if I want pictures in them or subway art, so I’m holding off on filling them until Ii figure it all out.
Overall I’m absolutely smitten with the way it turned out. It’s functional and simple, but fun and inviting in the same breath. It took a little elbow grease and a few late nights and unexpected hiccups, but it was definitely worth the time invested. Dare I say I’m actually excited to do the laundry now?! Okay, not really. But I’m excited to have a space I adore to complain about the laundry as I’m doing it 
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