Generic selectors
Exact matches only
Search in title
Search in content
Post Type Selectors

Renovations

Reveal: The Long-Awaited Modern Colonial Laundry Room

December 19, 2022

This post was sponsored by Lowe's Home Improvement. A one stop shop for an entire renovation!

Sigh (of joy and relief). The LAUNDRY ROOM IS FINISHED!! And we're excited to share our very last reveal of 2022.

The laundry room was the only thing that made us second-guess this house during our house hunting last year. We were so spoiled with an upstairs laundry room in our last house, equipped with double washers and dryers and plenty of cupboard space. We did a simple paint makeover before we moved, but it was already like that when we moved in! So moving into a house with a tiny downstairs laundry room (pictured below) with almost zero counter space was an adjustment.

We lived with it and made it work for a few months, but ever since we moved in, we've been searching for a solution! It finally came to us when we started rethinking the layout of the upstairs bathroom and "playroom" area, and we had the idea to make half of the playroom a laundry room! Six months later and this is where we're at today!

Before

After

Chris and I dreamed up the vision, drew up the design plans and then made it happen! "Creating" a utility room like this out of nothing can be a possible DIY, with the help of some sub-contractors like plumbers and electricians. Not to mention pulling permits and getting everything inspected and approved. The pros took care of things like running dryer venting to the exterior of the house, setting up waterlines, and making sure that structurally the floor could handle the weight of the appliances are best to involve a contractor.

As for everything you see in here, we relied on Lowe's to make all of this possible. Lowe's is a one-stop shop, especially when you're renovating a utilitarian space like a laundry room! Everything from drywall and plumbing, to wallpaper and cabinetry – they've got it all.

Let's take a step back and talk about the checkerboard finish in here that I'll never tire of. The flooring!

Checkerboard Tile

I thought for sure I would lay the creamy ivory and slate gray tile diagonally, making a callback to the home gym and the outside pavers. I did not expect to love them laid straight as much as I did, and I still love how perfectly pretty this alignment is. It's also the perfect contrast to the curvy, organic pattern of the wallpaper.

The Wallpaper

Calacatta Gem Tile | Harbor Gray Tile | Wallpaper | Washer & Dryer | Cabinet Pulls | Cabinet Knobs | Gold Light Fixture | Sconces

Choosing this wallpaper was such an easy decision. I knew it was meant to be the moment I saw it. This utilitarian space is really benefiting from the organic, traditional shape of the wallpaper, yet it all still feels really modern and crisp (which is exactly how you want a laundry room to feel).

Cabinets

It was important to me to have a lot of storage in this laundry room, and we worked really closely with our cabinet design consultant at Lowe's to optimize every square inch we possibly could. Lowe's has custom and semi-custom cabinetry in a variety of colors and finishes! There are multiple tiers (based on materials and premium upgrades), and we actually went with the most affordable tier for our cabinets. Best of all: the cost of the cabinets includes the installation.

We wanted to tie in the vibe of our kitchen cabinet color with these cabinets, and we went to Lowe's to physically look through lots and lots of samples. In the end, we found the prettiest cabinets in this warm beige color. They remind me of a really clean linen really lightens up the room. These cabinets are Kraftmade in the "Bagley" profile in maple wood. The color is "Cottage!"

The cabinets above the hanging rod, we had the center of the cabinets remain open so we could add some decorative inset. We went with this inexpensive, but BEAUTIFUL, decorative sheeting and I think it is such a beautiful detail. We just cut it to size and glued it in place.

Lantern Sconce | Sink | Faucet | Laundry Baskets | Cabinet Pulls | Cabinet Knobs

We have so much space to store towels, linens, cleaning supplies for the upstairs, wrapping paper, and more! It's a dream come true.

Speaking of dreams coming true, isn't it everyone's dream to have a sink in their laundry room?

Sink Nook

This little nook used to be a closet where we stored all our board games! Having a space to spot-treat clothes and more is a dream, and I'm obsessed with the profile of this sink and faucet. The rolling laundry bushels are not only freaking cute, but they're functional and practical, and I already can't wait to take them for a "spin."

Lighting

I love a statement light fixture. Lighting can add so much personality to a room, and I think it's fun to choose something unexpected. The "petaled" chandelier has multiple bulbs, so it's nice and bright in here. My rule of thumb for lighting is to have at least three sources of light. In here we have the central light, recessed lighting, the sconces, and the little lantern above the sink. (I think we're good!)

I'm a special fan of the little black shades on the sconces – just a wink of drama.

Appliances

We bought a washer and dryer set when we moved in last year. The appliances that were downstairs weren't energy efficient and a load was taking almost 4 hours to wash and dry (not good!), so we went with the GE Smart UltraFresh Front Load Steam Washer & Electric Dryer Set. They're energy-efficient front-loaders, and I'm a special fan of the washer vents because you never get that damp smell! Also, the doors on this set are reversible. We chose to have the washers in the center, and the dryers on the ends, so the doors open toward each other!

To us, our dream laundry room would be fully equipped with double the machines, so why not make it happen? The girls' rooms are all upstairs on the same level as the laundry room, and right now Chris and I are carrying our laundry upstairs. It's not a big deal, because it's a lot better than what we were doing (carrying all three girls laundry downstairs) but who knows what will happen in future renovations downstairs.

Countertops

Just like the cabinets, Lowe's has a variety of options when it comes to countertops, and they'll send installers too! We were originally going to go with a Dekton countertop that we fell in love with at Lowe's. It's an extremely durable material with the most gorgeous veigning, but Lowe's also has real stone options. Many stores are even partnered with local stone yards as well! We went with the local route with a stone yard for a beautiful slab of soapstone. It's dark, it's dramatic, and I love that it extends all the way up the backsplash. The countertop height is also perfect for folding!

The only piece in this laundry room that's NOT from Lowe's is this vintage armoire that we sourced from Chairish. I really wanted to have a vintage piece to warm this utilitarian space and give it some character and charm. I think it's doing the job incredibly well.

And of course, everything in this laundry room ties in beautifully with the bathroom across the hall!

It's safe to say this is my ideal laundry room. This is my DREAM laundry room. Chris can have all the dream kitchens--this is my happy place. :)

Laundry Room Sources

Cabinets (Bagley Maple Cottage)
Cabinet Pulls
Cabinet Knobs
Decorative Brass sheeting for upper cabinets
Washer & Dryer
Brass Rod
Flange
Calacatta Gem Porcelain Tile
Harbor Gray Porcelain Tile
Wallpaper
Gold Light Fixture
Sconces
Sink
Faucet
Lantern Sconce
Laundry Baskets

Missed part of the process? Look back at the whole renovation journey here:

Introducing The Layout Of The New Laundry Room, Bunk Room, And Bathroom

Inspiration For The Upstairs Laundry Room

Laundry Room Mood Board And The Two Elevations We Were Deciding Between

An Update On The Laundry Room And Bathroom, Plus Some Finishes!

The Tile Is In The Laundry Room!

All Of The Different Wallpaper I Have Used

How To Deodorize Wood Furniture (And How We Organized Our Linen Armoire)

filed under: 
— Hide Comments
+ ShowComments
What do you think?

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

    1. It's Lowe's KraftMaid cabinetry Bagley model in color Maple Cottage, but I don't know if they still offer the color!

  1. I’m working with Lowes to try and recreate your beautiful laundry room! They just didn’t know how the sink was flush against the wall since the sink was 22” and the base cabinet is 24”. Did you get the base cabinet cut down? If so, to what size?

  2. What is the process required for the dryer to be flush? Not sticking out into the room because of the dryer vent? Gorgeous laundry room!

  3. Beautiful design and always appreciate the detail of each design. I have always wondered with your family’s height, how you like/manage with machines so low? I notice your past laundry rooms also didn’t have them on a pedastal. Is having the counter more valuable than the height? Asking as I keep contemplating this in my laundry remodel!

    1. Absolutely! It is the perfect height for folding for us, while it might be too tall for others. loading takes seconds, while folding takes forever!! We love the height for that.

  4. Such a lovely room - almost makes me want to do laundry!

    Personally I would consider your original laundry room the height of luxury. We recently moved into a house with an indoor laundry about half that size after thirty years with our washer and dryer in the garage near the door into the kitchen. At least it meant that everything was hung or folded and put away immediately!

  5. I love this! Laundry is the chore I hate the most, but I think even I would enjoy doing laundry in this space.

    I also love how you color matched the cabinets, trim, and bead board. It makes a nice contrast with the wall paper. Were you able to get paint to match at Lowe's, or did that have to be ordered from Kraftmaid?

  6. Gorgeous! I have these machines and ADORE the fact that the vents also mean you can wash *and* dry small loads in the same machine. Not staying up late to swap a load when I need something the next morning? Game. Changer.

  7. This will be a lovely and quite large room to do laundry in. I do wonder however what will be stored in the cabinets on either side of the sink? Having them configured the way they are - on the counter instead of above - appears to make it impossible to put much next to the sink! A washing basin or clothes that need to be flat on the counter and treated with soap or stain remover that requires a bit of water, where can you even put a bar of soap or a soap dispenser because the sink itself does not have a flat surface and since is not flush with the counter it will be difficult to have any tools/soap near it!

  8. Love love LOVE this laundry room. I think you did a great job mixing and matching the wallpaper with the fun light fixture. The sink nook is also so nice. Sinks in laundry rooms are a must!

  9. Amazing! You’re usually pretty open about costs. Can you give somewhat of a cost breakdown? Mostly the cost of running the electrical and water to a room that currently doesn’t have these hookups for laundry. Thank you!!

  10. I love the lantern over the sink and the laundry hampers the MOST! Having a pretty and functional space makes laundry something I don't despise.

  11. Do you have to remove the entire counter if there is a washer/dryer issue? In a past laundry room remodel, you left an opening in the back for access.

What We're

Loving

Right Now

What We're

Loving

Right Now

Looking for our favorite things? A place to shop our home room by room, or just catch up on what Julia's wearing / loving right now? Browse the CLJ shop
Shop All

Love Stories

Love Where You Live

In an industry that often feels designed to make you discontent, we want this to be place you come for inspiration, ideas, and encouragement to make the space you're already in feel like home.
Read All Posts
let's break this thing up

BROWSE BY CATEGORY

01

Portfolio

Befores, afters, mood boards, plans, failures, wins. We’ve done a lot of projects, and they’re all here.
read more
02

Projects

We have a long-standing relationship with DIY, and love rolling our sleeves up and making it happen.
read more
03

Design

Even when you don’t want to rip down a wall, you can make that space in your home better. Right now.
read more
hello world!

looking for inspiration?

House Tours

Fall Around Our House 2024

Some years, I go very spooky, gothic, dramatic Halloween, but this year, you may notice that I didn’t really decorate for Halloween at all. I stuck more with fall-themed decor as opposed to Halloween, because I could feel my energy running thin. Just a reminder: You don't have to do it all! Decorating for fall […]
product lines

The Rug Guide: How to Choose a Rug by Room Color

I'm often asked how to pair rugs together based on a color scheme. I love mixing and matching rugs throughout my home, and I want to help you with the selection process! So I'm using some of my most loved room colors in my house as a jumping board for which CLJ x Loloi rugs […]
Sales

The Best Prime Day Deals by Category (2024)

Happy Amazon Prime Big Deals Day! Forget endlessly scrolling through Amazon – we've got your back. We'll be dishing out the best Prime Day finds in real-time, from the must-have gadgets we use every day to the home decor pieces we've been obsessing over. Over the next few days, we'll share the most up-to-date finds […]
House Tours

Our Modern Colonial House Tour Video - Fall 2024

There's nothing like kicking off fall with a new house tour! I love making these videos. They feel like a bookmark in time, capturing the mood and the feeling of our home in the season of life we're in now. I have some newly redone spaces to share (the mudroom! Greta's bedroom! The landing! The […]
Learn With Us
Want to do what we do? Get the tools, mentorship, and training to be a Good Influencer professionally.
Learn More
Looking for Something?

SEARCH THE BLOG

We've been doing this since 2009 and we've posted a whopping 24145+ blog posts and counting. You might need a little help searching, huh?

Can We Send You Our Love Letter?

Another way for us to stay in touch! Joining our weekly newsletter gives you access to exclusive content, never-before-seen photos, your questions answered, and our favorite DIYs. Sign up below!

hello world!
Follow Along on Instagram
Welcome to our online community where we've posted home, DIY, style, renovations, and family since '09. Renovating our #cljmoderncottage in Idaho and headed for new adventures in Raleigh, NC. #cljfam #cljtransformations
© 2024 Chris Loves Julia, LLC
PRIVACY POLICYTERMS & CONDITIONSAFFILIATE DISCLAIMERSITE CREDITCOMMUNITY GUIDELINES