I really, really wish I had a picture of our laundry room {before}. It was bad. It was really, really bad. It was so bad, I didn’t even want to take a picture of it when we first moved into the house. I looked through all my old pics, all my old backup CDs and external hard drives and nothing. I couldn’t bear to take one single picture of the laundry room! I took pictures (and posted them right here on this webpage) of our bathrooms & toilets for cryin’ out loud and I wouldn’t even post pics of the laundry room. Apparently I had to draw the line somewhere. :p
But! I do have do have a picture of our laundry room from the apartment. And it looks really similar. Same plain wall color. Same washer/dryer we had before. Same wire shelving. Same small space. (Although actually I think the apartment laundry room was bigger…) But you get the idea. So for the sake of this laundry room before and after makeover, let’s pretend this is my laundry room before…
The Laundry Room { BEFORE }
Can you see it? Are you visualizin’? Okay and now…
The *real* laundry room…
The Laundry Room { AFTER }
The Washer / Dryer
We got this LG washer and the matching dryer from HHGregg. We were on our way to Lowes & Home Depot to look at washer/dryers and someone suggested HHGregg to us. It was right on the way, so we decided to pop in and look. And I am so glad we did! :) It was a Saturday afternoon, but someone was immediately available to help us. And let me tell you. That guy knew every single thing about every single washer and dryer they sold. I wasn’t exactly sure what I wanted, so I told him what features I thought I needed, what my current machines didn’t do that I really wish they did, and stuff like that. He made some suggestions for us and we walked around the store looking at the machines. I had never owned a front-loading washer before so I had to ask him practically what every single button did! LOL. He answered every single question and didn’t even have to stop and think.
After tons of questions and looking at all the different models, we were pretty sure we wanted the above LG pair. But we did want to go check Lowes & Home Depot just in case. Well, on Saturday afternoon, Lowes & Home Depot were packed and we couldn’t get anyone to help us. They both only had one salesperson on the floor and there were about 5-6 customers ahead of us. We walked around and looked, and price checked, but then went home. We looked around on the internet and read reviews and price checked the machines from HHGregg. HHGregg had the best price, we couldn’t even find it cheaper on the internet!
We went back to HHGregg later that afternoon and ordered the LGs. I think they had some kind of shipping deal that most places have these days- you pay up front for shipping and delivery and they give you a mail-in rebate to make it “free”. Well, I hate mail-in rebates. They never seem to come. LOL. So we just asked- Hey, we don’t like mail-in rebates- can you take the shipping/delivery fee off our total? They said “Sure!” and didn’t even blink. And guess what- they still gave us the form for the mail-in rebate, and said we could mail it in and still get our “money back” for shipping even though we didn’t pay for it. Neat, huh? But what was really cool- like I said, we ordered it on a Saturday afternoon- and they delivered it the next day. On a Sunday! Isn’t that weird?? But cool! It would’ve been awesome if our old washer and dryer were broken and we had a laundry crisis and had to do laundry right away. lol
After using the new washer and dryer for a couple of weeks, I’m very pleased. I really wanted to be able to wash our huge, fluffy, king-sized down comforter. It just wouldn’t fit in our old machine. The middle wouldn’t even get wet. lol. It did great in the new washer and came out so bright and clean. I can also wash all 5 of the dog beds in one load- compared to 2 at the most in our old machine- and that Sanitary cycle sure comes in handy! LOL
Pedestals
I originally thought I wanted pedestals. I didn’t want to do all that bending down. lol. Plus I really liked the extra storage space. We shopped around for the best price on the LG pedestals and found them for about $70 cheaper on Newegg.com than what HHGregg was selling them for. We printed out the shopping cart page from Newegg and brought it into HHGregg. We told them we were very pleased with their service and would like to buy the pedestals from them too, but found them for a better price online. The guy took the piece of paper, went behind the counter and got the price down to within $7 of the Newegg price. No questions asked!
We ordered the pedestals from HHGregg, and they too were there the next day. My dad came up that weekend and he and Kevin spent the better part of a Saturday afternoon installing the pedestals… But after seeing them in my laundry room… I didn’t really like them. :\ It made it feel more closed in… I guess because the washer and dryer were higher? And also, I couldn’t keep laundry baskets on top of the washer and dryer anymore- the cabinets were in the way. And I had a harder time reaching items in the cabinets. As far as bending down? Well, I found I actually prefered it! See, I would take the clothes to the laundry room in a laundry basket. Then when it was time to move them to the dryer, I just opened the door, scooped all the clothes in the the basket, slid it over and scooped the into the dryer, all in one big scoop. If the clothes were up high, on the pedestals, I would have to pull each item out of the washer separately to make sure it wasn’t attached to any other article of clothing- because I’ve done that before and it always falls on the dirty laundry room floor. Fun! lol
So my poor dad and Kevin spent the rest of the afternoon taking the pedestals OFF the washer and dryer and returning them to HHGregg for me. *sigh* :)
The Cabinets
These were just pre-made cabinets that we bought at Lowes. They were a perfect fit, and such a huge improvement over the wire shelving!!
The Baskets
I got these from Target. They were originally a lighter, honey color, but I wanted them dark so I spray painted them. Worked great! :) And for those wondering- no, I definitely can’t reach them without some kind of vertical assistance! ;) But Kevin has freakishly long monkey arms and can reach them easily without a step ladder. So I keep things he normally takes care of up there- like extra light bulbs. :)
The Rug
The rug was the “inspiration piece” for the room. ;) I saw it at Bed, Bath and Beyond and *had* to have it. I knew it would be perfect to liven up the laundry room! I took the rug to Home Depot and they color matched the blue in Behr paint for the wall color.
Oh, and btw… This stuff is *awesome*
I wanted the rug so bad, but didn’t think it would work in the laundry room because of the two doors- there wasn’t enough room to put the rug down without the doors catching on it and flipping it up every single time- annoying! So I bought this tape from Target and it rocks! It’s strong enough to hold the rug down- the doors don’t get caught on it and I can even vacuum it! But when I got ready to throw the rug in the wash before taking these pics, it was easy to get up.
The Laundry Tower
Since I didn’t get the pedestals, I decided to splurge and get this Whirlpool laundry tower (special ordered from Lowes). I had one of those little cheap, plastic rolling carts there initially, and it worked fine, but this one is nicer. :D I love the drawers, and I love that there’s enough room to fit a little mini-trashcan down there for lint. It holds all the essentials- detergent, bleach, fabric softener and dryer sheets all right there. Btw. Yes. That’s indeed Cascade you see in there. It’s my secret for whitest whites. ;)
Thanks so much for looking! :) Whew- I don’t think I’ve left anything unsaid, but if you have any questions, I will be happy to answer them in the comments! :)
Wow! I think I read pretty much every post you made in the past 2 years and I can’t believe I haven’t found you before!! I love your laundry room! I have a room that MIGHT be a little bit smaller than yours and I can’t wait to try to do something like this. I hate my laundry room. I don’t want to be in it at ALL! Love the ready made cabinets! Your blog is so fun to read. I can tell how much you enjoy doing all of this. And tomorrow, I’m going down to my other computer and downloading all the wonderful deliciousness that you have on this blog! Thank you so much for sharing!!
Hey Amanda,
I always enjoy your posts, and this one showing your beautiful laundry room is excellent too. I absolutely love the colour your chose for the walls and the dark baskets go so well with it and your mat. Everything looks lovely and you’ve inspired me. I need to make over my laundry and it’s all your fault…ha! Thanks for sharing…love it!
Big hugs across the miles form Australia!
Wow! That’s an awfully pretty laundry room! I thought I only saw those in magazines and in my dreams! Very Nice Amanda! I love the added touch of the stack of towels color coordinated with the rug, the rug in the laundry room! Those baskets you painted look great!It all looks like a professional advertisement : ) I wish we had an HHGregg store here so maybe I could entice my hubby into at least looking at the machines. The idea of washing my bedspread at home (& more often) rather than taking it to the laundrymat sounds good to me! I’ve never had front loaders either but my Mom got them a few years ago and she loves them. Thanks for sharing Amanda!
Love the laundry room make-over!
Hi Amanda,
You did a great job on the laundry room. What I like most is the blue color playing off the white. One question did occur to me since our laundry room is similar to your ‘before’ picture and I want to re-do it someday. What kind of a light fixture do you have in there? I want my laundry room to be much brighter, like yours. We have a small flourescent in there now and that is just not doing the job.
WOW!!! Now that is nice,,Congrats!! But what gets me is you use cascade for whiter whites? Really?? Never heard of that, now I will have to try that,, Thanks for the wonderfull tip!
:D
You’re laundry room looks awesome now!
I <3 that rug! :]]
The new laundry room is GORGEOUS! I need to make over my area. I’ve been meaning to for years. Absolutely gorgeous!
Hey Amanda, I’ve been reading your blog for a while, but never commented before. I had to let you know that the laundry room looks amazing!! I love the colors! I have LG front loaders, too. They’re like yours but a few years older. I still love them!
When they turn on, does the sound remind you of the “seatbelts” ding in airplanes?! My husband thinks I’m crazy. ;)
I don’t know if you’re like me and never read appliance manuals- or if you actually take the time for that, but I wanted to suggest a few things I learned about having a front loader. If you’ve heard it all- disregard! I used to use those Shout Color Catcher sheets in the wash- bad idea with a front loader! They can get sucked in to the vent and then it can become impossible for the water to drain! soooo annoying! The other thing is when you’re not using the washer- it’s a good idea to keep the door open. Since it forms a water tight seal when it’s closed, it will stay moist in there if the door is kept closed and it can start to stink after a while and make all the clothes smell “musty” when you wash them (I learned this one the hard way).
Congrats on the new room, the new appliances, and the new rug (you sure seem excited about that rug)!! :)
I LOVE your new laundry room. My husband and I are getting ready to upgrade ours a little. Our house is new, but we still need to put in some handy dandy storage and my husband was also thinking of the prebuild cabinets. Any tips??
I love your laundry room! Great colors too! I want to put those cabinets in my laundry room and take down the wire shelving too. We just renovated our bathrooms and one of them has those colors. It’s an old farm house and we are preparing this place to sell. I love all your posts!
Well I just love, love, love it! You just inspired me to update mine. I really like the cabinets…it hides alot of clutter and the baskets are too cute!
You really made an improvement, love the ideas I get from you sharing your life and ideas. This is the best site I’ve found!
Love the new laundry room! I have LG products for my washer and dryer (for about 2 years now) – they are awesome. I never thought I would get so excited about a washer & dryer, but I find myself recommending their brand to anyone looking for a new set. Enjoy the time savings you’ll get with the more efficient washing with less water – it will usually save you 15 – 25 minutes on the drying time per load. Thanks for sharing your makeover! (Sandy H.)
very pretty! i also love my laundry room but there’s no way i could take a photo of my open cabinets right now. you’ve inspired me to do some cleaning!
Wow, Amanda, beautiful! But now I need to know details about Cascade and Whites…spill it! :)
Amanda . . . the laundry room is great! I love the make over. However, I read about having dryer sheets and wanted to tell you about dryer balls from Norwex! They will make your towels more absorbent and are much better for you and the environment. Dryer sheets are full of chemicals! Norwex offers a whole catalog of products to allow you to clean without chemicals. I sell the products and am a firm believer in the concept and love the products. Just an idea for you as we all try to do our part for the environment! tara (www.norwex.com)
Lovely room, you have such great taste. I, sadly, don’t have a laundry room as much as a laundry closet right now. :) At least the mundane chore of washing clothes will be a little more cheery now.
Hey….I’m a former lurker! I love the new laundry room! It’s so pretty. I’m jealous of the front loaders. I want some so bad. Anyway, I’m curious about using Cascade for your whites. How much do you put in a load? I wanna tray it. Thanks!
oops…i meant TRY not tray…..
Ooohh! I LOVE your laundry room!!! So when we buy a house, I’m thinking I should have you fly down & help me decorate. :) I love your style!!!
Cascade for the whitest whites!? AWESOME!! Do you just put it in with the detergent? I’ve got to try this :)
Very pretty and I know you will enjoy it. I am very jealous because I have 20 year old washer and dryer. I love your laundry tower. Very well done and congratulations.
The new laundry room looks great! I also am wondering about the cascade in the laundry… is that a secret you’d be willing to pass on? Great job, as always!
PS – I went with the 50mm/1.8 and I am in LOVE! Thanks for the suggestion!
I LOVE my front loading Washing machine, mine is a oldie but a goodie :) Oh and that Laundry Tower is FABULOUS! Love how neat and clean it is but still so very cute. But you know you have to spill the info on using Cascade????? lol
Amanda, LOVE your laundry room! It turned out really cute, great job. A nice, useful space *almost* makes it a joy to do laundry! Oh, I especially love the rug.
love the laundry room! what a huge difference i bet it makes it doing laundry a little nicer.
i have the older version of this washer and dryer and i love them too. i don’t know if the new models have taken care of the water that sometimes sits on the inside rubber seal but i just leave my door open and it helps or you can wipe it dry after using the washer. enjoy!
Wow – I love this – it is gorgeous!! We have been in the middle of one of our own home extreme makeovers so it is so fun to see inspiration here! I love the rug tape idea – I am so going to Target to buy some today!! So glad I found your blog! :)
Wow. I don’t think I’ve ever been more jealous over a laundry room before. Yours is truly heavenly. I’ve been wanting to paint mine for a while.
Amanda! You make me want to paint my whole house! :)
I’d love to know your cascade secret for whites! I can NEVER get them how I like them!
Wow! You’ve done an impressive job with your laundry room! Looks like it’s out of a home decor magazine!! I am so embarassed of my room that nobody can go in there; the horrors at the thought of sharing a picture, lol. And yes, you must dish about the Cascade!
I loved those cabinets in our old house. They fit perfectly and were cheap considering what you would have paid for other cabinets.
The picture of your apartment laundry room could have easily been mistaken for your old laundry room cause I couldn’t tell the difference.
I am interested to hear that you didn’t like you pedistals. I have been thinking about ordering some for ours and a table top that goes over the washer/dryer and it’s slide proof. So it’s a great place to do laundry and gives you a nice flat solid workspace. I don’t know if LG makes those though. I have a kenmore.
Congrats on the laundry room. You deserve it!
Looks fantastic. There are all sorts of laundry room makeovers on the blogosphere this month – definitely inspirational. Great job!
The new laundry room looks awesome – love your color choices!!
Ooooh, Amanda! I only recently found your blog, but after seeing your laundry room and reading every detail I feel like I have found a new best friend! It is beautiful! I LOVE the organizational details. Thanks for the inspiration, and I look forward to more! Katy
Jealous! I love your laundry room and it is on my must-have list for our next house. I love the color and the organization! My “laundry room” is currently in the garage…pain in the butt.
But please get rid of those dryer sheets! They’re so bad for the enviro and unnecessary. I don’t use anything and haven’t noticed a difference, but if you gotta have something, I have friends that have used the dryer balls and love them. Just something to consider :)
I am absolutely drooling over your new laundry room. It is perfect. I’ve been pining for a washer/dryer set like yours for so long. A few months back my dh had to go to HHGreg to get something and ended up talking to one of the salespersons regarding the washers and dryers. He too was impressed with their customer service and product knowledge. It is the way Circuit City used to be back in the day. And he should know, he worked for CC for almost 20 yrs. Long story short, I don’t have a front loader, yet! I secretly pray my stupid Calipso will die. The sooner the better.
Very nice! I am blessed to live in a new house, and I love my laundry room. I have a front load laundry set (Whirlpool Duet) and I got them built under the counter; just like you, I didn’t want to have them too high. I rather wanted the countertop so I could fold laundry. But I got a great idea from your pics… the baskets up on top of the cabinets. That space is kinda an eyesore cuz I have to store things but they never look that great. So thanks!!
I LOVE your laundry room, gives me some inspiration to do mine! I’m so glad that you explained the cascade-was a little confused when I saw it in your pics but now I’m going to have to give it a try! Decoration tip and cleaning tip in 1 blog-awsome! LOL
Aargh.. just lost my post ’cause I forgot to put my email and name above. :0(
Anyway, I just wanted to say that your colors look great! Good job on the laundry room!! I bet it makes you happy to do laundry now. I felt like that when I got new dishes. I was excited to cook and use them. ;0)
Cascade in your laundry?? Hmm?? Do you have to run a second rinse? I have a Cascade tip too…
It doesn’t work for me anymore because I have a stainless sink now, but when I had a white porcelin sink I would use it after I cleaned the sink. It takes the scuffs out and bleaches it and works AWESOME!!
rach
I am in the market for a new washer and dryer, so your post was perfect timing for me. Don’t you want to take a trip to Michigan and give another laundry room a makeover? I must know your Casacade secret, please share.
I love what you have done with your laundry room. I wish I could do something that creative. I would actually have to have my room clean first. LOL! I have a lot of laundry in my house.
I love the blue and the browns. What a beautiful creation. You really have a wonderful laundry room now don’t you. It probably makes you fell more apt to do laundry now doesn’t it? That is so awesome and I have to say that when I first looked at the second picture I was wondering if you were playing a trick and showing us a picture of how you wanted it to look like maybe a picture from a magazine. That is cool. It truly does look like a magazine picture.
I love the new laundry room! Who would have thought a place I like to spend the least amount of time in could be such an inspiration! Did you redo the flooring too? Looks like new tile. Do those towels also match in your bathroom? I love the colors. As always, beautiful job. I’m about to move from Louisiana to Colorado in a couple of months and would love some interior decorating advice :)
I love it! My bedroom is done in blue and brown. I’m also happy to hear of your experience because there is nothing I love more than good customer service LOL!
I would also like to add that your photography is impeccable! Looks like something right out of Better Homes and Gardens!
Hey girls! Thanks so much for your sweet comments! About the Cascade- In the new front-loader, I put about 1/2 cup in the pre-wash tray. In my old top-loading machine, I just put about 1/2-1 cup in at the beginning with the detergent- just like you would use Oxyclean or another laundry booster type thing. For tough stains, my mom adds just enough water to some Cascade to make a paste, then lets it sit on the stain overnight.
Hey Tary!
It’s just a regular light bulb. I’m not sure what the wattage is… But the lighting is pretty decent in there. :)
LOL Jamie! :) I hadn’t thought of that before! But I do love how it “sings” when it’s done! :) I am a manual-reader (I know, I know :)), but actually the HHGregg guy told us all that since he knew it was our first front-loader. Of course I did come home and read the manual, but I kept thinking, “Oh, I knew that! Brooks told us that!” LOL
Ooh, Karen, you’ll have to post pics of your laundry room upgrade! :) We really liked the pre-built cabinets! I think I said in the post that we got them at Lowes, but now I’m second-guessing myself… I think we got them at Home Depot?? I know we looked at both places, and they both had them and they were both almost exactly alike… I think I just liked the front of the cabinet doors a little better from the ones at Home Depot. At the time the cabinets were installed, I wasn’t thinking about leaving enough room for the baskets on top or for the laundry baskets on top of the machines- fortunately, it worked out that they both fit! :) The top of the cabinets isn’t actually flat- it has edges around each cabinet, so we just bought some cheap birch plywood and had Lowes cut it to size for us so it would just lay right down in there and give us a flat top to store the baskets. Also, you can’t really tell in the pics, but there’s a couple extra inches of space on either side of the cabinets. One day we may put some molding there to make it look like the cabinets go all the way across. :)
Tara & Ashley – I had no idea dyer sheets were so bad for the environment! I just love the way they smell! :)
Jaime, I just found this site last night and I LOVE it!! :) Inspiration for Decoration- Have fun decorating your new house! :)
Your laundry room looks great! I love the colors you used, the rug & baskets are too cute and match perfectly! Great job!
WOW! That looks gorgeous – like it’s out of a magazine!
Love it! Ok, you’ve inspired me! I am going to take before/after pics too. I’ll send to you when I am done. I need to find my ‘inspiration’ rug. The one now just won’t do! I love your bath & body works collection too. How very nice and organized, now will it STAY this way!?