Laundry Room Progress

When we began the basement renovation/remodel, we talked for hours about a new layout down there that would be the most user friendly and much more aesthetically pleasing than the previous layout.  The laundry area was one of the areas that has been switched all around.

Previously you had to enter the basement bathroom and then enter the little laundry area. It was small and claustrophobic, and although we freshened it up with some white paint and fabric, it was still small and claustrophobic. It's only redeeming quality was that it had a window, so there was still a little natural light. Here's what it looked like up until two weeks ago.



Then, as we spent yet another weekend on the basement, we ripped everything out of that corner and took everything back to the cinder block walls. This is the part where it gets scary, as things always do when you have it all ripped apart, and haven't begun rebuilding yet. Apparently the previous owners thought that aluminum foil was a great insulator, because they lined the walls with it before putting up paneling. The centipedes apparently really enjoyed the foil, as we found what seemed to be their main nest behind the foil. AHHHH! Luckily I have a wonderful husband and a really nice brother who dealt with all of that for me.  And I am happy to report that many centipedes were harmed in the re-making of this laundry area.  Here's how the new laundry corner looked after we had taken it back to basics.







Yep, it was pretty scary looking while it was all nekked. Much like many of us, I am afraid. ;-) I knew that I wanted the new little laundry area to be a fun splash of color, so I painted the cinder block turquoise. Fun! Before painting I used a wire brush to clear off any flaking paint, and then cleaned up everything with the shop vac. My BFF Kilz created a good surface for the paint to stick to, and I went ahead and did two coats to really seal the walls. Then I went to town with my turquoise, and did two coats with that as well.



So now the washer and dryer are on the opposing wall (same corner) of the wall they used to be on, and the laundry sink is in the middle of the two, instead of being stuck in a corner, backwards. (!?!) It's actually usable now, which I am finding to be quite the novel concept. :-)



Above the washer and dryer there used to be a single pane window that got no light because it was underneath our back deck. We replaced it with a plywood panel that allows the dryer and the bathroom fan to vent through it. Eventually I will paint the panel too, so that it blends in a little more.



I'm looking for just the right light fixture to go in this little area, and I've got grand plans for storage and making the whole area a little prettier, as well as some collapsible doors to close off the whole area when not in use.  I'll keep updating you as we make progress.  Which brings me to my next question: which accent color(s) should I use with the turquoise?

Orange?

Red?

Light Green?

Watermelon?

Yellow?

I'd love to hear your thoughts on what accent to use. I'm looking forward to your comments!

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