Friday, February 26, 2010

Creating a new laundry room with old parts

Have you happened upon this blog for the first time? Are you new here? I have been hosting a house tour of my home here at my blog for about 3 years...not really, but it feels like it. But speaking of 3 years, that is how long it has taken my husband and I to remodel this house. We are finally done and I am taking you on a walk through, click here if you want to go back to the beginning.

Today we are moving on to the laundry/mudroom, but in order to move forward, let's quickly look back. Remember this picture below, this is the old kitchen. We had a laundry "closet", as opposed to a laundry "room". The laundry closet was in the kitchen, which if we are keeping things practical I personally think is a great idea. Why not? In fact, add in a toilet and a sewing machine and I would have myself a room I would never have to leave. We digress...let us move on.
Here's that weird picture again of me smiling while demolishing the old kitchen, still no clue why I am smiling. What I want you to notice in this picture is the door in the background. This is the area of the old kitchen that becomes the new laundry room.Here is the new space. We reused the old kitchen cabinets for the new laundry room. We salvaged the sections we could, and then my cute carpenter husband pieced them together to make usable storage for the laundry room. Also, notice the black tile on the floor. I installed that, and there is a story. Laying tile is a physically exhausting job. My husband was in charge of cutting the tile, and I was in charge of creating the puzzle on the floor, spreading the mud, and laying the tile. Towards the end of the project my body was aching and my knees were bruised and throbbing. The cute carpenter thought that would be the appropriate time to say "you know, I have knee pads you could wear if you want them". Really? Really??
See, there's that door...do you know where you are now?
We added a small amount of trim to the top and bottom of the cabinets to tie everything together. I painted the cabinets the same color as the new cabinets in the kitchen, and then glazed them.
Though I know painting with oil based paint is less than desirable, my Dad is an old school painter and insists upon oil paint for cabinetry. Here is a trick: thin the paint with a touch of paint thinner and the paint will "spread" onto the surface. You will notice very few brush marks, which will result in a more professional looking finish.
Glazing. Easiest thing in the world. Benjamin Moore sells an oil based glaze that can be tinted any color. We tinted ours a chocolaty color and I spent about 30 minutes glazing these cabinets. Brush on the glaze into all the cracks and crevices where you want it to show, and then wipe it off. You can leave the glaze on heavy or you can wipe most of it away.
This is my answer to the ridiculous amount of art work that comes home everyday with my kids from school. You just can't keep it all, but heaven forbid the emotional breakdown that will occur if I have the audacity to throw something away. Instead, their work is displayed here for a few weeks and then is replaced with newer works of art as they come home. And because this is the door we come in and out of all day, we get to admire it often. Two things to notice here. I keep my unmatched, ever growing pile of socks nicely displayed on a tray in the laundry room; it kind of makes the pile look a little less ghetto. Also, that candle's scent is "Island Palm" and I highly recommend it if you are anything like me and longing for the weather to be warmer. It smells like sun screen and I can't get enough of it while the outdoor temperatures are hovering in the 30's.
Have an awesome weekend. Go paint and glaze something, or if you are lazy, just go buy an island candle. It will make you smile as much as freshly painted cabinets.

Amy

15 comments:

Jemsmom said...

Love it!! I am looking like a stalker as I am one of the first to comment! Your commentary is hilarious and Amy... let's talk about the tray... Ha!!!! You sure know how to fancy a ghetto up!!!! Where do you get the Island Palm candle? We had two days in the high 60s low 70's and now it is cold again. What a tease!!!

I have a magnetic backdoor that becomes an art gallery! I keep all the pieces I really like in a tub and then have been taking pictures of some others as I am really trying to curb my hoarder instincts! I thought that if I took pictures all year of her fabulous works, then at the end of the year, I could make a little Kodak book of all her fabulous artworks. They have little soft cover books for around $6!

You will have to check out my blog and see our pictures of Paris! Not quite the romantic/fall color/photographer sister (you lucky dog!) pictures, but cold/chasing the four year old/took a darn point and shoot only pictures! I loved every minute though!!!

Elizabeth said...

I love it all! And who doesn't have that ridiculous pile of socks stashed somewhere! :)

rachel blazer said...

hilarious... knee pads would have been nice, oh- 3 hours ago!! been there!

your laundry is just lovely! great job re-purposing the cabinets- they look great. and i may check into that island palm candle... normally i'm a vanilla only girl (sometimes cinnamon vanilla), but this winter is dragging ON and i need some hope!
have a great weekend...
rachel

The Starr Family said...

I'm a laundry room kinda gal... I could just sit in mine forever. Something about the smell of Downy.... yours is beautiful and I am IMPRESSED you did the tile!

The House Creative said...

I love the cabinets. I wish I had a laundry space. Mine is in a closet, and in the middle of the second busiest hallway of the house. I have a similar growing mismatched sock pile. Isn't that a bummer all those socks with no home? I seriously don't know where they go.

sassy seamstress said...

ok...i cannot believe you would blatantly lie to your readers like that!!!! People, I am here to say that glazing is not the easiest thing in the world to do. It may not be difficult, but there is definitely an art to it! only someone who does faux work would consider glazing easy. ;)

sara said...

Lovely pictures and hilarious commentary! You're right, tile work is a pain in the you know what - but it was obviously well worth the effort because your laundry room looks better than any room in my house! And the tray for lone socks is ingenious!

Carmen @ Life with Sprinkles on Top said...

Looks great! I'm jealous. My laundry room is in the dungeon. I like the idea of the tray for the socks, that way they're out in the open so you can see. I have mine in a bag. I just keep stuffing socks in there without taking the time to look to see if there are any matches.

Tammy@Fear Not said...

I'm loving the tour!

The Starr Family said...

Dearest Amy... we are buried in snow again here in Ohio, would you please share where I can purchase said Island Palm candle?? We need hope, even if it comes as wax & a wick!

Desperately,
The Starr Family

Playing Sublimely said...

Oh sweet Starr family,
I am so very sorry from the bottom of my heart...the snow must be a tragic sight ;)...JoAnn fabrics sells these candles! How random is that?!?!?
Love,
Amy

Kare said...

Wow, you are so talented!! I'm about to delve into my very first glazing project today believe it or not. Thanks for the little dose of inspiration. Your laundry room is a slice of heaven!! Just lovely...

M.J. said...

Love it! I so can't stop painting and glazing things!!!! It is my therapy and I just got a high off your project too!!! BTW I live in your town! Trish (my partner at Seek the Triad) just "introduced" me to your blog! I'm hooked! We so need to all get together! Darcy did mine too www.onenuttygirl.com

Kristin said...

It wouldn't let me post a comment about what you just wrote about your sweet little baby passing away - maybe that's the way you wanted it. I feel your pain and know that in the grand scheme of things, it isn't a huge thing . . . but if you've ever owned a dog before, you know that it is huge in your world. I am so sorry. I know that it leaves a massive hole in your heart. Praying for comfort for you and your family. We have a 4 year old dachshund and I dread the day we have to face the reality of him dying. I know your little guy felt loved and cared for and that's all you can do.

The Wheelers said...

It is beautiful! What paint color & brand did you use on the cabinets?

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