...because home doesn't happen overnight.

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Oh, hey. It’s Friday and I’m just hanging out in my laundry nook posing all The Price is Right beauty-like. I am so weird. My idea of a good time is staging amateur photo shoots in my house. Not necessarily with me in the picture but I like seeing other bloggers in their homes, so I thought I’d give it a go. I should have put on shoes.

The last time I showed you the laundry nook it looked like this…

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Not too much has changed but I would like to point out my recents tweaks and then give you the full monty. Of the laundry nook’s innards, that is.

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First up, I took all y’alls advice and rehung the homemade curtains {I cut up and hemmed IKEA linen panels} under the DIY countertop. Instead of clipping the curtains across the top, I gathered the fabric and clipped it about 2″ from the top hem. I guess you could call it the poor man’s pinch pleat. And it rocks. You guys are awesome with a capitol AWE! The gathered top looks more polished and pulls the curtains up off the floor a bit which makes sweeping easier. I haven’t heard other bloggers say this but I, for one, think a great advantage of having a blog is receiving ideas from the peanut gallery. Sometimes, even as a blogger, it’s really helpful to see my house through others’ eyes. Thank you!

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The other obvious change is the mirror. The original mirror wasn’t the best shape for the vertical space between the two upper cabinets. The round mirror hung above the mantel in our previous home and there was no harm in trying it out but, once I hung it, I knew I’d eventually replace it with something taller and leaner.

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I spotted Feiss’s Cleo mirror on Wayfair and the measurements were perfect. Its shape is curvier and a bit more feminine than I’m usually drawn to but I thought the curves would help break up the straight lines of the cabinets and countertop. Plus, hello, I am a girl {I don’t think I’ll ever be able to call myself a “woman” and feel comfortable saying it} and I am the only person in our household who uses this nook so I’m entitled to a little girlification when I’m handling dirty underwear, no? I clipped some forsythia, redbud and other green stuff from the backyard and threw them in a vase. Along with the leaning mirror, they give the nook a relaxed feel.

Please note the reflection of the dining pendant light in the mirror. Money shot.

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I also enjoy seeing pictures of all the people whose dirty underwear I’m tending to while I tackle mounds of laundry. The second tier countertop was the best idea I could come up with to hide the dryer’s control panel. The magnetic photo strip is angle iron that you can find at any home improvement store. Ideally, I would prefer a dryer with controls on the front but there’s nothing wrong with ours so I made do. I strategically placed a few horizontal photos near the start button for easy access.

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The photos can be removed to change the dryer’s settings but I rarely change them from load to load.

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HH made the wood countertops using boards he found in the attic during renovations. He secured them together lengthwise with joiner biscuits and wood glue to get the depth we needed. The lower counter rests on wall cleats at the sides and a 2×4 in the middle. I painted all the supports white to blend in. The upper counter rests on the wainscoting.

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There’s a secret trap door that gives me access to the washer’s control panel.

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HH installed sliding latches to lock the door in the closed position. The door itself can’t support much weight when closed {a full laundry basket is fine} but the rest of the countertop is really sturdy. I can stand on it, no problem, and I have. Both countertops – the lower, deeper one & the higher, shallower one – are removable in case we ever need to get to the water/electric hook ups for the washer or dryer. They just slide out.

And now for the full monty…

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BAM. The cabinets and woven baskets hold laundry supplies, lightbulbs, a water pitcher and our owner’s manuals. We have empty shelves!

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The washer and dryer take up most of the floor space under the countertop.

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There’s room next to the dryer for a rolling cart, drying rack, petite ironing board and small trash can. I hung the ironing board from a hook that’s screwed into one of the wall cleats.

My little laundry nook isn’t perfect but it makes me happy and I’ve come to love it. Since it is part of our mudroom/dining room, I keep it tidy and it keeps me honest. I try not to let laundry pile up in here. And whenever we get around to having a party {we are so due for a party}, I think it could moonlight as a bar.

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Everett really, really, REALLY wanted me to take his picture. He says he’s going to be a principal when he grows up {lord help us all} and this is his attempt to dress like one. A clip-on tie on top of an argyle sweater vest on top of a striped polo and everything tucked in to show off the *reversible* belt. So smooth.

Thanks to Wayfair for supporting my habit.

images: Dana Miller for House*Tweaking

65 Comments

26.April.2013

Hi Dana,
I found your blog earlier this year, and it is quickly becoming a favorite. And I love your laundry nook. So functional and beautiful. I think you have integrated beautiful form into a very functional space. And I love the rest of the dining/mudroom as well. Nice job!

26.April.2013

I noticed that you have a bosch washer. I have the exact one. Have you had any problems with it? Mine has been a mofo. I’m wondering if I got a lemon. Had to have the pump replaced once already and I sometimes have an imbalance problem -stuff never spins dry!

The new mirror is so good, Dana. Best laundry nook in the blogosphere! And next time I do my hair (That’s a task and a half) I’m totally going to do a pretend photoshoot. Hahaha.

26.April.2013

This is beautiful. When you designated this a dining room/mud room/laundry nook I just couldn’t see a dining room. Then you put the credenza on the wall and I was impressed.The second paint color improved on that. But, that mirror has taken the laundry right out of dining. It is beautiful. The room is beautiful.

27.April.2013

such a beautiful nook! who knew laundry could be so lovely? so great to see you in the shots, too—and ps … either you are a teeny tiny little thing or i seriously misjudged the size of that space!! could you even see in the mirror when it was the round one?? ;) spill it, sister!

27.April.2013

Barefoot pics are the best!

I was wondering if you have any lint issues in the room. My laundry room gets linty when I clean the filter, and I’m always wiping down the tops of my machines. I don’t have a countertop, so I keep wipes right on top of the washer. I also keep a small wastebasket with a lid up there – for the lint! Everything else is in upper cabinets. So, just wondering if those curtains get linty/dusty, forcing you to wash them often?

This is a unique room, and you’ve done a superb job making it look like a dining/mud room. Seriously, that laundry area is very well disguised!

27.April.2013

Love the space! Where did you find the striped laundry hamper?

27.April.2013

This is the best laundry room hands down. I love how it feels apart of your home and not just a laundry area. Well done.

Everett is so cute here. He is well on his way towards being a principal!
I love this laundry nook. It’s so nice how you took what is normally a “blah” utilitarian room/nook/corner of basement/whatever and hid the ugliness, maximized the style factor, and made it fabulous. This area totally could double as a bar/buffet!

27.April.2013

Love the nook, and the new mirror! We’re looking for inset door hinges for a project we’re working on and from the pic, it seems like the ones you guys used for the trap door would work perfectly. Would you mind sharing where you bought them? We can’t seem to find anything like that!

27.April.2013

Well that is just plain amazing. I have never seen anyone create such beauty around the washer/dryer. We downsized to a fixer upper condo. Condo came with awful appliances. When our washer went we tore out a linen closet and put them upstairs. That solved the problem of hauling laundry down 2 flights of circular stairs. That did mean that delivery of those appliances meant they had to be hoisted over an upstairs balcony. Again, your laundry is a place of beauty!

27.April.2013

Well, if that’s the chicest, most elegant-yet-relaxed laundry room I’ve ever seen! That mirror is to die for. And it’s so amazing what little tweaks can do sometimes — rehanging the curtains really improves their look (and I thought it was good before). And, yes, I do like seeing bloggers in their houses sometimes so thanks for that :)

27.April.2013

Having people in the photos makes all the difference! Now I really have a much better idea of the size, height, etc. of your laundry nook area. ( Is it called perspective? I’m not sure. . . ) I just really love seeing people in the pictures, please include more!:)

27.April.2013

Dana, It is stunning! Totally could double as a fancy bar…I don’t think anyone else in the world could say that about their laundry nook. The mirror is the icing on the cake. Would love to see some full room shots from the dinin room side!

27.April.2013

That new mirror really makes the space! And truly, it’s all in the details – the photos, the beautiful shelves, the fun curtain – all add up to a really beautiful nook! Thanks for sharing!

27.April.2013

Very nice! The new mirror is perfect. And I love Everett’s funky mix of patterns!

27.April.2013

Lisa, have you checked your dryer vent hose? I mean the one that runs between the dryer and the outside vent. I was having a lot of lint, and when my hubby checked, he found some holes in the hose. It made a huge difference after the holes were taped shut.

Best laundry nook ever! And Everett is simply precious. Love the argyle:)

27.April.2013

I occasionally check that its not clogged to find its completely clean, but I’ve never checked it for holes. Hmm, gonna make time to do that tomorrow. Thanks!

27.April.2013

I am so impressed with your empty shelves. I feel like I have more stuff as a single person than your whole family of five. That makes me want to do a major clean out and get rid of junk I don’t ever use and don’t need. I am still so inspired by your downsizing. My dream home has now become something small and just the right size – no wasted space. Its so different from the “keeping up with the Joneses” mentality. I love it! Thank you!

27.April.2013

You’ve made a functional space stylish as well as practical, and the new mirror adds a nice touch of glam. LOVE what you’ve done with the laundry nook. Not easy, since it’s part of another room, not hidden away in a basement or behind doors. Where did you find that fun striped laundry basket? (which also fits in so smartly) P.S. Everett’s adorable, of course.

27.April.2013

The laundry bin was a Marshall’s find.

27.April.2013

I like seeing people in living spaces on blogs as well. As much as I don’t like taking pictures of myself, I thought it might be helpful/fun for others to see an actual person in the space.

27.April.2013

The hamper was a Marshall’s find.

27.April.2013

We don’t have any problems with excess lint. Of course, the floor around the dryer gets dusty from cleaning out the lint trap after every load of laundry but it’s easily swept/wiped up. We had a lot of problems with lint in our previous home’s laundry room. We think it was due to the dryer vent hose being squished between the dryer and the wall. During renovation of this house, we found and installed a recessed dryer vent box that allows us to push the dryer right up to the wall without smashing the flexible dryer vent hose. I showed a picture of the vent box here during renovation if you want to see what I’m talking about.

27.April.2013

I’m 5’4″ on a good day ;) Not supermodel-worthy but not a dwarf either. The countertop is higher than standard kitchen counter height to clear the tops of the washer & dryer but it’s still easy enough for me to fold laundry on. I could NOT see myself in the round mirror before – haha! I can see my face at least in the new one. But really, I don’t want to be able to see myself doing laundry {it’s not that pretty} I just like how a large mirrored surface bounces light around the dark nook. The ceiling in the laundry nook {and mudroom/dining room} is standard 8′. I think it helps that we mounted the cabinets right up to the ceiling.

27.April.2013

Oh please, do a photoshoot with yourself included! I’m such a virtual Peeping Tom.

27.April.2013

I LOVE my Bosch washer! It’s 5+ years old and we’ve never had a problem with it. Every once in a while I have to run an extra spin cycle because I didn’t remember to throw in some little socks to help balance out a wash of large blankets/sheets/duvet covers, etc. I actually have a bag of old baby socks from when my boys were babies that I keep in the laundry room and I throw them in with loads of heavy/big stuff so the washer can balance itself. Works like a charm!

27.April.2013

Zoomed out shots coming! I’m working on the dining part of the room next month so I’ll be sure to share updated pics.

Looks great!…and I’d also like to express how envious I am that your redbuds are budding now. Down in Austin, ours finished up probably 6 weeks ago, and we’re already facing some pretty toasty days. Of course, I suppose the trade-off is that we didn’t have any snow and barely any freezing days this winter.

27.April.2013

That pinch pleating tip can from me on your last laundry room reveal! I’m so excited.

27.April.2013

My response got cut off…the space looks amazing. I love the glamorous little laundry nook it is now.

27.April.2013

As an elementary school teacher, I feel like somewhat of an authority on principals. Everett nailed it. There is obviously no administrative fashion class required to be a principal. And I’m drooling over that mirror.

27.April.2013

Love your laundry nook! As an elementary school principal I’m pleased to say that Everett made my day!

28.April.2013

It looms a A-mazing!! Beautiful Job!

28.April.2013

The space definitely looks more polished. I love the candles and vase. I was loving the mirror until my sons pointed out that it looks like a silhouette of a man’s head. I was even considering ordering one like it. just wondering if your boys noticed it as well.

28.April.2013

I’m no youngster, and it’s the first thing I noticed, as well. Too much TV coverage of shooting ranges and their targets, I guess.

28.April.2013

gorgeous. jealous. adorable. that’s how i feel about this post!

28.April.2013

So pretty and so functional. When you said you would be leaving the laundry in the mudroom, I never imagined you could make it so attractive. You’ve done a great job.

The Ikea curtains you mention – I think they must be the Aina linen curtains. What color is that? I’m thinking of using them for my bedroom, but I can’t decide between natural and bleached. I’m too far from an Ikea to check it out myself. Yours are the perfect color, but they look darker than the bleached and lighter than the natural on my screen.

29.April.2013

Love the laundry nook!! Mine needs a serious overhaul, but it’ll have to wait a bit! I love you all’s photos in with the space and Everett is just too cute!! Love that all the colors match though!! ;)

29.April.2013

They are the natural!

29.April.2013

Aw, I don’t want you to feel jealous! Maybe inspired but not jealous. If it makes you feel any better, I am getting up close and personal with my laundry nook today {i.e. it’s laundry day and I’ve got about six loads to do!}.

29.April.2013

I didn’t notice until you pointed it out! Looks a little Bruce Willis-ish, doesn’t it? Haha. The boys haven’t said a word. I don’t even think they notice there is a different mirror.

29.April.2013

I saw this and responded out loud with a two-syllable “wow-ow.” That mirror totally transformed the space. It really does look like a casual-glam bar or buffet.

You also reminded me how much I love the look of turkish towels. When my husband and I downsize this summer, I’m thinking we’ll also replace all our fluffy towels with space saving, stylish turkish towels.

29.April.2013

Love, love, love this!

29.April.2013

They’re invisible hinges made by Soss. I got mine at the local Woodcraft store, but you can order them online as well. Here’s an example … http://www.woodcraft.com/product/2001079/539/soss-invisible-hinge-38-x-1.aspx.

29.April.2013

This looks so incredible. I am so thrilled I rediscovered your blog recently. Loving it!

30.April.2013

Thanks! I had no idea these existed, but they’re exactly what we’re looking for.

30.April.2013

Love the barefeet pictures of you Dana, please don’t take this the wrong way, but you’re stunningly beautiful!

Have your blog bookmarked and been following it since before your got the underdog and you guys have given me the inspiration to take on my own “underdog”. Just had to give you a compliment, not meant to creep you out.

With utmost respect to HH,
Chuck

I adore your laundry space…it’s absolutely perfect!!!

PS-I did the same thing to hang my curtains in my bedroom…love it, and it’s super easy! :)

30.April.2013

Wow, besides really liking your space, I didn’t realize just how big it is!
I would love to have a laundry nook like that in lieu of trudging up & down basement stairs!
Great Job!
And I have to agree with Chuck – you are one beautiful gal :)

30.April.2013

You don’t ever wear shoes in your pictures! And it’s cute!

Laundry nook looks awesome.

30.April.2013

That’s because I don’t wear shoes unless I have to. I’m kind of a hippie that way.

30.April.2013

Compliment accepted!

02.May.2013

I love everything about your house. It will be relevant for years to come. The only exception to this is the pleated cover for the washer and dryer. It ruins the clean aesthetic. I feel like it should be something that is completely straight when covering and only pleated when drawn back. Another idea is hinged doors in white. I’m sure there is an ikea hack that you could do to make them. Otherwise, amazing.

A space like this might actually make me enjoy doing laundry…maybe ;)

xo,
Katie
hellolittlebean.com

this looks aaamazing. how can a laundry room look so good?

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17.May.2013

Please tell me more about the dining room/laundry room pendant. Is it from Crate and Barrel?

17.May.2013

Yes! The Hoyne pendant.

02.July.2013

Love this!! Beautiful!! Can you please tell me the color grey on the wall? Thank you :)

02.July.2013

Besalt by Ace paints mixed in Clark + Kensington.

13.August.2013

Stunning. Both beautiful and functional. I love the photographic element. Our household laundry represents the people we love. Doing laundry is one of the ways we show that love.

[…] time, I’ll totally pull a Dana and jump in the picture because the new presence of these photos aren’t being […]

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