laundry rooms etc.

BEFORE: Adult humans spend way too much time doing laundry to be sad in those spaces. That said, this is a basement, so the homeowner (me) didn't want to spend a lot of money on this little makeover. We got the junk guys to haul away the giant wardro

BEFORE: Adult humans spend way too much time doing laundry to be sad in those spaces. That said, this is a basement, so the homeowner (me) didn't want to spend a lot of money on this little makeover. We got the junk guys to haul away the giant wardrobe taking up half the room, and I had the painters give this a fresh coat of deep gray paint. I replaced the track lighting with a better but low-profile fixture that diffuses light throughout the room (instead of straight down on your head), moved the hall tree from the basement common area (see the midcentury modern portfolio for its old placement), and then used rigid vinyl peel-n-stick tile made by WallPops to give this space a low-key glow up.

AFTER: These vinyl tiles make such a huge difference! I kept the suspended upper cabinets because I needed the storage for paint. The hall tree at the entrance functions as a quick place to hang up items to dry, including towels that have just come h

AFTER: These vinyl tiles make such a huge difference! I kept the suspended upper cabinets because I needed the storage for paint. The hall tree at the entrance functions as a quick place to hang up items to dry, including towels that have just come home from the pool.

BEFORE, the sequel...when our sewer line under the house collapsed, they not only dug up the whole front yard, they also had to jackhammer up half our basement floor, including the entire laundry room floor, to get to the pipes. This was TRAUMATIC, b

BEFORE, the sequel...when our sewer line under the house collapsed, they not only dug up the whole front yard, they also had to jackhammer up half our basement floor, including the entire laundry room floor, to get to the pipes. This was TRAUMATIC, but let me tell you, I have NEVER been so happy I did a cheapie makeover with vinyl tiles instead of something more expensive!

AFTER, the sequel: we were able to put it back the way it was pretty cheaply

AFTER, the sequel: we were able to put it back the way it was pretty cheaply

And hey, I got a new laundry room sink out of it! Isn't this little cast iron guy adorable?

And hey, I got a new laundry room sink out of it! Isn't this little cast iron guy adorable?

The plumbers left a patch of bare concrete here that the vinyl tiles won't stick to, so for now I've got it covered with a matchy vinyl rug about the size of a bathmat. Again, it's the laundry room, I'm not as precious about that.

The plumbers left a patch of bare concrete here that the vinyl tiles won't stick to, so for now I've got it covered with a matchy vinyl rug about the size of a bathmat. Again, it's the laundry room, I'm not as precious about that.

Is this ornate, mirrored cabinet too posh for a laundry room? YES. But it's solid wood and I didn't have space for it anywhere else in the house, so it holds paint cans.

Is this ornate, mirrored cabinet too posh for a laundry room? YES. But it's solid wood and I didn't have space for it anywhere else in the house, so it holds paint cans.