Our laundry room is 100% custom.

It took about 6 months to finish due to plumbing issues. Unfortunately we had a slow leak that had been on going for months prior to us moving in and wasn’t seen during our inspection.

Our laundry room sits on the main floor with an inaccessible crawl space underneath. With this, we decided to build a hatch in the floor for emergency access.

I designed this room with the idea that I didn’t want any black or white accent colors/hardware in this room (accept for the ceiling and washer/dryer).

Below is a break down of what my husband and I did to create this room. If you have any questions or want more detail on this room feel free to email me or follow me on Instagram @jorDIY_Workshop.

All items and tools that we used can be found in our Amazon Shop under “Laundry Room”

Wallpaper ceiling. May I interest you in mental breakdown?

Well look no further because putting wallpaper on a ceiling will do just that.

Even with the mental breakdown I’m very glad I decided to go for it because it added a lot of dimension to the small space. If you decide to add wallpaper in a laundry room, keep in mind it often gets hot/humid from the washer & dryer which is why I highly recommend buying an adhesive spray to help mitigate peeling or bubbling. All items I used can be found in Amazon shop section of my website.

Popcorn ceiling?

Speaking from experience, if you have a popcorn style ceiling, it will be very difficult to put wallpaper evenly on the ceiling.

You could always scrape off the popcorn or put up paneling to cover the popcorn ceiling but the easiest option could be to use a stencil or sponge.

Unfinished Cabinets.

Because my husband and I are money conscious and house poor, we decided to purchase unfinished cabinets from Home Depot.

These cabinets aren’t the desired ‘shaker’ style cabinets but are made really well and are exponentially cheaper than any finished cabinets currently on the market. We will most likely use shaker style cabinets for our kitchen when we decide to renovate that.

Another great place to find cabinets are liquidation companies who buy pallets in bulk from companies who purge their older inventory and sell at a discounted price. Often times there’s a mix of different styles so you will most likely have to hunt down the right style and measurements.

All Things Paint.

Painting the cabinets.

I chose to paint the cabinets rather than stain because I have a love-hate relationship with stain.

I began by priming the cabinets with Original Killz Primer. This helps seal the wood and prevent mold as well as helps with getting an even top coat.

The paint color I chose for the cabinets is Sherwin Williams Sandbar SW7547 in Eggshell. This paint isn’t cheap but Sherwin often has 30% off paints on weekends or holidays.

Eggshell is a type of paint that works best in kitchens, bathrooms or laundry rooms. It’s durable and is easy to clean. It also has a slight gloss.

Do not use eggshell over a matte finish. One time I painted a kitchen with a matte finish, quickly decided I didn’t like it, covered it with eggshell and it ruined the drywall. My weekend project turned into a week project. Never again.

Everything I have learned when it comes to DIY is by doing it the hard way first. Do yourself a favor and save time by researching what paint works with other paint. A good rule of thumb: Always prime first. Keep in mind there’s oil and water based primers as well.

I did 2 coats of primer and 2 coats of Sandbar. I bought gold pulls from Amazon. HACK: Don’t buy handles or knobs from Home Depot or Lowe’s. Just my opinion but the prices are ridiculous and Amazon or Hobby Lobby have a wider variety and are budget friendly. Another place; Etsy.

Since we are on the topic of hardware, I found my sink and faucet from amazon. I wanted a deep utility sink where I can clean throw a mop bucket and also clean my paint supplies. I think it’s important to pick a sink that stands out! Yes, they can be expensive but you can always try liquidation companies or Facebook Marketplace, etc. I’m always looking to save money anywhere I can but I’m not willing to deviate from style. :)

I wanted to make the cabinets look like an entire built-in system so I used a light weight mdf board as spacers as well as a 2 inch & 1 inch trim (all primed and painted in sandbar). I used a nail gun to fasten it to the cabinets, wood filler, and paintable caulk to make it all look custom & seamless. Note: Make sure you don’t nail your finger in the process. Highly advise against it. Ouch.

For the walls, I wanted to do a moody color. I knew there probably wouldn’t be a lot of real estate left as far as walls go so I figured, the darker the better! I chose Sherwin Williams Waterloo SW 9141 in Eggshell. I LOVE THIS COLOR.  It was such a good decision and really helps balance out the cabinet color as well as the gold hardware throughout the space. I also painted all the trim with this color because I didn’t want to break up the space with white trim.

Flooring.

We painted the subfloor with killz oil based paint, then we used the same flooring that we used for the family room which we purchased from Home Depot. It took a littler longer than usual because we had to work around the hatch.

Butcher-Block Countertop.

I wanted to add a natural, warm element without spending a fortune so I decided to go with a butcher block countertop.

This was unfinished & unsealed so I started with a 60 grit sandpaper, then 80, 100, all the way to 300. I also water popped the wood between each grit for an ultra smooth finish and used rags to wipe access dust between each sand. It takes some time but the end result is baby bottom smooth!

This might be a controversial confession but I used Bona Mega Floor Finish as my final coat sealant. Gasp! Now, there are many reasons why I did this. The main reason: I already had it and I like the finish.

It’s a non-toxic clear satin finish and there’s no yellowing like a regular store bought polyurethane. Another option that I have used in the past is Waterlox Original Tung Oil (which I also have but I didn’t have enough for this larger project). I am happy with the overall outcome and in my opinion the Bona Mega sealer brings out the natural color in the wood but doesn’t have a super high gloss like standard polyurethane. To each their own! I recommend researching types of finishes so you can get a better idea of what you like best.

Floating Shelf Wall.

I was originally going to put more cabinets on the furthest wall of the laundry room but I quickly realized the window wouldn’t allow for it so I decided to go with 2 floating shelves accompanied by a fully tiled wall.

I think this was the best decision for the space simply because the tile wall adds more character and makes the space appear larger. I got the tiles from Habitat for Humanity so I’m unsure of where they originally came from.

Another controversial confession: I used Mussel Bound adhesive instead of mud to put the tiles up. I know a lot of people out there are shaking their heads at this decision but… no regerts (not even a letter!).

I WOULDNT do this if i was putting this backsplash in a bathroom or kitchen because there’s too many water elements. Nonetheless, I highly recommend Mussel Bound for dry areas.

Custom Base Cabinet for Whiskeys Commode.

Another project that I did with this laundry room is built a custom cat commode for my cat, Whiskey. I will list the details under upcycle projects.

In short, I wanted a separate space for my cat to use the bathroom. I am not a fan of my house smelling like a cat has taken over so I decided to cut a hole in the drywall into a storage room off the garage. Because of this, I had to build a custom cabinet. I also wanted a space to put a laundry basket. It’s hard to explain so I have photos to help!

To Wrap it Up:

I’m sure I am forgetting a design detail but if you have any further questions please send me a message! You can follow me on Instagram at jorDIY_Workshop or keep my website in your favorites! If you have read this far, you are probably my mom. Hi mom! I love you. Thank you for reading lol.

Have a good day everyone! I mean mom.

-Jordy aka jorDIY