J Cooper Photography

Well you all didn’t exactly have a riveting discussion of paint colors while I was gone.  So if you want to carry on with that convo in this post…that’s fine by me.

Come on people…scrounge around in your basement, crawl space, or garage and share that favorite color!

It feels REALLY good to have one room COMPLETE.  And by complete I mean….mostly done.

Let’s take a little stroll down “abundant oak” lane shall we?

When we moved in the laundry room looked like this.  (Crummy pictures from our walk through). Nothing horrible.  Fresh khaki paint, oak cupboards, a window (yeah), and wood floors (double yeah).

Then In December my father-in-law spent an entire weekend installing a laundry tower and bead board wainscoting for me.

My original plan was to make separate cubbies for each child all the way to the wall.  But you saw first hand how quickly the laundry attacks around here.  So after a few weeks in the house, I opted for the laundry tower and less space for the backpacks.  By the time Danny hits kindergarten, The Brainiac will probably be over using my cute cubby system anyways.

Then the laundry room sat while we installed wood floors, painted the foyer, re-did the dining room, and painted out trim.  And then I just couldn’t wait a day longer and I dove in.  I woke up one morning and said “I’m gonna paint my laundry room today!”  HA!  If only it had been that easy.  It took FOREVER and just about everyone we know has helped brush on at least a few strokes in there!

But, OH HAPPY DAY!  It is {mostly} done!!  The only step remaining is painting out the window when the Great White Tundra finally melts and spring arrives.

I also decided at the last minute that the flourescent light box had to go so we added in painting the ceiling over the weekend.  Mr. P was thrilled about that addition to the game plan.   But it was the right choice.  Cause the old school pendant is killer in there and just makes me happy.  And you’ve got to be happy when the laundry attacks.

The laundry tower idea was stolen from Pinterest:

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I opted for solid shelving instead of having the baskets hang.   My baskets came from World Market online.  Laundry in the tower.  School shoes in the baskets under the bench…girls on the left…boys on the right.

I kept the khaki paint cause I didn’t hate it and it was one less step.  The bead board added a TON of light to the room (it was SO DARK AND GREY today).  Plus with it painted out in semi gloss paint, it will be a breeze to wipe down when the kids come in slinging mud and snow.  Or when someone vomits on the walls.  You have to think of this stuff when you are a mom.

We kept the utility sink (handy) and cheapo faucet but painted the cabinets SW creamy white.  The wooden plaque is from Bed Bath and Beyond.  Love the sentiment.  “What are you waiting for…GO AHEAD!  Be happy!”

The other side of the room is more utilitarian.   I’d love to upgrade to a front loading dryer so I could build a folding shelf around the units.  But that one is still tumbling for now so it will have to stay.  The little step stool helps me reach my crazy high pole.   I thought about lowering it (or growing Go Go Gadget arms) but then decided the height was good for hanging pants so it stayed.

That door leads to the craft room.  It is my own little space…like a little secret hidden in the back of the house.  It is trashed right now (remember this post).  But some day it will be a little hidden jewel.

The little metal grate was a Good JuJu score.   I just clipped up a few meaningful baubles.  Mr. P used to call me turnip in college.  Weird, but oddly sweet?

The light that makes me smile.   Cheapo at Menards.  Do you have a Menards?  Any place you can buy an old school pendant light and tortilla chips in the same aisle is worth a visit.

The plastic storage boxes are from Walmart.  I found them on clearance for $1 last year and tucked them into the girls’ closets.  Now they’ll have a proper home storing hats and mittens off season.

The hooks came with the house.  Didn’t even consider replacing them.

The “curtains” are tea towels from Tuesday Morning.  The yellow pom poms had me at hello.  I bought the little tension rod and tiny rings at Bed Bath and Beyond and just clipped them up!

That was an awful lot of pictures and wordiness for one room.  But it is a HAPPY place!  When the sun is shining it literally just glows.  I wish I had taken pictures yesterday when the sun was out.  You’ll have to drop by in person to get the full effect!

Thanks for letting me share a little slice of my happy place.

Now go find that favorite paint color and talk amongst yourselves.   I’ll be back soon with our living room reveal!