Let’s face it: Doing laundry is a total drag. But one interior designer found a way to make it less chore-like.
Jourdan Fairchild of Spruce Creative Studio had a boring and bland laundry closet with a sagging upper shelf that she said could barely support a detergent bottle.
So she and her husband decided to give it an overhaul. The outcome is not only pretty but neat and clean, too — the way laundry rooms should look!
After the couple replaced their old side-by-side washer and dryer with a stackable set to add more space, they gave the room pizazz with removable wallpaper and a cabinet with a custom-built countertop and shelf.
The whole decor project cost less than $400, not including the appliances.
Fairchild told TODAY Home the process didn’t take very long either. “I’d say you could maybe do it in a full weekend if you had all of the components — and didn’t have a toddler running around like we did,” she said.
For the wallpaper, they went with a cheerful, gold-speckled peel-and-stick design from Target.
Devine Color Speckled Dot Peel & Stick Wallpaper, $30, Target
One of the things that was helpful about the pattern is that it didn’t need to match up exactly when putting two panels next to each other. That obviously saves time and frustration.
To make the laundry room more functional, they installed a cabinet from Ikea and topped it with a custom-built reclaimed countertop. Both the countertop and wall shelves were made from a $40 piece of cedar they found at a local salvage yard.
Sektion Base Cabinet Frame, $45, Ikea
The drawer pulls and brackets she used were both found at The Home Depot. To get the brackets to match the wall, she spray-painted them gold.
Amerock Inspirations 3 in. Flat Black Plain Cup Pull, $8, The Home Depot
Knape And Vogt Milano Bronze Decorative Shelf Bracket, $4, The Home Depot
Fairchild said the biggest challenge of the project was planning the space and making sure everything fit perfectly. Her advice? “Measure twice, cut once. Luckily my husband finds that process to be enjoyable.”
The sad little light bulb that hung from the ceiling got replaced with a globe fixture from Amazon, and to give it an extra polish, she added a gold chain and nicer white pull.
Nuvo Ceiling 8" Globe Light, $23, Amazon
Brass Plated Stainless Steel Pull Chain, $8 (Pack of 2), Amazon
Westinghouse White Wood Knob Pull Chain, $3, Amazon
One of her favorite buys for the laundry room was the vertical drying rack, which she said has really been helpful so far.
Swing Out Towel Bar With 4-Arms, $46, Amazon
“It takes up so little square footage, and I use it after almost every wash,” she said. “When I'm not doing laundry, you don't even know it's there.”
Inspired to update your own laundry room? See more of Fairchild’s tips on her blog.