I wasn't looking to replace the washer and dryer, which fit perfectly and are still functional (knock on wood!) However it was time for a new laundry tub (ours was pretty disgusting), a fresh paint colour, and some new lighting and accessories.
Check out the before-and-afters:
I took a shot of the inside of this contractor-grade tub, but I am refusing to share it. It was the "wash out the paint brushes and dump the mop bucket" spot, and after nine years it has the stains to prove it. And let's be honest, even when clean it still wasn't exactly an attractive addition to the room.
Before:
After: I picked up this replacement at Home Depot: stainless steel sink, gooseneck faucet and white cabinet. It's a big improvement, and also adds storage (the wastebasket can now be hidden underneath the sink).
When we built the house nine years ago, we were allowed to choose four different paint colours. One was this yellow (or, to be more specific, "Provence Cream"). Of the four rooms we used it in, only Maggie's now remains the original color (but I actually still like the yellow for her).
Before:
After:
I went with Dulux "Wood Smoke", and I'm very pleased.
Before:
After:
Note the coat rack with four hooks. With both girls heading to school full-time in September (crazy, right?) each girl will have two designated hooks: one for the bag, and one for the coat.
I'm still searching for a replacement mirror, which will go above the coat rack. I mean come on, what woman wants to go out the door without one final glance?
Until now, I had a strange assortment of rugs and mats in the room (obviously purchased during my yellow and blue phase). Basically, I wanted protection for the floor without putting anything over the heat register. But then my father pointed out "You could get a larger rug and just cut a hole for the register..." Duh! Before:
After:
The hole for the register has not yet been cut, but here is the new area rug, also a Home Depot purchase:
The only snag with the rug was that it was advertised as "black"...and looked blacker on the website than it did when it arrived (though it looks pretty black in this photo). But I still liked it. So the blackish-grey paint color I had chosen for the walls had to be switched in favour of a gray with more of a brown base. But it all worked out. People, if my biggest problem in life is black-grey vs. brown-grey, I don't think I have much to complain about.
Of course the room was originally finished off with a contractor-grade lighting fixture (you might refer to it in terms of its resemblance to a part of the female anatomy, but I would never be so crass here at This Mom Loves):
Before:
After: This time I headed to Canadian Tire and picked up a pretty chandelier. Some (husbands) may question the necessity of a chandelier in the mudroom. I say, why not?
And to finish things off, my mom printed me a cute laundry room sign, which I framed and placed prominently over the new sink. (You come to This Mom Loves for the fantastic photography, don't you?)
So, there you have it...and I have one more thing crossed off my summer list! Next up...I'll be filling you in on Phase Two of our pool and deck renovation!
