One Room Challenge Spring 2022 - Week 4, The Laundry Room
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Well, we’re halfway there…. and things are starting to come together!
So to start with - we replaced the ceiling this week! It looks so much better than the old stained fiber board panels, and because they new option is waterproof, we don’t have to worry about future damage. I considered doing a coffered ceiling tile look, but ultimately decided that with the floor as busy as it is, that we didn’t need to overwhelm the space. We also had to leave the ceiling as a drop ceiling because it contains access to the pipes for kitchen and the primary bathroom, and if there was ever an issue with those, a drywall ceiling would have to be torn out. If you want to check out the tiles we selected, you can find them here.
We also added insulation to the pipes (yay, energy savings) and rewired for new recessed LED lights (and by we, I mean my very handy husband rewired while I handed him things). The lights are great for retrofit projects as they don’t require the traditional can light housing, and they have springs that hold them in place. You can grab them here.
As a reminder - here was the before (apparently I didn’t take any great before photos of the ceiling):
Here is the after:
I love how clean the new tiles and recessed lights look, and how much brighter the space is now that there are two lights instead of just one. I made a video of some how-to tips as I went that I will link here as soon as I get it edited and uploaded!
I also made the IKEA run this week for the shoe storage cabinet and it almost ended in disaster. I have been watching the stock levels online for a few weeks and was so excited that the option I wanted was back in stock. I planned my trip for Wednesday (because that was the first possible day I could go)…. and then it went out of stock Wednesday morning. There was another option that would work, but was listed as low in stock - but I decided to risk it and go anyways. My friend Monica and I drove over an hour to get there - and when we got to the part of the Ikea market maze where the shoe storage options were - it had every single one tagged as unavailable. I was so BUMMED - but Monica was like, well we will double check. Thankfully - there was ONE left in the self-serve area - I’m still not even sure what color it is I was so excited! (I’m planning on painting so that wasn’t a concern.) I don’t even think I knew how upset I was until the relief washed over me in Aisle 19 when I found it! I’m hoping to get that project done during Week 6, so check back then if that’s what you’re looking forward to!
I also tore up the carpet on the stairs this week, eek! My husband still isn’t convinced that this project will be worth it, but he agreed to let me prove it to him. I ordered a runner, which should be here next week. I need to sand and paint these bad boys before that can be installed though. I feel very strongly that updating the stairs will not only brighten the stairwell but set the tone for the rest of the project. Besides - stairs shouldn’t just be a way to get from one level to the next - they should fit the style of your home as well! I did have someone suggest just leaving them bare, but because they are original to the house, they are no longer in code (read STEEP) and really need the added traction that a runner will bring. My mom was hoping I would redo them completely, but that would require completely changing the layout to accommodate the added length - which is not something I have the money to invest in right now.
We are making progress, even if it’s a bit slower than I would have hoped. Stay tuned as we continue on! In the meantime, go check out the other ORC projects here!
