patinated metal finish on cabinet

 

 Laundry Room update:

I had to work Saturday, and Sunday I had some client samples to work on and a client's piece of furniture to paint, so I didn't make quite as much progress as I would have liked.  I did however manage to finish stenciling one wall and, after the appliances were picked up, prime (twice) the wall behind the machines where the "subway tile" is going.

One thing I did manage to finish was the cabinet for the laundry sink (except for the pulls--I didn't paint them because I was planning to replace them with something nicer---then I realized the sink isn't level and the doors don't quite line up.  I don't want fancy pulls to call attention to this, so I'm going to just paint those.)

Before it looked like this, plain white melamine.  Though my sink hasn't been that white since 2007.  I did spend quite a bit of time scrubbing it this weekend, though, and have faith I can get almost that spotless:

 

 

I wanted a finish something like this metal covered chest from Restoration Hardware.  However, I wanted a more distressed finish---something that looked  really industrial and used.

I 

 Something more like this:

So I primed the melamine with tinted x-i-m, painted with a blend of silver paints from Modern Masters, and then had a lot of fun with stain and paint thinner:

 

I still need to paint the knobs and tweek the finish just a little---I think I may have distressed it just a little too much, but I really like it, especially with the graphic stencil.

my beautiful launderette: final decisions

All images from Pinterest.  My laundry inspiration board is here.


It's official:  I am getting a new washer and dryer.  Words cannot express how excited and grateful I am.  The old washer and dryer are scheduled to be picked up by charity on Sat. morning, with the delivery of the new units coming on Wednesday or Thursday.  Just enough time to do a paint treatment on the wet wall in the laundry room. 

Since I will have new, shiny white machines, I am switching gears slightly back to my original, more cheerful idea for the laundry room.  I will still use the wine box shelves, and vanity painted liked age metal, but will probably change the wall color to a brighter shade.  One wall, however, I want to paint to look like subway tile---the wall with the washer and dryer.  Like so:

And I like the look of the shelves on the tile so much, I think I'm going to flip the wine boxes to over the washer and dryer.  Since I'm switching back to a top load washer, I won't have as much "counter" space as before, and it will be more convenient to have a place for the detergent, etc. on the wall above them.  It's no biggie--just a few screws per box, a little putty, and no one will ever know.

I do like the way the mirror area is defined, as below, though, and am thinking about doing that around my vanity mirrors:

 As for as the faux tile technique, it's pretty simple:  you paint the wall in the color of your grout in a flat finish.  let dry.  draw off the "tiles" with a level, tape them off with 1/4" masking tape, them roll on the tile color in satin or gloss.  top with poly if desired, then remove tape.  It's tedious, but not hard.  depending on how much detail I'm prepared to go to, I may add some cracks, shadows, and highlights.  I love the love of white tile and black grout, so that's what I'm planning to go to.  That much black and white means back to the zebra roman shade.

I'm also planning to make a sconce for the vanity area out of a clip light and part of a curtain rod bracket.  it's not as cool as the one below, but it will give you the idea.  I'm planning to wrap or braid the cord with jute for a vintage look.
 

I've already started the prep work---removing everything from the walls, puttying holes, and priming the vanity.  My plan is to disconnect the washer and dryer tomorrow, and maybe roll on the base coat.

I know I've been going on and on about this damn laundry room for almost a year.  Thanks for your patience and for still caring.

my beautiful launderette: the laundry room of doom

To see my complete inspiration board at pinterest, go here.




 Do you make quick decisions?  Or are you someone who ruminates?  I go back and forth.  Like a lot of designers, I can quickly pinpoint the right choices for clients, but I get bogged down in my own home.  My laundry room has always been a problem room for me.  It has some issues--it's outside, the floor is a concrete slab which gets wet when it rains, the room also must do triple duty as storage, laundry, and powder room.  Add to that mismatched appliances, fragile sheetrock, little light, and a non-existenet budget and you have a recipe for a depressing space.  If I only went in the room to do laundry, that would be bad enough, but since it's the closest source of water and toilet to my studio, I spend a lot of time in and out.  I love my backyard and this black hole has long been a pigeon of discontent.  What makes it worse is that I have always had a love of service spaces (must be my peasant roots).  I love the downstairs at Downton Abbey and Gosford Park, linen closets, well-stocked pantries, butler's pantries, etc.

Anyway, even though I've been thinking about that room literally for years, it was on the back burner until I realized I needed it to look great for our Dec. reception where it will be the primary guest bath.  I didn't want to just slap lipstick on the pig, though.  I wanted to solve it's aesthetic and use issues once and for all.

As I loaded these pictures, I realized that this horror scene is perfect for the Halloween season.  Behold!! The Laundry Room of DOOOOOOOM!!!!!!!!!!!  Readers with a weak stomach may want to quickly scroll past these shocking images:

In any makeover project, one key to success, is accepting and working with your limitations; limitations of time, budget, space, d-i-y talent, architectural and practical limitations, etc.  Fighting against these things will only bring frustration and heartache.  It's like trying to recreate a French Chateau in a mid-century ranch---it just ain't gonna happen.  You can certainly add French touches to add interest and contrast, but without the enfilade room layout, without the 16 foot ceilings, with the 18th century paneling, etc., it's not gonna happen.  At best it will look like what I think of as Disneyland decorating--an obviously fake replica of the real thing; at worst, you'll just be unhappy.  What's the point of that rant?  Thinking about my inspiration pics, I realized I was dreaming about things that cannot be in my laundry room, at least at this point and time.  I can't have custom cabinetry, a counter top and skirt to hide my appliances (we're soon switching the machines to traditional top loaders), a fine floor, built in storage, etc.  And that's fine, but I needed to accept that.

Now that I've had my reality check, what can I do?  In a case like this, I always advise clients (and my self) to focus on what you like and will work instead of what you can't have.  What can I have?  I can have flexibility, a clear conscious from saving money, and a lot of fun, since I'm not planning on serious commitments. 

Anyway, last night after working on my to do list, I started looking for inspiration, primarily about how to turn one of my assets:  lots of wine boxes, to use.  Turning to pinterest and searching for wine box shelves, this image popped up:

 

And, ding, the light bulb went off.  What styles do I love, and have always loved?  Industrial and Boho.  This image clicked all my boxes---instead of trying for tasteful elegance, why not embrace the electic mix I will  by necessity have?  After looking around on line, I realized that the above reminded me of this home office/cottage from the September 2012 issue of Country Living (one of those magazines where I loved every image):

via Country Living

 

via Country Living

 

I love the color scheme, texture of the walls, and ,even though the furnishings are new, the "found object" feel of the space.  In fact, this photo convinced me to keep the current wall color.  However, I love the black with the pale woods and blue green wall....where to put it?  Then it hit me----on the ceiling!  I can't wait.

I also loved this lake house from the same issue, with a very similar feel:

 

via Country Living

via Country Living

 Voila:  I now have my direction.  Faux bois walls, using the current wall color as base.  After all I chose the color to help the mismatched washer blend, and while it will leave soon, I don't know when.  I want the overall  palette of the walls to resemble this:

 

But I'm going to do the faux bois with a much more light hearted approach, ala Richard Woods:

via House Beautiful

I plan on installing the wine box shelves to the left of the windows, but more like this than the inspiration photo  (the window frame will remain in it's distressed, unfinished state:

via pinterest

I was originally planning to paint the sink cabinet to blend with the raw woods, but now I think I need a metallic.  I plan on doing a heavily distressed zinc-like finish based on these Restoration Hardward nightstands:

This photo really has the look I'm going for.  I think I'll rig a similar light for over the sink:

via pinterest

 And to hide the clutter in the corner?  I originally planned to have a carpenter mount a salvaged door I have like this, but further from the wall with a curtain as door:

via pinterest

But since then, my partner found two small doors, so I am planning to add them to make a screen.  This is great, because now I don't have to wait for or pay a carpenter.  I plan to add hooks for hanging clothes to dry.  Plus, it's non permanent, which I love:

via pinterest

I plan to replicate this drying rack, but (since we're a small household only one rod):

Penelope Bianchi via Velvet and Linen

Finishing touches:  A gallery wall behind the machines, mirror over the sink, and black and white touches like  a trompe l'oeil zebra rug painted directly on the concrete floor, new curtains made from tea-stained zebra print fabric (mainly because i have it).

Finally, I'm excited about this room.  Unfortunately, I have a busy week, so I doubt I can make any progress before this weekend, but I'm just so stoked to have a direction.  And one that seems doable.

Beautiful Launderette Project 2

Though I have to do some cleaning and prep in my studio (a few items that aren't needed in the laundry room can live there) and I have to finish a client project with a deadline, I'm starting the actual hunting and gathering phase of the laundry room project and that means making some early (but still reversible) decisions. First, I want to make sure the color scheme is:  1. Bright and cheerful, since I find doing laundry pure drudgery  and 2. a complement to the backyard's color scheme.  This second one is important because the laundry room contains a toilet.  That combined with the laundry sink turns the room into a half bath--great for parties, especially our outdoor parties, as the only full bath is upstairs.  However, since I've let the room devolve into a dirty storage room, I've been too embarrassed to let anyone use it unless their potty situation was truly desperate.  I'd really like it to be pretty enough to function as a powder room.

This is the color scheme I'm leaning toward.  However, I'm thinking of aqua on the ceiling and keeping the concrete floors natural, but polished.

Anyway, because I want it to blend with the exterior, that means the scheme needs to be some combination of yellow, aqua, lime, hot pink, or orange.  An additional element is that the floor is just concrete, which means I can paint it.  However, I've always loved the look of polished concrete, and the floor is in good shape, so I may just seal and polish it and use an indoor outdoor rug.  Finally, fabric will play an important part, since the room's Roman shade and the skirt to hide the appliance will be the first thing one sees when one enters.  Since the room is small, and I plan on adding partitions to break it up even more, I think it will be important for the background color of the fabric to be the same as the wall color for a seamless look.  I'm planning to use indoor/outdoor fabric for practicality's sake since it is a room where there will be lots of water, and it is not climate controlled.

This is the outdoor dining area that is close to the laundry room/powder room and from where I'm pulling the palette.

So here are some inspirational color schemes, as well as some fabric choices (price is not a deciding factor, as all the fabric prices are within $2/yard of each other).  I'll tell you the one I'm leaning toward.

As much as I'm feeling the yellow walls, all that turquoise has me considering it as the main color.

I can't tell what the floor actually is, but this wouldn't be far from the look of concrete with yellow walls.

This is my favorite, but I'm wondering if the gray makes it a little too subdued (if you can call a fabric with a sunshine yellow background subdued)

I absolutely love this, and it's a very close second.  However, no matter what the wall color I choose, no fabric color dominates enough for a seamless look between window treatment/skirt and walls.

If I decided to go with aqua walls, this is definitely the one

*Note, if you wonder why I'm calling it a "beautiful launderette", it's a reference to an English movie from the eighties "My Beautiful Launderette" with Daniel Day Lewis in one of his first major roles.* 

Wanted: My Own Beautiful Launderette

One of the first things I learned when I first entered the design business is that there is a seasonal design demand cycle:  in the spring, when people start cleaning their houses and planting their gardens, the nesting instinct takes over and the decorators' phones start ringing.  Then, as summer hits, vacations start, and the kids leave school, most clients are distracted and, as projects end, the phone stops ringing.  However, as soon as the kids get back in school, the holidays approach, and cooler weather again starts the nesting instinct, business revs back up.  The point to this info?  Spring is here, and I'm ready to tackle another problem room in my home: the laundry room.

While my laundry will not be this elegant, this is the feel I want:  cottage inspired, bright, a vintage feeling.

I'm really excited about  this project because I love laundry rooms.  In fact it probably speaks to my peasant roots that, while I admire grand dining rooms and elegant living rooms, what I'm most enthusiastic about are service areas---impeccably organized closets, efficient kitchens, thoughtfully furnished workrooms, etc.  While I'd much prefer to LIVE upstairs at Downton Abbey or Gosford Park, I was much more interested by the service areas and servant's lives.  At any rate, after almost 5 years back in the house, I'm ready to tackle my laundry room.  Note:  this is kind of a bittersweet project though.  It's going to be my last major home project for a while.  I've gotten to that wonderful, but sad place where I've perfected my home as much as possible (well at least as much as my budget and current lifestyle allow).  I've still got plenty of small projects: organizing closets and drawers, remaking slipcovers, painting some stripes, etc., but other than that, I'm happy with the colors and room layouts.  On the one hand, it will be nice to be able to simply enjoy my home without the feeling that I need to do SOMETHING about this or that problem room, but I'd be lying if I didn't admit I'd miss the need to decorate just a little.

I know it's a kitchen, not a laundry, but it's the feel I want:  muted colors, some aqua, mix of old materials.  I love it, except those hideous stools---what were they thinking?

But enough moping.  To paraphrase Pollyana, if having a decorated home that doesn't need any major work is my big problem, I have no problems.  I'll show you a pic of the laundry room later, but suffice to say, disaster is the best way to describe it.  It's actually in a lean-to addition to the house, and has some assets:  it has a window with the original, delightfully distressed wood frame.  It's a decent size, about 8 by 12, and has a deep laundry sink.  But of course, there are issues.  Number one, it has a toilet.  While this is great for outdoor parties, it does distract from the look of a cottage like laundry.  Number two, in addition to storing laundry supplies, I need to also store a barbecue pit and the variety of coolers and the trash can we ice down beer in since I use the free-standing garage as an art studio.  It also has miss-matched appliances.  *quick story:   We ran into many problems and delays on the house, some unavoidable, some the result of human error.  At any rate, I was having one of those days when I COULD NOT COPE.  But trying to be all Pollyana, I had one thought, "For the first time in almost 20 years since leaving home, I would not only have my own laundry room, I would finally have a matching washer and dryer."  That thought had me calm and happy when the phone rang.  It was Thomas, excited over finding an expensive front load washer and dryer on a major clearance as they were floor models.  Then he dropped the bomb, " I mean, they're not the same color, but I was like who would care about that........."

I definitely want a counter and skirts to hide my mismatched washer and dryer

The vintage poster I'm thinking of replicating large scale on the accent wall

Anyway, a plan is evolving.  I'm planing to partition a corner and hang a drop cloth curtain to serve as a closet for the coolers and provide hidden storage, sell an unwanted bookshelf that is just taking up space, repaint the sink cabinet, hang a shelf with a rod for hanging clothes to dry, make a counter to cover washer and dryer, which I will then skirt, and finally paint a vintage travel poster inspired piece of art.  I'm also planning to paint the accent wall (the back wall where the art will hang) to look like reclaimed wood.  I'll keep you posted on progress.

I'm planning to use this palette and paint the back wall to resemble these boards.

My whole inspiration board so far is at pinterest.