Looking Back :: My Laundry Room in Austin

We’re working on our laundry room here in East Texas, and I need to write and tell you what we’ve done so far.

However, it’s been a while since I told you about my home remodel in Austin.  There are some design features there that we are recreating here, so it’s a good time to show them to you.

Plus, selfishly, I’m wanting to enter a contest (which ends today), so there’s no better time than now.

If you read my prior post, you know that the original house pre-remodel didn’t have a laundry room at all, so for 5 years or so, I washed clothes at the good ‘ole laundromat near my home.

(Let me tell you, that does get old.  The only good thing is that I was able to get ~7 loads of laundry done at the same time.  I definitely stocked up on socks and underwear so that I only had to visit the laundromat about once a month!)

As part of my major remodel, my architect and I definitely designed in a good-sized laundry room.

Because the laundry room would be visible to the dining room and kitchen, I wanted to make sure that the room was both functional AND pretty.

(Yes, that’s me and Mark back when we were skinny and dating, playing a game of cards with my family.)

How did I accomplish both functional AND pretty?

Large pocket doors that hid the washer and dryer from view.    My cabinet builder used hinges specifically made for large pocket doors.

Here you see them closed ….

… and open.

I made sure when the cabinetry was designed that every inch of square footage was used.

For example, I wanted a large shelf above the washer and dryer for displaying my antique rocking horse.

I also specified a large linen closet.  I used it to store bed linens, light bulbs, and board games.  The wide, narrow drawers I used for wrapping paper, bows, dinner placemats, and cloth napkins.

I also wanted a laundry sorting station with four laundry baskets.  Yes, four.  One was for whites, another for colors, another for delicates, another for really soiled clothes that I wanted to wash on the heavy duty cycle.

(I gardened a lot back then.  I frequently got filthy dirty.)

Finally, my cabinetry guy built small wall cubbies to the left and right of the washer/dryer for displaying my vintage laundry collectibles.  Larger items were displayed on the countertop above the laundry baskets.

So that was my laundry room in Austin.

Guess what I’m wanting to copy in our current home?

Well, that’s a surprise.  I’m afraid you’ll just have to wait and see!

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