When we moved into our house in 2019, the laundry room was useable and very much outdated. The countertop was hunter green, and the walls were greige. As much as a 90’s theme laundry room is so in fashion, this thrifty momma was itching for an update.
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Published July 26, 2022
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Prep and Paint
The first thing to do was to paint the walls. The dirty greige went away as fast as the can could open and the paint could get plastered on the walls. As luck would have it, we had an extra amount leftover from painting the hallway bathroom. And what redo starts without painters’ tape and a drop cloth? However, as much as the room is in desperate need of a facelift, the floor will have to stay. The 90’s linoleum is a dirty yellow and this update will be lacking a huge floor renovation.
In addition to the floor that would have to stay, the florescent light was another item in the laundry room that needed to stay. As much as the light was awful and old, it was functional and did not need to be replaced.
The old cabinets matched the rest of the house in an outdated 90’s golden oak. Firstly, the cabinet doors were removed, sanded and painted white. Also, the cabinets on the walls were sanded and painted white.
Little miss Elliana was not impressed with the laundry room remodel. Or she was upset that the floor had to stay. Either way, she is the cutest little crier ever.
Many uses for Liquid Starch
Something that I have been wanting to try is wallpapering. As much as it would be a fun to wallpaper a fun accent wall in the laundry room, our walls will not allow for it to stick. Back in the 90’s, the plaster was swooshed on with sand in a stunning shell-shape. To get wallpaper to stick, the walls would have to be sanded smooth. I do not have the time, patience or desire to do that.
For a fun experiment, I wanted to try to use a fabric on the walls. To have the fabric stick to the walls, you use liquid starch to stick it to the walls. Not only does the liquid starch dry clear, but it will let the fabric also be removed without leaving a residue on the walls.
When shopping at a local thrift store, this King-sized bed sheet was just resting on the shelf waiting for a project. The background was white with a grey design and my favorite turquoise dot in the center.
Secure the fabric
The first step to stick fabric to the walls is to use tape or thumbtacks to then secure the fabric to the wall near the corner. Then, drape the fabric and measure it against the wall.
Using a paint roller, with liquid starch in a paint tray, paint the starch on the wall and then lay the fabric on the wall. Once the wall has been painted with liquid starch, continue to stretch the fabric over the desired space. Once against the corners, cut the fabric to size and then tape the edges until it is fully dry. The liquid starch does dry quickly, however let it fully dry for 24-hours as the fabric will be wet as well.
Cover the whole wall
As the cabinets are above the washer and dryer, the wall behind was also in need of the glorious fabric. As the sheet was a King, there was plenty to spare to place on the entire wall.
The perfect way to source fabric, and this is a well-kept secret, is a thrift store. I found this bedsheet at a local Goodwill for only $3.99.
Replace the doors
Once the cabinets were dry, and the doors were fully painted, they were then replaced.
Hang a rack for a Laundry Room Update
Tyler also installed a clothing rack so we could hang clothes after they are washed. As there was none before, it was incredibly helpful and necessary.
Hang the brooms
What is a laundry room without a hanging rack for the mops and brooms? Behind the door was a convenient rack and spot for my always present 5-gallon bucket with laundry soap. Everyone needs a 5-gallon pail of homemade laundry soap. For my recipe for made from scratch laundry soap, click the link below.
Instead of buying new equipment, you can use what is around the house or available. When we bought the house in 2019, this rack was still there and caused us to not need to buy a new one.
Total Laundry Room Update Cost
This Laundry Room Update did not cost a fortune. As we already had the paint, the only cost was the bedsheet and liquid starch.
Liquid Starch $5.38
Bedsheet $3.99
The total cost for this fun update was $9.37.
And the entire bottle of liquid starch was not even used.
Art for the Laundry Room Update
A few years ago, Tyler and I went to a painting party with a group of friends. We painted “Scream” by Edvard Munch. His is on the left and mine is on the right. The Laundry Room Update was the perfect spot to display these magnificent works of fun. Instead of buying new wall-art, just use something you have around the house.
Enjoy!
~Monica
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