The Definery Co

Saving the world, one toddler meltdown and DIY project at a time.

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Modern Laundry Room Makeover -$100 Room Challenge

IT”S TIME!!! I have been bursting at the seams to show you guys our Modern Laundry Room Makeover reveal and the day has finally arrived!

Modern laundry room makeover

Do you hear the angels singing?

…Just me, then?!

Well that’s okay, because I am here to tell you the best part of this whole laundry room makeover–are you ready? I LIKE spending time in here and doing laundry.  For that reason alone I think the makeover was worth every penny.

Wanna refresh of where we started?

laundry room before and after

Can you even believe it’s the same space? Or that the distance from point A to point B was only $100?!?! Guys, this used to be the dirty, stinky, boy bathroom that I avoided like the plague.  Now I actually look for an excuse to do laundry in here.  Here’s some more shots of the transformation:

100 Room Challenge

This is what you used to see from the doorway.  All I did was paint the whole thing white, then I shopped my home for some decor.

modern laundry room makeover

And do you remember the off-center washer and dryer?

modern laundry room makeover

Again, Elise is the only cute thing about this picture. Everything else stresses out my need for symmetry.

modern laundry room makeover

Ta da!!! Now the washer and dry are centered under the cabinets which means no more knocking my head on the corner, the laundry sorter could be hidden on the other side, and now everything is lined up and looks pretty.

laundry room shelf

You can see how we built this easy, super-inexpensive shelf to hide all the cords here.

And then we have the cabinets.  I’ve always wanted to try the gray-gold cabinet combination and this was the perfect opportunity.  I used my favorite shade of gray, Sherwin Williams Mindful Gray.

Guess how much all the hardware for this entire laundry room makeover cost? $41!  If you’ve ever stalked the price of gold bar cabinet pulls, you know it’s nothing to spend that much on ONE handle.  Take notes, guys, Amazon carries these puppies for around $1-$2 apiece and you can get the small ones here and the large ones here. They come in any size you might need! I really feel like this is something that needs shouted from the rooftops.

gold bar cabinet pulls

I was a little worried about the quality when I ordered them, but everyone that has seen them can’t believe they aren’t high end!

Secretly, though, you want to know the thing that really brought this room together?  It’s the subway “tile” backsplash.

subway tile backsplash

It’s not tile at all, but wallpaper!  Can you even believe it?  I found it at Target and you can get it here.  It is literally just peel and stick and it was a dream to work with.

modern laundry makeover

The other piece that really brought this whole room together?  It’s my “fresh linens” sign by Vintage Metal Co.  I was lucky enough to be able to work with Jaime as a brand rep and choose a custom designed sign.  I knew right away I wanted something for the laundry room, and Jaime made my dreams come true.  And she even added it to her Etsy shop so it’s available for anyone!  You absolutely need to check out her shop, and let me know if you snag one of the “fresh linens” signs!!

modern laundry room makeover

So now for the nitty gritty details–How much did this cost?  Did I really do it for $100?  Welllllllll…if I’m super honest, I went over budget–by $3!! I’m still definitely counting this as a win, though! Here’s how things broke down:

  1. Hardware: $41
  2. White Paint: Free
  3. Cabinet Paint in Mindful Gray: $15
  4. Subway Tile Wallpaper: $35
  5. Wood for Shelf: $12

Grand total: $103

The key to pulling of this (or any makeover) for $100 is to work with what you already have.  For instance, the faucet and current hardware in the bathroom was gold.  Changing that would have been out of the question, so I picked out gold hardware for the cabinets to match it.  Gold is in now, so I took what was already there and slightly dated, and made it modern by incorporating the gold bar pulls.

Also, a huge factor in this was that I already had tons of untinted white paint.  I get so many questions about what shade of white I use in my house and the answer is always plain ol’ off the shelf white by Valspar.  I’ve found their untinted base to be the whitest and brightest of all the brands I’ve used. I’ll admit, by the end of this project I was mixing eggshell with satin finish to get enough to cover the walls, but you really can’t tell!

The only thing I didn’t get to do that I wanted to was to add a vintage inspired over-dyed rug in front of the washer and dryer.  I was expecting to use free wood in our garage to make the shelf, but we didn’t have any the right length and width. I’m still probably going to pick up this little beauty here from Target for only $15! So be watching for that to make an appearance if you follow me on Instagram.  

Modern laundry room makeover

Overall, I couldn’t be happier with my first $100 Room Challenge and I’ve loved every minute of it. I’d love to hear what you guys think and I can’t wait to check out all the other makeovers!!!

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Comments

  1. Emy says

    I love how this turned out! The wallpaper is so fantastic! And I love how painting those cabinets really updated the room! The hardware is great! I never think to check on amazon!

    Reply

  3. Carrie says

    It’s gorgeous! I love the fresh white walls and gray cabinets and would never have guessed that wasn’t real subway tile! Great job- this definitely doesn’t look like a budget room!

    Reply

    • mdonahoe says

      Hmmm that is a good question. I’m sure it would stick to the tile, but it needs a smooth surface. I worry that grout lines would make it look bumpy.

      Reply

  10. Melissa says

    Oh my gosh!!! That is a dream laundry/bathroom and you did such a fantastic job!!! I can’t even believe the difference. Your hardware choice is stunning. Those are some of my favorite pulls and now I want to get some in gold. Great job – you should be really proud of yourself. Painting those laundry cabinets Mindful Gray was 100% the right choice. Love love love it!

    Reply

  12. Deneen says

    This is awesome. You did such a great job, and I too can hear the angels singing (ahhhhh) Looks fabulous. I love the colour of the cabinets. It’s a totally different room. Good work!! Its a way nicer room to hang out in than before.

    Reply

  15. Brittany Serowski says

    SPEECHLESS! Are you sure you did this all with just a few cans of paint?! It looks so incredible!! I’m OBSESSED with your fresh linens sign, your wallpaper backsplash and well just everything! I’m so glad I held off on my laundry room makeover! I’m re-creating this friend! So beautiful!! Love love love!

    Reply

  18. Erika says

    I LOVE this!! So fun to read and I am intrigued by your savvy, yet frugal style! I have lots of spaces that need a new, fresh look!! However, the thought of picking out wall color is SO INTIMIDATING!! I hang paint chips for MONTHS, then tear them down bc I can’t make a decision. Never dawned on me to keep it so simple, with such elegance, by using white! Wish I had your ‘eye’ for detail and charm!!! Thanks for the inspiration!!

    Reply

    • mdonahoe says

      You are so sweet, friend!!! I used to agonize over colors and shades of white before I discovered the power of pure white ?

      Reply

  25. Kristen says

    Whoa! This is an amazing transformation! We didn’t participate in the $100 Room Challenge this round but are so excited to be seeing all that has happened this round!

    Reply

  28. Steph says

    I’m in love! I’ve been so excited about your makeover! That subway tile wallpaper is exactly what I’ve been needing in my kitchen, do you think it would hold up in there? Love your room and that $3 overbudget was worth it to see this result!

    Reply

    • mdonahoe says

      I think it would! I researched and people do use it in their kitchens. It feels like it would wipe clean really easily, but I haven’t needed to test that yet! You have to show pics, if you try it!!!

      Reply

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