Laundry Rooms – Emily Henderson

My First Time Installing Wallpaper! Spoonflower’s “Prepasted” Paper FTW (Introducing Our Sweet Laundry Closet)

Emily — Thu, 23 Jan 2025 09:00:00 +0000

Like many design projects before this one, this laundry closet was super boring and yet kinda daunting to fix so it fell down the priority list in life, with no guilt. I knew that eventually I wanted wallpaper in here, I dreamed of a fun pattern and color that delighted you when you opened the doors. I ordered a ton of samples from Spoonflower (their inventory is incredible), but what I didn’t know was that I could install their “prepasted” wallpaper myself. AND NOW IT’S ALL I WANT TO USE IN MY HOME!! It was SO easy, not scary, was so fast, and needed only a few very basic tools. My team blocked off three days for this project (to shoot the content, too) and it took under 6 hours. Sold.

Where Is This Laundry Closet?

The laundry closet is on the landing of the second floor near both kids’ rooms and the guest room (seen above when we first moved in, Oscar shaming me for this basic rug). We have a larger mudroom with a smaller capacity washer/dryer downstairs, but this is where the bulk of the laundry gets done (it gets thrown in the guestroom where we tackle it all on Sundays.). It was pretty basic, with the cutest vintage doors, but the inside was super boring which made it a perfect place for me to do something fun (and do it myself, a very low-risk space).

Spoonflower has an incredible inventory of wallpaper patterns and colors, many customizable. They’ve even got an inspiration page just for laundry rooms. They work with thousands of artists who design patterns of every style and every color. You can also choose between traditional unpasted, prepasted (what we did and I’m never going back), peel-and-stick, or metallic paper (which we used in my niece’s closet). Plus, all their patterns come as fabrics as well if you want to go full ‘Garden State’ and match your curtains to the walls. Everything we ordered got here within 2 weeks and I was pleased as punch.

Wallpaper

The install was so easy, they created a video that shows you how to install prepasted wallpaper here and we produced a reel here with some basics (but their video has a great step-by-step). Essentially, the glue is already on the back and you use a basic spray bottle with water to activate it. Then you book it on a table (fold over the sides), wait 5 minutes, and hang it vertically (starting from the top and, of course, being mindful of repeats). You use a squeegee to get the bubbles out and wipe off any excess glue or water with a rag or sponge. The paper is so forgiving and easy to take off and reposition. There are a ton of tips to think about which they have outlined, but trust me that it was so much easier than predicted. We made a reel about it here.

Again, I couldn’t believe how easy it was to do it ourselves (the hardest part was taking out the washer and dryer). I even thought about buying the same yardage in fabric and figuring out how to cover the fronts of the washer and dryer (which I quickly decided was a totally unnecessary and wrong idea).

I know that our washer/dryer look a bit old school/dated and that’s because they are not fancy or designer. Welcome to our Speed Queen, aka the incredibly basic, efficient, high capacity, industrial strength, durable, and never breaks down washer/dryer machine. And yes, top loading FTW. If anyone has a genius (but not super extensive or expensive) way to make the dryer vent look better let me know. It doesn’t bother me enough to think about it but sure, I’d rather it not be in my pretty shots 🙂

Shelves Paint Color | Rope Trim | Wood Brackets | Baskets (vintage)

I designed the shelves pretty simply and yet they turned out so dang cute! I went to Aurora to find vintage brackets or some reclaimed antique wood trim but came up empty. I then went to Home Depot and found these adorable brackets and rope trim piece. As you can see it’s a basic design – so Dave, our wonderful handyman, installed a support piece of wood around the sides and back along with three brackets per shelf. They are 24″ deep since the closet itself is so deep and we need to easily reach the detergent. The first shelf houses laundry stuff (detergent, lint bin, missing sock basket, dryer sheets, etc) while the top shelf is for linens that we don’t need to access very often.

I love how the rope trim on the front of the shelves talks to the squiggles in the wallpaper pattern. Dave painted the shelves and brackets Comfort Gray by Sherwin-Williams which is a light blue/green/gray that matches the lighter tones in the wallpaper. I couldn’t be happier.

We all agreed that the old-school vibe of the washer/dryers combined with the vintage vibe of the wallpaper feels strangely appropriate and works in this older home so well. This closet now has so much charm and it took 2 days!

While I didn’t personally build and install the shelves, Dave claims that it’s totally DIY-able – not a super high-skilled task, but shout out to Dave for doing it so perfectly. Someday I fantasize about not being so busy and can learn how to do things like this myself, but right now I so appreciate talented folks to help so I can do the things that only I can do.

Walking up the stairs and seeing this sweetness makes me so happy! And I was so surprised and delighted that both kids and Brian love the wallpaper (like they mentioned it to me even before I asked them which isn’t typical!) It’s just so stinking cute. That laundry closet wasn’t like this crazy eyesore because I could shut the doors, but every time I opened them they were full of garbage – just a pile of socks, lint, wrappers, change, etc. on top of the dryer. And in the span of 2 days, it was transformed to be so cute.

I can’t say enough great things about Spoonflower’s prepasted wallpaper patterns, let alone this adorably perfect folk art pattern by artist Melissa Johnson Design. I wish I hadn’t already ordered the wallpaper for the kids’ bath or our bathroom – I don’t trust my skills to do normal unpasted wallpaper myself, but from now on I’m pretty much a professional wallpaper installer when it comes to Spoonflower’s prepasted. AND it’s so much easier to remove as the glue is less permanent. So for rooms (like kids’ rooms), it’s especially perfect if you aren’t sure that your daughter, for instance, is going to love butterflies and flowers when she is a teenager on her walls. Prepasted Spoonflower wallpaper for the win. Thanks so much, Spoonflower for partnering with me on this laundry closet. What a nice way to start the year:)

*Photos by Kaitlin Green

Starting Fresh And Simple: The River House Upstairs Laundry Room Reveal

Emily — Tue, 07 Jan 2025 09:00:00 +0000

When we were designing this house Katie (my SIL) and I both really wanted it to be easy to maintain and clean. While minimalism is currently not as en vogue, when it comes to utilitarian spaces that tend to attract life clutter and kid stuff I’m still a big fan of keeping them sparse enough to maneuver easily, and visually simple. Keep the chaos to a minimum. This laundry room checks all the boxes they need, although a smaller footprint. It’s on the bedroom floor and is where the bulk of their clothes and bedding will be washed. It also has a pocket door that can be shut when guests are over because trust me – it doesn’t always look like this.

Paint Color

We chose the most soothing and refreshing blue tone called Eventide by Sherwin-Williams. I’d say it’s powder blue without any of the “baby” vibes to it (it’s actually what I wish I could change my bedroom to be painted). The room is pretty much drenched in that color on the cabinets and the walls. The layout is pretty simple – a large capacity washer/dryer on one side, a sink, and lots of storage for linens and cleaning supplies.

Art (vintage) | Clothing Rack (similar) | Floor Basket (similar) | Runner

We toyed with wallpapering that wall a lot but ultimately decided to keep it simple and just style it (with a vintage Oregon map and a wood clothes dryer).

Washer | Dryer | Tea Towel

We did the same groove treatment to the cabinets as the mudroom (like its little, bluer sister) and then I found these affordable handles on Etsy that have both light wood and brass that pop off them nicely.

Knobs

I ordered both knobs, handles, and really long closet handles for the bigger cabinets.

Stone | Woven Tray | White Vase (similar) | Glass Canisters | Wood Hangers

The stone is from Caesarstone and we went with Organic White in here which has some movement (so hard to see in the photos!) and isn’t a pure white, but doesn’t look like faux marble. We took it up the backsplash to keep it simple since we had a ton of overage from the slab.

We styled it with cute stuff on the countertops, but in reality, they stay pretty clear for room to fold and actually do the laundry.

Sink | Faucet | Tea Towel

The Kohler sink and faucet (Purist) sit inside the cabinets and gives more of a utilitarian vibe. Big fan of this look (I did it in the OG Portland project laundry room, too!).

We used a simple wood dowel and a closet rod end kit for the hanging rod. In my experience, these don’t get a ton of play, but I like them mostly for my blouses to pull out before they get wrinkled, immediately hanging them up. Also, clearly it’s a good alt for airy drying clothes.

Sink | Faucet

I love the polished nickel in here with the blue – brass could have looked great, but that shiny silver is just so pretty.

Long Handles

On the other side we have a longer linen closet (they have a universal vacuum in the house, so no need for a large vacuum or mop closet). It’s an incredible amount of storage for junk, tools, cleaning supplies, etc.

We left an area open for the laundry basket to roll into and that 3 bushel industrial canvas and leather bin is perfect for it. We styled it all out with cute things on the countertop, but again this is such a hardworking space that the countertop is mostly for stacking stuff and mating socks.

It turned out to be such a fresh and simple space, not a lot of bells and whistles but hardworking and really easy to keep clean. Please note our pretty rug from our last collection – really great for these types of spaces – soft since it’s woven with some wool, but still utilitarian. Now just picture the pile of clothes on the floor 🙂 Everything is linked below:

Laundry Room Resources:
Flooring: Stuga
Paint Color: Eventide by Sherwin-Williams
Switchplates: Rejuvenation
Countertops/Backsplash: Caesarstone
Utility Sink/Plumbing: Kohler
Faucet: Kohler
Washer and Dryer: Electrolux
Handles and Knobs: Etsy
Runner: RugsUSA

*Architect: Anne Usher
**General Contractor: JP Macy of Sierra Custom Construction
***Interior Designers: Emily Henderson (me!) and Max Humphrey
****Styling: Emily Henderson (me!)
*****Photos by Kaitlin Green

My Brother’s River House Mudroom Reveal – A Fantasy Utility Room For The Whole Family

Emily — Mon, 09 Sep 2024 08:00:00 +0000

Ladies and gents, we have a new mudroom for you and if you are into function first (as I tend to be in a mudroom) this will hopefully be your jam. Mudrooms might be my favorite room to design because when you are able to check all the boxes that make your life easier, it pays off forever and for everyone in the family. I did the interior design with Max Humphrey, Anne Usher (architect) and it was executed by Sierra Custom Construction. As a reminder, this is my brother’s house, dubbed “The River House” which is a new build near the river in Portland. This space is a utility room that has the trifecta of function: bag/shoes/coat storage + a dog food station + laundry machines, and topping it off the prettiest big planting/prep/utility sink ever. I love, love, love how this room turned out – it’s clean and contemporary and works so hard for their family, but with enough warmth and interest to keep your eyes happy. Let’s get into it.

The layout of the room is big with ample room for storage. We lined three walls with cabinets and drawers and intentionally placed all their needs in advance. There are even enough pullouts to separate recycling (cans, glass/cardboard, garbage, and another big tub pull-out for dog food). We have a battery drawer and room for crafting supplies. They are all empty now (looks like Ken will be getting some batteries and craft supplies for Christmas!).

There are multiple entrances/exits – outside/river, up the stairs from the garage/car with flow into both the family room and kitchen area. It’s PERFECTLY placed (thanks to architect Anne Usher) with the right access for a drop zone and yet out of sight from the entry (although I’m going to kill them if they use the front door instead of using the other two entrances meant for this, creating a pile of shoes in their gorgeous entry!). We went with a flat front cabinet style with vertical grooves into them to add some texture and painted them Rocky River by Sherwin-Williams which we LOVE, in a flat finish. It’s such a good deep green that added a lot of contrast and color, without being too bold or dark. We used black accents for the hardware, lighting, and plumbing. The combination of white oak (Stuga flooring in Shell), dark green, and hits of black created the river house utilitarian vibe we were looking for.

Wood Floors | Green Paint | White Paint | Coat Hooks | Cabinet Handles

On the other side, we have hidden storage above and two huge closets for vacuum/mops and craft supplies. I’m very, very jealous, but also excited that my brother’s family has no excuse to have rogue shoes or bags in their entry (ahem).

The Epic (And Controversial) Sink Wall

The sink wall has a story – when we were shopping at Kohler my brother responded HARD to this sink and all but demanded that it go in his house. This is where the mash-up of contemporary and vintage/traditional started coming into play – which at times has confused me but it’s also what makes a house feel more custom. The surprise quirk of this sink with black-turned legs is exciting. I LOVE how it looks and more importantly, love that my brother loves a design element so passionately. If you want to see him get excited about it, watch the video below where I give him (and you) a tour of the space. Just wait for the short ad to play 🙂

Sink | Sink Legs | Faucet | Dog Bowl Set

We broke up the run of cabinets to fit in this sink and the dog bowls tuck inside – giving it some purpose. We thought about skirting it but that felt a little too traditional for Katie so we added paneling behind it and painted it the same color as the cabinets (it was white for a while which looked unfinished). That huge pull-down faucet is incredible – both visually and functionally (and I swear my brother is going to bring the dishes in here to do them, he loves it so much).

Obviously, this sink could be in a kitchen, however, we felt that it worked stylistically better in here – but as you can see it comes with a cutting board which is great for prep. I love the silver rod on the front for styling, of course, and think it works really well with the windows (which are black from Marvin). P.S. If you want to order this Kohler Farmstead sink here is the combination we used: this sink, with these grid inserts (right and left), these black legs, this faucet, and these water valves and P-trap.

The Hardware

Handles | Pulls

We went with a combination of hardware (per usual) to help it feel more custom and thoughtfully designed – Barrington edge pulls, Massey handles and knobs – all in Oil Rubbed Bronze, which is Rejuvenation’s way of saying “warm black” (so don’t be scared, some company’s ORB is a faux brown which is not my favorite, this one really reads as just a not cold black). We did 18″ Massey handles for the huge closets and 6″ for the laundry cabinets, then 6″ for the Barrington edge pulls.

Lighting

Sconce | Ceiling Light

We chose one sconce over the sink, the Fairview which is hyper-classic and has a utilitarian vibe (with the mushroom-colored shades that add a nice accent of warmth). We have three ceiling Crawford lights (which I have as well in a few different sizes).

Roman Shades

We didn’t want a huge pattern in here but wanted a bit of texture to add warmth so we chose this thin charcoal and white pinstriped fabric for our shades and worked with Decorview on the execution. Now in some photos/videos, it does this thing called “more” which means looks wobbly on some cameras (I knew this could be a problem). It’s not in person, obviously:) The shades are easy to pull up and down, but they’ll mostly stay up and added that nice layer that makes the room look way more finished.

The Caesarstone Countertop And Backsplash

Stone

The stone is so pretty – it’s Cloudburst Concrete by Caesarstone and it has a really warm texture that you can feel that looks like concrete, but it’s totally non-porous and therefore hard to stain. We didn’t want to use flat white in here and this light movement on it is really nice in person (Katie also really wanted engineered stone which I fully supported). We did a simple edge, no bullnose or anything and it’s clean, highly durable, and will last forever.

Washer And Dryer Cabinets

This house was designed to have a large capacity washer and dryer upstairs on the bedroom floor and a smaller one down here (for river towels, sports uniforms, kitchen rags, etc). It’s a true luxury.

Washer | Dryer

We actually had this Miele set left over from our house as we ordered two sets (one upstairs on the bedroom floor, one downstairs in the mudroom) but the capacity is smaller and the drying takes a long time for everyday use (meant more for small apartments or air drying as they do in Europe) so before we even installed them we gave these to my brother (and then we bought huge capacity washer/dryer). That’s all to say – these are great for space saving (and stack really well) but if you have a 4+ family it might not fit enough. We love working with Build.com on appliances (not sponsored in this case, but just a shout-out).

Styling – My Favorite Part

Oh, I was so happy to get to the part of the project where I got to shop (truly my first love). I linked everything but wanted to call our our NEW Harvey Rug (named after their dog) which doesn’t launch for 3 weeks but thought it could be a fun sneak peek. It’s a great utilitarian rug (both jute and woven). The clock and leather bins are from Rejuvenation, glass canisters from The Container Store, and lots of Target and World Market accessories.

Coat/Bag And Everyday Shoe Storage

Wire Baskets | Rolling Laundry Basket

The other wall is reserved for all the everyday clothes/bags shoes and even sports stuff (modeling after ours – having a basket dedicated to cleats and gloves is crucial). We installed 9 hooks, some shorter for the kids to reach and spaced them for maximum capacity (i.e. not right on top of each other). It was hard to find bins that big that you couldn’t see through but I actually really love that you can see what you have.

The whole room works so well for their family, and since its one of the few rooms that is styled out it currently is the favorite room in the house by guests. It feels so appropriate for the overall design of the house and gets so much use (and praise). For all the links to product here you go:

Mudroom Resources
Windows: Marvin
Window Treatments: Decorview
Flooring: Stuga
Wall Color: Alabaster by Sherwin-Williams
Cabinet Color: Rocky River by Sherwin-Williams
Hardware: Rejuvenation
Lighting: Rejuvenation
Countertops/Backsplash: Caesarstone
Utility Sink/Plumbing: Kohler
Washer/Dryer: Build with Ferguson

Real-Time River House Decision: What Hardware For The Mudroom Cabinets…

Emily — Tue, 13 Feb 2024 09:00:00 +0000

Today, my friends, I wanted to bring you along, in real-time, of us choosing the hardware for the mudroom of my brother’s river house. Listen, the right hardware can take something more builder grade and make it look custom, OR (horror story) something custom and make it look “builder grade” (no offense to builders, I 100% know that their job is to avoid custom at all costs – literally, because it is often too expensive for profit margins). Great hardware isn’t cheap (because it’s usually expensively produced) but it’s FAR cheaper than custom cabinetry – think wearing a dope necklace with a simple dress. For this home, we have custom cabinetry with flat fronts (with vertical grooves) which I haven’t done before but is certainly not brand new. And yet choosing the right hardware was a thing. So here is what we debated and why.

First off, we of course thought about brass and wood, but we ultimately decided that for this space (the mudroom) we wanted it to feel more utilitarian. Besides, the ceiling lights are oil-rubbed bronze from Rejuvenation (which is a really warm black) so going with their ORB finish would obviously tie it all together (I like mixing metals, but we decided this time to keep it simple and streamlined).

Our Favorite: The Jumping-Off Point

Ceiling Light | 18″ Massey P ulls

These are all mockups by the way, thanks to Gretchen (nothing has been ordered or installed yet). We loved how these 18″ Massey pulls looked on the large broom and coat closets. That little round detail at the top and bottom contrasted so well with the simple lines of the cabinet style and also talked to the ceiling lights. So the Massey was a front runner for the room but can it go everywhere???? (ALSO PAINT COLOR IS AT THE END AND IT’S AMAZING). The upper cabinets will have a push mechanism because there are 5 cabinets (2 sets opening to each other, one that just opens by itself) so unless we centered the hardware they would be spread in a really odd way). Because of that we just decided not to have any hardware up there and keep it clean.

Option #1: Knob On Uppers + 6″ Handles Everywhere

As you can see on the other side of the room we have uppers, large lower cabinets (washer/dryer), and then drawers (small on top, recycling pullouts on bottom). I really like to mix up the type of hardware in a room – and yet we need to stay within the overall art direction of this house (cozy, contemporary PNW river house with some warmer cabin-y elements – it’s modern but with some sweeter elements throughout making it feel warmer and a little more eclectic/interesting). So this combination is FINE on this side of the room, but then when you see the third wall it doesn’t work as well…

Option #1.5: Vertical Handles on The Uppers

While I knew that we wouldn’t do this I asked Gretchen to mock up the same cabinet wall with the Massey handles vertical on the uppers – a move that I’m sure could work, but is generally not one we do. I like a knob, y’all, and I just really like to switch up the hardware so doing the same thing on all lowers and uppers felt like a missed opportunity (and can also look really good, btw, but in this case, everything is so simple that a mix up is necessary)

On the window side, the “handle over handle” look is fine, but it felt redundant and not as thoughtfully designed as it could be.

Option #2: More Knobs + Handle Combo

Normally when you have a small drawer over a larger drawer (or a cabinet) you have an opportunity to do address them slightly differently. And I love a knob over a handle on shaker cabinets but the knob in the middle of the cabinet groove just looked kinda dumb (not sure why, but that was our reaction).

Option #3: Knob + Handle + Edge Pull

OK. Our first gut choice for this room was to use edge pulls – the ones that just sit at the top of the drawer and look very minimal – like a simple line. So we added them into the combination. We still didn’t like the centered knob on the drawers so Gretchen mocked up another version…

Option #4: Knob + Handle + Edge Pull

WELL OK, HERE WE GO NOW. All of us immediately really liked this combination. This means we are mixing three different types of hardware – the upper knobs, the edge pulls on the drawers, and the vertical handles on the cabinets. Placement on the knobs and handles aren’t for sure (remember, these are just photoshopped mockups). Also in case you are wondering why we don’t do a latch on the uppers (I LOVE a latch) the cabinets are full overlay so the doors but up to each other. I think you can still do a latch but I like them more when they are inset and the cabinet buts up to a fixed exposed piece of wood.

This mudroom/craft room/laundry room is going to be so functional and pretty. I’m so excited for my brother (the sink goes in the middle there – on cute legs and we are painting that paneling behind it, which just got installed). Maybe I’ll even convince my SIL to do a curtain on the sink 🙂 All hardware is by Rejuvenation (we aren’t obligated to use RJ in this house but they truly just have the best combinations in so many finishes which really help it all look custom). The green paint color is Rocky River by Sherwin-Williams (it’s soooo good) and the countertop is such a pretty Caesarstone called Airy Concrete (we are adding a return on the right side by the window BTW – it looks weird with that tall skinny piece). The windows are by Marvin.

*Photos by Kaitlin Green

The Mudroom Dog Washing Station: Measurements, How It’s Working + Some Practical Dog Products

Jess Bunge — Thu, 16 Mar 2023 08:00:00 +0000

This dog/mudroom gets WORKED, used, and abused by the furriest and muddiest (questionable) of our children. I love good marketing speak, so let’s just say having two long-haired dogs in Oregon (specifically in a backyard that is only mud) was a real “pain point” in our lives. We tried to predict this pain and avoid it as much as possible while planning the house, so today I’ll walk you through how we designed this specifically for our dogs, what we nailed, what we would change, and how it’s held up.

The Tile Floor

Now, when we shot this we had a big mat outside that we wiped our feet on but I didn’t want to put down an ugly mat inside and ruin the room, honestly (update on that dumb mistake below). Regardless of a mat, we chose to install this pretty Pratt + Larson green tile in a herringbone pattern that would be great for non-slippage when wet and wouldn’t get wet/damaged like wood would. Now the tile is a matte textured finish, in the Pratt + Larson brownstone clay so it looks really rustic which hides a lot more than something more clean, flat, and shiny.

Tile

The general rule is the more grout lines, the less slippery a floor is when wet (not always the case, but often). We did a 3/16th grout line which is fairly standard. I, of course, wanted slightly smaller grout lines but I’m glad we didn’t because it’s easier to clean it this wide. We used a medium-tone gray for this and I’m also so glad we did (platinum was the grout color). Dark grout can actually show a lot more than I thought (soap scum specifically) and light grout is obviously a bad idea for a mudroom, so this medium tone totally worked.

I will say that if you care only about practicality, then a rough topped large-scale floor tile is your best bet – that way you get fewer grout lines while still being non-slip (slate tile is a great choice – I loved it in our master bathroom at the mountain house for these exact reasons). We wanted a colorful tile in here so that’s why I chose a more textured tile, in a forgiving color, with forgiving grout and I’m VERY pleased with it. The grout around the dog bowl and near the dog wash is definitely browner from dirt/food when you look up close, but it’s pretty hard to notice. Would I do anything differently? Nope. Now it’s only been six months but zero regrets about the tile/grout in this dog mudroom.

The New Not Totally Ugly Wet/Mud Mat

Pet Mat s

After the first shoot I was like, “fine, I’ll invest in some wet mats” and like not cute rugs, but the kind of mats that help get the dirt off shoes/paws and the ones you can hose down. I found these blue-toned ones that had good reviews and bought a larger one for the door and a smaller one for the “bathtub”. They are GREAT. They don’t move, are super grippy, scratchy on top while still being comfortable, and they absorb a lot and dry fast. If I could have color-matched them I would, but this was pretty close and fairly unoffensive (and does the job GREAT).

The Dog Wash Station – Was It Worth It?

My biggest fear was that we were going to spend the money and time to do something for vanity purposes – sure, I knew that it would “perform well” but that’s not the reason to do it – it’s too expensive and too much-wasted space if unused. I’m happy to say that it gets used almost every day in the fall/winter/spring (we haven’t lived here in summer yet) and we LOVE IT SO MUCH. We use it for muddy paws/legs after long walks or if we are lazy/make poor judgment and just let them out to run around. Y’all, almost every. single. day. It’s extremely awesome and we (and the pups) are so grateful for it.

Now since it’s a huge investment (plumbing, stone, fixtures, etc), I want to give you more context about our lives so you can see if this is worth it to you. I don’t think everyone will benefit as much from this, but here’s why we use it a lot.

We live on a large property and even after our landscaping is finished and grass has grown, we will have a lot of non-landscaped areas full of a lot of dirt. We walk them through a neighborhood but generally, it’s more rustic here, and eliminating mud is not possible.
Our dogs are diggers (we are finding out their breed as I write this), so if there is dirt they will find it. It’s GREAT! They even eat mud!! WTF!
Our dogs have long blonde hair so dirt really gets stuck to it. I think shorter-haired dogs are easier to clean, but these luscious locks are porous and you can’t just wipe them with a rag.
We let our dogs on the furniture – mostly because we forgot to NOT let them on the furniture when we first got them, so yeah, the furniture has to be dog-friendly and their paws need to be furniture and rug-friendly.
Our dogs are too big for a sink, but not so big that they won’t fit in one of these. AKA medium-sized dogs are great for this size of a dog wash station.
We live in the PNW where there is a lot of wetness and mud for eight months of the year. I personally do not think a dog wash will get used frequently in Southern California and would not have prioritized it in any of our California houses. However, to be fair we only had the pups at the mountain house for a year and it was very dry.
Portland is a huge dog city so for resale we weren’t worried about it being wasted space. PLUS it’s a GREAT utility sink (for flowers, potting, mops, etc).

But What About Actual Baths? Can You Bathe Them In This?

Yes! We don’t, but of course, you can. I personally think that if you live in a dry climate with a short-haired dog the monthly or bi-monthly bath could be done without a fancy dog washing station, just in a bathtub or shower. Again, do whatever makes you happy in your own home, but we were certainly nervous about putting it in because we feared spending the money and not using it. You see, once a month Brian puts on a speedo (???!!!!), turns on Opera music (???!!!), and brings them into our enclosed shower with him and shampoos and conditions them. It’s one of the most hilarious joys of our lives, hearing him fake sing opera to them… (He says he feels weird being naked with the pups), but seeing him in the gold speedo that he bought as a joke 10 years ago that he secretly loves is HILARIOUS.

Anyway, again I’m not here to tell you whether or not you should splurge on this luxury, just giving you my experience. We use it a ton already and are so glad that we don’t have to stand outside in the cold and hose off their paws after their 8 pm walk in the winter.

What Size Do You Make Your Dog Wash Station?

I’m so happy to report that we nailed these dimensions (for our pups). We quite literally measured these dogs (much to their confusion) and put them in our kitchen sink at the mountain house to gauge what size would be big enough but not so big as to waste square footage. It was A THING. Here are the dimensions that we went with (that we LOVE)

Faucet

Height from Floor to Front Apron – 18″ on the outside. This height needs to be tall enough to keep the bulk of the splashing inside, but not so tall that you can’t bend over it and easily access paws. This height works great. I have to kneel but also can just crouch easily.
Inside Height – The drain and stone took up some space. It’s a large sink after all, so the interior height is 12″ which again works great.
Interior Width – Our dogs are around 30-36″ (hard to tell with fur) so we went for 40″ wide (inside) and it’s great. Roomy but not abundant.
The Interior Depth is 27″ – This measurement was more dictated by the washer/dryer depth but works great.
Height of Plumbing (from the inside of the stone, so 6″ higher than the tile floor) is 21″.
Overall “Dog Bath” Height – From the floor tile to the top of where the stone stops on the wall is 41″ tall.

Do your Dogs Actually Like it?

They stand in line like they are waiting patiently for their turn in a buffet. It’s unbearably cute. We use warm water with the hand shower and then wipe off each paw while we say “good boy” and “good girl. They seem to legitimately love the warmth, petting, and attention (they probably like feeling clean after too as I bet mud in the paws sucks). It actually makes it so fun to do. If they hated it, it could really be a chore that I avoided, but they hop right in.

Does It Drain Well Or Is It Hard To Clean?

Ok, so this is where either we messed up or the stone fabricators did. I’m not sure even if it’s possible to do what we thought we were getting which was a stone basin that slopes towards the drain. So if you are doing this I’d take extra care to make sure that water/dirt don’t get stuck in the corners. The dirt gets caked in the corners and is totally cleanable, obviously, but if you are going through the pain to invest in this next time I’d ensure that the basin drains better.

Now after talking it over with Adam, he recommends anyone wanting easy drainage is to treat it like a shower floor. You can either use small tiles and have them installed to slope down towards a center drain or use a stone slab that angles towards a linear drain. Hope that’s helpful.

The stone is fine to clean (it’s honed and just dirt so it’s ok) but I fear it’s likely to slowly stain if we aren’t vigilant about cleaning after each paw bath. I’m still glad we chose real stone because I love it so much, but obviously a composite or porcelain stone would be more practical. Bedrosian actually has this porcelain that I literally couldn’t believe wasn’t real marble. It was SO GOOD. The edges of it are thin (as printed porcelain is) so the fabricators couldn’t work with it in this application (yet… I think over time they’ll get more comfortable with it). So we went with the same stone we did throughout the house (that we love) but it’s less practical than a Quartz would be, for sure. (Read our guide to stone if you are interested).

The Built-In Dog Food Bucket “Drawer” Cabinet

If you have a dog and are doing cabinets near where they eat don’t sleep on this one. It’s integrated into the cabinets like a trash or recycling bin would be and keeps away another random trash or bucket to clutter up your floor. Unique Kitchen and Baths did a great job of integrating it into our white oak cabinetry and it keeps the smell relatively down as well.

The Dog Food (Eating) Area

When we shot this I could NOT find a pretty dog food tray (and I think there is a large hole in the market). There are a lot of dorky mats, but so few large utilitarian trays that keep in food and splashes. I love this room so much and was so excited to show all my friends (you) that I refused to put a not-pretty plastic tray in here for her debut. So we found these two wood trays at my favorite local design store (shout out to JP General) and while I knew that wood was NOT the most practical I thought maybe it would be ok?

Well, the wood trays were NOT ok. The dogs basically just pulled out the food with their mouths and ate it off of the floor. The water got splashed everywhere and I knew that I had to figure out a better long-term solution (before these trays got ruined because they were expensive and pretty).

Copper Tray

So I ordered these faux copper boot trays from Pottery Barn which look pretty dang good and fit all four bowls. I bought one for shoes/boots and one for food and they look pretty darn great. I wish I had them in the first place, but at least you can see them here. Recommend them 10/10.

So there you have it! I know I just said it a hundred times but I truly am so grateful we were able to put in our dog washing station and customize a few other things to make life with our dogs a little easier. ARCIFORM obviously was such an incredible help in making everything in this room come together beautifully. For all the other resources head to the original reveal post HERE! Talk soon. xx

Mudroom Resources:
Cabinetry: Unique Kitchen and Baths (Get 10% off with the code “EH2022”)
Wall Paint Color: Extra White by Sherwin-Williams
Paneling and Trim Paint Color: Dew Drop by Sherwin-Williams
Floor Tile: Pratt + Larson
Tile Installer: Level Plane
Dog Washing Stone: Bedrosians Tile & Stone
Appliances: Build with Ferguson
Skylights: Velux
Stone Fabrication: Alpha StoneWorks
Hardware: Rejuvenation
Light Fixtures: Rejuvenation

*Design by Emily Henderson and ARCIFORM
*Photos by Kaitlin Green

How To Order A Rolling Library Ladder + The Price, Lead Time, And The Different Style/Finish Options

Jess Bunge — Wed, 15 Feb 2023 09:00:00 +0000

I think it’s fair to say that we all love the idea of a rolling ladder – the romance of it is seared into our brains from fantasy libraries of yore, a la Belle in Beauty and the Beast. I too was awaiting my big rolling ladder moment and figured that the mudroom was the perfect stage for its big debut. But not having ever done one before I didn’t know how to execute it and surely felt intimidated. They all look vintage but are they really? Is it one of those luxury things that is like $12k? Are they custom-made? Do you have to be a designer to do one? (no, no, can be, no). So today I’ll walk you through our rolling ladder “journey,” as led by ARCIFORM as they have lots of rolling ladder experience. I’m not saying it’s the only way to do them or the only source to get them from (totally not gifted or sponsored) but I was surprised at how not a big deal it was.

How Do You Order A Rolling Ladder?

I don’t have a bunch of options for you, just the one that we ordered. Most of the ladder is standardized – the distance between rungs, the overall width, etc. The most specific piece of information you need to provide, that only you know, is the exact height of the rolling rod/rack pole thing that it slides on and the length of that rod. It’s pure geometry. With this information, they will ensure that the height of the ladder itself is the right angle (not a right angle) to climb up as well as the correct angle when it’s not in use (it retracts much straighter – keep reading). Jamie (our lead ARCIFORM project manager) ensured that we were ordering the right rod height and length because I don’t do measurements accurately.

As you can see there are wheels on the bottom that go right to left, and hardware on top that you install on the rod that rolls left to right (and is very safe as it is secured on top and bottom).

To save space, avoid tripping, and be less of a kid-temptation, the hardware allows it to easily go more vertical and hug the cabinetry. It’s extremely easy to do this and this is how it is most of the time.

What Are The Design Options For Wood, Metal Finish, And Style?

We bought ours from Custom Hardware Services LLC, and you can click here straight into what we bought here: rolling ladders. The metal finish options are below.

We chose black because we had black in our lighting and the Oil Rubbed Bronze looked, well, brown.

We also chose the more old-fashioned brake wheel although I’m unsure how it brakes. But since it’s recommended it felt like the right thing to do.

For wood options, you have cherry, hickory, red oak, and maple. We chose unfinished red oak and it came in a very light color wood (think blonde).

There are more custom options on their site (like adding handrails), I’m really only guiding you through what we did.

If you want to know our exact order (besides the height which is totally up to you) here you go:

“Rolling ladder, Black, Brake wheel, Standard roller, Normal red oak ladder, 20” wide, Unfinished, Straight rails, Normal mount, Regular stop kit, Horizontal brackets, No accessories”

When it came in it was too light for us (to us it looked cheaper and more IKEA-like) and we wanted it slightly darker than the cabinets. Jamie put a clear coat on it and it brought out the grain more, but still too light.

So we ask ARCIFORM to send out their lead painter who is the same guy that matched the wood of our incredible top of the island. He’s been custom-staining anything for years and years and doesn’t just choose one. He’s a real mixologist.

He sampled a few and based on his suggestions (and our opinion) we went with the red mahogany which admittedly I was like, “huh” but he was absolutely right (and he says it’s the stain he uses when he wants something to age well and look older faster). It pulled the tone from the darker tones of the Unique Kitchen And Baths white oak Cabinets and said it will age very nicely.

How Much Did It Cost? And How Long Did It Take?

The ladder and rod system was $1800, with the shipping an additional $200. It comes flat-packed so that doesn’t include the install. It took a day to assemble the ladder and hang the system by someone experienced (shout out to Jamie and Taylor), plus more time for staining. The lead time was around 6 weeks (might have taken longer but it felt around that long). To me both of those things – price and lead time, were reasonable. Could you make this for less? Probably, but not me:)

We love this ladder and of course, want it in all the rooms (Closet? Should we create a library in the family room?) For those of you wondering if it’s dangerous for the kids my response is “eh…not really”. Like most things, when it got installed they were a bit enthusiastic and reckless, but we hammered out some rules quickly and they lost interest. Turns out they don’t really want access to the backup pillowcases as much as they thought they did 🙂

Mudroom Resources:
Cabinetry: Unique Kitchen and Baths
Wall Paint Color: Extra White by Sherwin-Williams
Paneling and Trim Paint Color: Dew Drop by Sherwin-Williams
Floor Tile: Pratt + Larson
Tile Installer: Level Plane
Dog Washing Stone: Bedrosians Tile & Stone
Appliances: Build with Ferguson
Skylights: Velux
Stone Fabrication: Alpha StoneWorks
Hardware: Rejuvenation
Light Fixtures: Rejuvenation
Rolling Ladder: Custom Hardware Services LLC

*Design by Emily Henderson and ARCIFORM
*Photos by Kaitlin Green

Our Mudroom Reveal: A Dog + Storage-Focused Space That Is Possibly My Favorite Room In Our House

Emily — Thu, 26 Jan 2023 09:00:00 +0000

OH MY FRIENDS AND FAMILY DO I HAVE ONE FOR YOU. This lady, Mrs. Mudroom, is quite possibly my favorite room in the house (rivaled by the kitchen, sunroom, and our bathroom, TBH). I’m not joking that every single time I walk into it I feel joy and happiness through the sense of light, space, and sheer ease of function. All the design elements came together just as they did in my mind – NO, even better. At this point in the farmhouse reveal/progress postings, you’ve heard me walk you through my regrets and disappointments (to an almost painful degree…for all of us) so I hope that when I say I truly love something you believe me. I’m not trying to brag or pat myself on the back here, although to hell with it – I’m going to celebrate this room today and every time I walk into it because pulling together a room that you truly love, after putting so much hard work into a space, especially in the midst of a larger stressful renovation is worthy of a GD local parade. Floats! Fireworks! If you can relate to this at all, I encourage you to CELEBRATE EVERY SINGLE WIN. I made and own a lot of my personal mistakes and regrets in this house that I have to fix publicly (and am now excited to) but this room, this wonderful hardworking space that I’m so lucky to call ours, had (almost) nothing I would change about it when we moved in this past September. Sure, there is the hilarious and totally permanent overlook/mistake that none of us caught which I’ll explain below, but it doesn’t bother me anymore, and hell, maybe it is even better. If you really want to know what’s happening in this brain, I just got back from a 4 day spiritual/wellness retreat with two of my closest friends because this last year and a half I was not my best self, and I feel totally realigned with joy, capital L Love, the universe, God, nature – all of it/us. And y’all, I’m going to try to bring that energy here every day. Starting today with this happy hardworking space that I can’t wait to tell you about.

The Design Plan + Functional Needs

We’ve never had a mudroom before because in Los Angeles the need is more for a “drop zone” which we barely had, but it was fine. Up here in the PNW, mud and wet shoes are a part of our daily lives so people often carve out mudrooms from other spaces if they don’t have one. Same with us. This room was very much prioritized to mitigate the mud/dirt/coats/shoes in the rest of the house. I feel like I can’t say with full honesty that the kids and dogs solely use this room because we are still landscaping and the flagstone path to those exterior doors just got installed over Christmas. But yes, as of two weeks ago we are now trying to ONLY use those doors when we go in and out to walk the dogs or play in the backyard on nice days. To accomplish this lofty goal, the kids are getting a piece of candy every time they come in via that room. Like seals. They do their trick, they get a candy. More specifically every time they drop their shoes/stuff in the mudroom, take/unload their lunchbox to the sink we throw them their tiny treat. It’s absolutely questionable parenting and yet totally working.

We thought about all design elements through the lens of durability and ease to clean. In the name of not being boring, I still compromised here and there for beauty, as I’ll explain in a different post (and dabble in today). Btw if you want to watch a video walkthrough of this room, I’m giving you the full tour here (just wait for the ad to play, please and thank you :))!!

The Incredible Dark Teal Herringbone Tile

Tile

This tile was chosen very early on as the perfect “mudroom” floor color because it felt fresh and clean but darker, textural, and forgiving. It is a custom color through Pratt + Larson in their brownstone collection – is really handmade with more surface movement. We chose 2×8 bricks to be herringboned with a straight run border of two tile widths. I know this detail (the border) might not be something that everyone will notice, but my goodness, to me it makes the whole room feel more pulled together and special. I don’t LOVE when herringbone ends against a wall and prefer for a border to stop it (not a huge deal btw if you have done this, just a slight preference that is, yes, more expensive to execute).

We hired Level Plane to install the tile and they were extremely meticulous in making sure it was balanced. They did the border first, then calculated the brick herringbone to make sure that it looked as intentional as possible. We used a 3/16th grout line (which is on the larger end of “very small” and the smallest that Pratt + Larson recommended for this size of handmade tile) and opted for Slate for the grout color. The grout color is super important y’all because had we gone lighter you would definitely have seen the dirt or it would turn brown, but really dark (which we did a sample for) changed the entire look of the room to be more intense and super serious.

The White Oak Floor To Ceiling Cabinets

Cabinets

A real dream, made true by Unique Kitchens and Baths. We customized these to be pretty darn special if you ask me with specific storage for each drawer or cupboard. They did an incredible job building them and 8 weeks later came shipped on a truck in blankets where Jamie and the ARCIFORM team installed them. They are white oak with a clear natural sealant and they are extremely durable. We chose a natural wood in here, like the kitchen, mostly for durability after years of dealing with chipped paint on cabinets (which is avoidable but in my personal experience, fairly inevitable if they are painted wood). Plus the wood hides dirt should the dogs shake off and I don’t wipe it up immediately.

We shook up the design of the cabinets with the metal grates at the top. This is mostly an aesthetic choice, but certainly adds venting should there be future sports uniforms in there. We originally had them on the bottom of a couple of the cabinets but apparently, they can easily be kicked and damaged down there. We will absolutely do a show and tell of what’s in all the cupboards as soon as I organize them (but yes, there is a pull-out dog food bin). ARCIFORM (shout out to the incredible Stephyn and Anne) did the first round of drawings and helped us dial it all in with UKB, but what is so great about UKB is that you don’t have to have a designer – they will design the kitchen with you and do all the drawings (thus saving you a crucial step). If you are interested in their cabinets they are giving my readers a 10% discount with code EH2022 (yes I got a discount, too).

Cabinet Hardware

Drawer Pulls | Cabinets Handles

Latches | Knobs

While we are here I wanted to show you the cabinet hardware from Rejuvenation, which is echoed in the kitchen and is just so classic and perfect. We chose the unlacquered brass which has already patina’d PERFECTLY in 3 months and looks so beautiful against the white oak (it’s a quieter look, less of a big pop which I also love, but for this room and our kitchen, I loved the brass and wood tonal look). I chose a mix of knobs, bin pulls, and latches so it looks special but cohesive. We used similar hardware in the kitchen and the Oil Rubbed Bronze version in the pantry. I just love how you can mix and match and really dress up the cabinets.

The Most Soothing Paint Color Yet – Dew Drop By Sherwin-Williams

Wall Color | Paneling and Trim Color

My new goal in life is to feel the same about all paint colors as I do this one. I walked in and it was an immediate “oh my gosh this is so good”. Literally, everyone who walks in has the same reaction. It’s an extremely soothing pastel that has both green and blue undertones. It’s light and bright, but with the white above it, you can see the tone more. I think this in a darker room would probably lose some of its power, but in a room full of natural light it just envelopes you in this soft song of wonderfulness. We are also so glad we went with wood paneling and semi-gloss in here – it’s SO DURABLE and has wiped up so easily as the pups shake off mud all over it. Even if I let it dry, it comes up easily without leaving any mark at all. Some of the other paint colors I could “live with” because they were good (like the kid’s bath and the powder bath), but through this process, I realized that for all the hard work that was put into this house by so many people and companies, I need to love every color as much as I love this one (which is so much). So in a way, my love for this prompted me to muster up the energy and money to paint the others (which I’m SO HAPPY WITH THANKS THE UNIVERSE ABOVE). Sherwin-Williams has so many to choose from and I’m getting better and better at understanding both undertones as well as homing in on what I really want in this house after living here. More to come, but if you are in the market for a super fresh, soothing, and still totally sophisticated light pastel color – Dew Drop by Sherwin-Williams is your new best friend.

The Dog Wash Station

Faucet | Sconce

There is a lot to tell you about this which is why it deserves its own post in regard to size, function, and tips I’ve learned. But as you can see we have this dog washing station and so far we’ve used it no less than 5 times a week. Not necessarily for a full bath (mostly because Brian likes to shower with them which keeps them more contained), but it is excellent for the daily paw cleaning after walks which is what it was designed for. We fabricated it out of stone (the same Carerra as the rest of the house) and it turned out beautifully (Alpha StoneWorks was the fabricator for anyone local). The faucet is from Rejuvenation in polished nickel mostly because I felt that the gold in here would be too garish for a dog washing station. The hand shower works so well to get the dirt out of their paws and they even kinda like it! Likely because I say, “good boy” and “good girl” over and over in that annoying voice that somehow comes out when I talk to my dogs. Ask all of the details in the comments re this area so when I write that full post I can address all of them.

The Washer And Dryer

So here’s a funny story. About a year and a half ago or hell, even more, we had the mudroom where the kitchen is, but much smaller. It was going to be a drop zone with a small washer/dryer for more of the wet soccer clothes, dog towels, etc. We were also going to have another laundry set up on the bedroom floor for most of the clothes and sheets. Then we changed the layout, moved the mudroom into this corner of the house to make the kitchen bigger and better (so glad we did by the way), and dragged and dropped these units into this new room in the drawings. We designed the rest of the room with all the specs in place. You know where this is going. We didn’t catch until later that we hadn’t upgraded to a larger size. We already had the washer and dryer and the more we thought about it we figured that most of the laundry would be upstairs – kids’ clothes, their bathroom, and 3 bedrooms of sheets. So as long as we had a larger size up there then we’d keep this one for our clothes and kitchen/dog towels (not to be mixed, btw). I was worried it would look out of scale with the room and maybe it does but I’m so used to it and I really like it. This Miele set is really famous in Europe for being so energy efficient, using such little energy. Two things I’ll note: the capacity is smaller than a normal size, and often I have to do a timed dry to get it all fully dry (I’ll likely line dry more in the summer). But I love that the soap is integrated and they are just so pretty, clean super well, and relatively quiet. We worked with Build With Ferguson on all of these appliances (and handpicked the brands we wanted in our home). The washer also speaks German with a sweet little “Willkommen” instead of “Welcome” which is real cute.

Laundry Basket | Dutch Blue Towel | Striped Towel (similar)

Pendant And Sconce Lighting

Pendants | Pendant Bulbs | Planter

As you know I love these pendants so much (we have the same in our kitchen) because the flat proportion with the round bulb is playful and modern. I love how utilitarian and simple these are (plus gives off enough light that we don’t need recessed lighting). They hang about 16″ down from the ceiling with a cord (which was our preference, so they felt more casual). These are from Rejuvenation and are often used for covered outdoor areas, but I loved them inside in this space so much. They are perfect for in here and for us.

Sconce

The Tolson cage sconces are the ones that I’ve loved forever and are so classic without being boring at all. I especially like them in hard-working areas as the glass shade and metal cage are obviously durable and can handle moisture so well. We matched the polished nickel of the faucet and it’s so lovely with the white oak and the Dew Drop walls.

Windows And Doors

Windows and Doors

Do you need a lot of natural light in your mudroom? Not technically. But with north-facing light (which is so soft and pretty) we knew this room could be so lovely and bright with no harsh light. So we worked with Sierra Pacific on the windows with a modern 2×2 configuration, with paint grade on the inside so we could paint them the same color as the paneling. The french doors are also Sierra Pacific and they lead to the backyard with the flagstone path that the pups walk on to go on our walks through the neighborhood. All excellent quality with some operating and some fixed. The light in here is pure magic even on the cloudiest and rainiest of days.

Velux Skylights

In the name of getting the best natural light for most of the rooms, we added two skylights in here which to no one’s surprise just really helps it feel bright, airy, open, and even more connected to nature (seeing the sky while in a room is really joyful). Velux never disappoints – both in function and making a space so much better through natural light.

Anything I’d Change?

NOPE. Besides needing a better dog mat for the door and tray for the food. I couldn’t bear to shoot what we had which was plastic, rubber, and ugly. I am shopping for a great version of both of those that won’t take away from the design and yet function better than these super cute wood trays (that I got from one of our favorite stores JP General in Multnomah Village).

More To Come…

This post is already pretty darn long, but I want to break down the dog washing station as well as the rolling ladder for you in separate posts. So let me know any questions in the comments and I’ll address them 🙂

Thanks for reading, always. I don’t think I say it enough but those of you who dedicated time to read this and get here in the post just know I really really appreciate you. CHEERS TO ANOTHER REVEAL and more reveals to come very soon. This one was a big win for me personally, a room I feel so proud of and grateful for. Thanks for letting me share. xx

Mudroom Resources:
Cabinetry: Unique Kitchen and Baths
Wall Paint Color: Extra White by Sherwin-Williams
Paneling and Trim Paint Color: Dew Drop by Sherwin-Williams
Floor Tile: Pratt + Larson
Tile Installer: Level Plane
Dog Washing Stone: Bedrosians Tile & Stone
Appliances: Build with Ferguson
Skylights: Velux
Stone Fabrication: Alpha StoneWorks
Hardware: Rejuvenation
Light Fixtures: Rejuvenation

*Design by Emily Henderson and ARCIFORM
*Photos by Kaitlin Green

ASK THE AUDIENCE: Which Fabric Should Em Use As A Custom Curtain To Cover Her Washer And Dryer??

Jess Bunge — Thu, 05 Jan 2023 09:00:00 +0000

We are getting pretty close to being totally done with the mudroom, which ties with the kitchen, sunroom, and our bathroom for my favorite room in the house. It might win because I’ve never had one before and it’s just so needed in Portland. I have a lot to tell you (like how the dog wash station is actually working), but today is all about the fabric curtain that will hide the washer and dryer and add a pop of pattern that I want in here. I’m obsessed with the tile (Pratt + Larson) and the wall color (Dew Drop SW 9641 by Sherwin-Williams) and the stone is a Carerra from Bedrosians.

Here’s what we are looking at – we have these high-efficiency Miele washer/dryers (that we got from Build with Ferguson). And they are actually really nice to look at. But I love the idea of bringing a pattern in here. If you are wondering why the marble is higher than the washer/dryer the answer is that I don’t remember:) When it was installed like that I assumed the washer dryer fit in it perfectly but then after we put in the appliances I was like “huh”. Jamie cut and added a piece of leftover white oak as a shelf because we were not going to re-fabricate the stone, and it’s not a big deal but sure, it’s kinda odd. We are going to push the washer/dryer back so that we can hang a curtain. How are we going to hang a curtain you wonder? Me, too! I think I have leftover Pepe and Carol rods that I might play with or even get a small wood dowel and some brackets and use epoxy glue? Stay tuned on that.

Also how pretty are those white oak cabinets??? They are also from Unique Kitchens & Bath, in white oak and very very gorgeous. We just got the ladder installed in December, stained it, and I can’t wait to show you it.

Curtain Fabric Idea Option #1: A Classic Ticking Stripe

So here’s what I did – I have a pretty solid inventory of vintage fabrics because they make me extremely happy and using them is something that I honestly do consistently use in shoots (for napkins, tablecloths/runners, make into pillows, etc). So everything you see here is what I used to have and some of them are obviously not the right choice, but by trying them out it’s easier to see what will work and what definitely won’t work. This isn’t enough yardage obviously but the idea is a classic, utilitarian ticking stripe. Picture it not wrinkled obviously. It’s fine but maybe a bit boring and expected?

Option #2: Sewn Together Classic Tea Towels

I was and still am REALLY into this idea. So you basically take vintage-inspired tea towels (I bought these at a local store recently for $14 each) and sew them together. This gives me a pattern (check), feels utilitarian which I like for the mudroom, but it’s more unique and kind of a fun twist/idea. Emily M. and Kaitlin weren’t as enthusiastic about it which has made me doubt the idea but even now looking at these photos again I’m like, “ooh this is so cute”.

Option #3: A Vintage Gingham

Ok, now this works and is a contender. It’s a homespun gingham (which just means looks/feels handmade and is thick and really drapey). I think there is enough but definitely cutting it close. Classic farmhouse pattern, gives some contrast, and is certainly sweet. Could it be less expected? More interesting? Sure.

Option 4: A Sweet Cotton Tablecloth

I actually really love this option. I just bought it the other day at the antique store (shout out to Stars) for $13 and it has a sweet ruffle and some embroidery (and whatever those holes are called). It’s super bright white which we love and while it might be a bit small I’m surprised by how much I like it. I do however fear that it’s a no-go due to its proximity to the dog wash and the fact that our dogs shake off their mud all day every day. I’m SO GLAD that we did semi-gloss paint on the walls + tile/stone everywhere else, and really forgiving white oak cabinetry. So I think a white fabric is not a good idea.

Option 5: Vintage Plaid

Here we begin my real plaid show and tell – I’ve been collecting them forever and there are a lot more where these came from (remember when I used to say that I was a combination of Marie Antoinette, Mad Men, and Footloose? I think the Footloose part is still accurate but maybe it’s more Downton Abbey? and more The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel ?? Little House on the Prairie??). Anyway, I like this one but I like others more (keep reading). What makes these all special is that they are patched together, don’t line up perfectly, and just feel so authentic and soulful.

Option 6: A Yellow Floral

Initially, I wanted a floral in here because I was going to do the plaid in the powder room (which is nearby). But vintage florals that are good are so very hard to find. I’ve had this tablecloth for probably 15 years and have used it for so many spring shoots. I LOVE IT. It isn’t big enough but if we had loved it I might have been able to cut and sew it to make it fit. Ultimately I think it’s not right but fun to see.

Option #7: A Blue/Green Floral

We said no to this on the shoot date but looking at it now I’m like, “HOW CUTE!!!” The colors work OK, it certainly is unexpected, still feels farm, and totally me. I think Kaitlin and Emily M. were more into the plaids and I could go in either direction but this is exciting me a lot. Again, we’d have to cut this up and sew it together to become a rectangle and then reattach the ball fringe (you can’t lose that). But this could also be really cute as a tablecloth in Elliot’s room, on her craft table…

Option #8: Solid Indigo

I always hoard indigo fabric and this one is so pretty, but I think it’s a better thrown or tablecloth than this curtain.

Option #9 – Another Vintage Plaid

We loved this the day we shot and I love it even more now. It caught my breath. OOF, it’s good. I know I’ll use it somewhere prominent if it’s not here, don’t worry. Definitely in the top 3 for me.

Option #10: Even Another Vintage Plaid

I believe that this was the winner that day because the tones of the plaid worked best with the wall color and the floor color, but now looking at it I’m leaning toward #9! They both look good – this one is just a bit darker and moodier, but maybe not as bright and happy. This is so hard.

These are the stress-free styling decisions that made me fall in love with styling – options that carry so little weight. Like if I choose wrong I can just pull it down and try another and I think 3 of these could totally work. So I’ll let you weigh in – here they are again:

But these are the top contenders:

VOTE!!! I may just go with the popular vote on this one because I think all four of these could look good in different ways. LMK. xx

Mudroom Resources:

Cabinetry: Unique Kitchens & Baths
Stone: Bedrosians Tile & Stone
White Oak Windows and Doors: Sierra Pacific Windows
Tile: Pratt + Larson
Wall Color: Dew Drop SW 9641 by Sherwin-Williams
Hardware: Rejuvenation
Appliances: Build with Ferguson

*Photos by Kaitlin Green

How To Make Your Laundry Room Look Better (And Actually Enjoy Laundry Day)

Jess Bunge — Mon, 01 Aug 2022 08:13:17 +0000

In the next edition of our “How to Make Your _______ Look Better,” (see here for living room, bedroom, kitchen, dining room, shower) I thought it was time to tackle the laundry room (or closet). I have yet to live in a home with laundry in-unit post moving out of my parent’s home 17 years ago. However, I do remember not loving the visual experience. To be fair it was in our kinda scary and dark garage. Now, I also remember getting to do laundry at Emily’s old LA house while housesitting a couple of times, and let’s just say it was a TOTALLY different experience. I was excited to do laundry because it was so happy in there! And while we may not all have an Emily Henderson-level laundry room, there are some easy ways to make the whole experience prettier and more enjoyable. Let’s start with the most important step…

Deep Clean (And Get Products You Love The Smell Of)

This is a given but it’s a must if you really want that laundry area feeling fresh and new. I think almost everyone has hardened old detergent somewhere on their washing machine. For GREAT tips, go check out Carolina McCauley. This woman has a cleaning hack for everything. This is how she cleans her washing machine filter. As my father (via my grandmother) always says, “where there’s soap, there’s hope.” 🙂 As for cleaning products, sure there are some that may not have your dream scent but they work for the tough stuff. But for the everyday sprays, detergents, etc. Make sure you really love the scent. I know that sounds dumb and grabbing the most affordable or what you grew up using makes the most sense, but I PROMISE it will change the experience for the better. When I started buying this dishwashing soap, I honestly started to enjoy washing dishes more. As for laundry products, I personally love this detergent and for all-purpose sprays, I love this one and this one. Drop your favorites in the comments!

Decant

This tip is pure eye candy but makes ALL the difference. While some laundry products can’t be decanted, things like laundry detergent or pods, fabric softener, dryer balls, dryer sheets, etc can and will make your laundry space look less cluttered. Might as well have the items you use most easily accessible and looking pretty. This is also a great opportunity to go to your local sustainable zero-waste refill shop if you have one in your area! That way you can bring in your own container and you’re all set. Decanting also helps you to know when you need a refill as opposed to finding out the moment you really need to wash those jeans ASAP.

Here are some of my favorite options:

Shelves

Use that wall space! Let this be the push you need to finally just put up a few shelves (especially if you have one or two top loading machines). It’s an easy way to add storage and style. Look at the two laundry spaces below! On the left, you have Velinda’s laundry corner just off of her kitchen. The light wood shelves with the white brackets add a warm modern touch to a mostly white space. And since this area is next to her kitchen they provide useful and pretty storage. Then on the right is Emily’s old Glendale l a u n d r y c l o s e t. Look at how pretty and sleek that slim white metal shelf is?! It perfectly adds to the wallpaper without competing. Plus the double level for maximum storage space.

BONUS TIP: Get yourself a little trash bin for lint like Em did. Makes life a lot easier in the moment:)

left: design by velinda hellen, photo by veronica crawford, from: velinda’s under-$20,000 diy kitchen (& laundry room) gut reno | right: photo by tessa neustadt, from: laundry closet makeover

These are a few great options for shelves:

Baskets

I would be remiss if I didn’t remind you all about the power of “the basket”. Let this not be confused with the larger laundry basket. Maybe you don’t want to decant. Maybe you have laundry tools you want to not have to look at every day but don’t have any closed storage. That’s when a cute bin or basket will be your best friend. See how cute the ones from the Portland Project look?

photo by sara ligorria-tramp | from: how we designed a family-friendly laundry room in the portland project

My personal favorites:

Drying Rack Or Bar

If you don’t have either a drying rack or bar may I HIGHLY recommend you fix this immediately. I remember the days before my drying rack, with clothes hanging all over my bathroom and bedroom and boy did it bum me out. Plus air drying your clothes will make them last longer! There are a few different options – a wall rack that folds into itself when not in use, a collapsable rack for the floor that you can tuck in a closet or in-between your washer and dryer, and lastly a bar. The bar is in my dream laundry room so if you have the space I highly recommend this one! It will get you the most space for your clothes (plus you can get pretty hangers like these). Of course, if you have a yard and generally have good weather where you live, hanging them on a clothesline outside will really give you space and you can dry everything!

photo by sara ligorria-tramp | from: how we designed a family-friendly laundry room in the portland project

These are the ones I would pick:

Hampers

Hampers are kinda essential in the laundry game. If you have an actual laundry room and/or live in a single-level home, hampers with wheels are the way to go! Being able to roll and not lug feels like the ultimate luxury. Hampers are also another easy way to up the style in your space. We have also been a fan of the Steele canvas laundry baskets you see in the Portland Project but we have some other options (both with and without wheels) for you to check out:

Storage Cabinet (Mostly Standing Ones)

If you have the space may I suggest a storage cabinet? It’s so nice to have both open and closed storage to hide away clutter and just have more places to put things away properly. And not only is it great for laundry products but you can use it for daily household cleaning supplies (even a vacuum if it’s the right kind!).

These have my vote:

Tray

Remember when I talked about decanting things like laundry detergent? Well, if you really want to make it look like a designer/stylist came into your home, get a tray. After the tray is purchased, arranged your decanted products on top, and voila, a perfectly styled laundry room! They will instantly elevate the space, I promise. Just make sure they are easily wipable as it’s inevitable that some deterrent will get all over the tray:)

photo by tessa neustadt | from: how our new laundry room came together

Check these cuties out:

Art

Ahhh the power of art does not exclude the laundry space! Look at A l lison Pierce’s home below. Those four pieces of art (minus the plates) really make this room unique and look alive. I wish I could do laundry in there too! I also think choosing playful art for laundry rooms and bathrooms is the only way to go. Show your personality and choose art you love looking at.

photo by sara ligorria-tramp | from: working with what you’ve got – an $8k budget kitchen makeover with a lot of vintage charm

These pieces spoke to me but if they don’t do it for you check out the sites they come from. I bet they will have something that’s perfect for you!

Extra Credit: Wallpaper And/Or Paint

If you want to add a little extra elbow crease, paint and/or wallpaper your laundry area. As you can see in the photo above and Em’s old wave wallpaper it can really make everything come to life. Plus since it’s usually a smaller room those things will be a little more affordable since you won’t need a lot. Win-win.

Is your laundry room better yet? Just kidding. But truly I hope these were helpful and good reminders that any room in your home can be made better. Any other tips from you? Let us know in the comments.

Love you, mean it.

Opening Image Credit: Photo by Tessa Neustadt | From: Laundry Closet Makeover

The 8 Clever Storage, Clothing & Doggy Solutions I’m Excited About for Our Farmhouse Mudroom/Laundry Room

Jess Bunge — Thu, 05 May 2022 08:00:00 +0000

I’m pretty sure most family psychology experts will concur that the advent of the mudroom is the best thing to happen to Moms since electricity, sliced bread, and if you are in my family, ketchup. Listen, I’ve been mudroom-less my whole life and I didn’t starve, instead, I had a thriving rainy childhood in Oregon full of secure attachments and a high school diploma. So having a mudroom is not a necessity nor an indicator of adult “success”. But BOY, when you live in particular climates, this room quickly becomes one of the more useful, functional, and thus coveted rooms in your home. I wrote even more about it in my book, The New Design Rules. Living in a rental in Portland for the last 7 months with the only exterior entrance/exit opening directly into the living/dining room has created a huge coat, shoe, and dog mud issue that has become my #1 priority in life to solve. As a disclaimer – our new farmhouse is a major renovation job, where rooms could get moved, and privilege abounds – so my goal today isn’t to show you all fancy stuff we are doing for fun, it’s hopefully to offer some clever, helpful solutions if you are thinking about going the mudroom route, too (should you need one) or if you have a space you can carve out to solve some problems. We wrote about ‘the mudroom-less entry’ in our last house, as well as some great storage solutions in our smal l laundry/mudroom in LA. But today is all about THE FARM…(if you are new, head to this post about how we bought a little farm in Portland during the pandemic and moved back home to Oregon)

The Original Mudroom Placement

Let’s go back 1 year shall we? The original placement of the mudroom (seen here) was the most ideal for the function of that room and at times I regret it still not being there. The kids would come home from the car/school through that back door, drop their garbage and it would be out of sight of the living room. Their soccer clothes would be peeled off and immediately thrown in the washer/dryer (ha). But we realized that we were giving this mudroom the best natural light in the whole house, starving the kitchen and living room of that precious resource that we are irrationally obsessed with. So we moved the kitchen back to that corner which meant that the mudroom had to be relocated (and y’all the kitchen is DREAMY AF so I’m glad we did it).

Then Our Mudroom Became A Pantry

Version 2 (or maybe 92). Next, we decided to move the kitchen back in that corner and add a “mudroom door” in that tiny little area, sharing it with a pantry. Would that have worked? Sure! But look at the size of our bedroom!! I mean…absolutely unnecessarily huge. So we reconfigured it one more time. The level of indecision was high because the problem is that in the Pacific Northwest every entrance or exit needs a drop zone in which to de-shoe (a mini-mudroom so to speak). We struggled to decide which is more important – the entrance to the car/path for every day in and out, or to the backyard where they will be playing and stomping through alpaca poop. Ultimately we decided on…

Our Mudroom Location Now

We put the mudroom on the wing of the house, exiting to the backyard. We have a tiny drop-zone in the kitchen under the big window where the kid’s daily pair of shoes, coats, and bags will likely still sit but the rest of the clutter will be in the mudroom. This is because the mudroom isn’t just a dropzone, it’s the dog washing station/drying zone and the laundry room. This room is going to be EPIC. Now, I realized about a month ago that what would have even been potentially better is swapping the locations of the mudroom and the main bathroom (where the 1960s laundry room was – hahaha). It’s all good, but I suppose if I could go back in time that would make the most sense – the kids would just hop over one entrance to the mudroom when they come in, leaving the kitchen clutter-free. My plan is to use the time-tested mom strategy of “keeping the door locked” so that they have to walk around. Can such habits be formed? What if I literally put a piece of candy on the doormat every day until they have the Pavlovian response and automatically come through the mudroom? Moms have done much worse, right?…

So now you know where we are in the house and OH MY GOSH IT’S DREAMY. The drywall is up and the natural light with the skylights, double doors, and windows make the room this insanely bright, gorgeous space already. Sadly there are still 3 months of work to be done in here…

Cabinetry Designed For Our Needs

As you can see we didn’t just “order cabinets”. No. We worked with Unique Kitchens and Bath to customize for our needs. Do you need to go to this extent? Only if you are doing custom cabinetry like we are. If you are going the more readymade (IKEA, Lowes, etc) then ignore this section. But when in Rome.

Smart Vaccum Storage

So the far left is our vacuum storage – both our cordless (with an outlet) and making sure it is wide enough for our fatter floor vacuum.

Pullout Pet Food Storage

I avoided getting dogs for a while because they create such a mess and are so hard on your home. I don’t know whose idea it was to get TWO LONGHAIRED dogs before we moved to Oregon, but I’ll find out and they’ll be fired. So when designing the cabinets we figured we’d put in a pull-out cabinet “drawer” for a dog food bin in the hopes of not having it just floating in the room.

Dog Washing Station

I would prioritize this dog washing station over our kids shower at this point – or perhaps the kids could just bathe in here? I need to show you what those mutts look like after 5 minutes of running around outside so you’ll understand the importance of this dog washing station. The faucet has changed and we are doing more stone detail, but you get the idea. We even measured our dogs to make sure that they’ll fit, at one point putting them inside our farmhouse sink to see how much extra space we would need. I mean if you are going to customize a whole DOG WASHING BATHTUB you sure as hell better make it as functional and useful as possible. To be clear, it is also our utility sink for mops and filling flower buckets for arranging. It’s going to get USED as we think we’ll need to do nightly baths if we let them outside. While I still plan on walking them 3-5 miles a day, which I do right now as we are sans-yard, they miss chasing each other around and we can’t live on a farm and deprive them of that joy). FYI they are the sweetest pups in the world which makes it very much worth it:)

Shaker Pegs For Coats And Leashes

Still leaning into the shaker farmhouse vibe, we have this room lined at coat hook height with peg rails both for function and style. Leashes, coats, hats, sweet little handmade artisanal brooms that we never use…all will abound these cute little pegs. OH, the color scheme is wrong here. The floors and wood cabinets are right, but the paint colors are wrong (and we aren’t wrapping the beam – just painting white).

Heated Floors To Warm The Space And Dry The Dogs And Boots

This is something we’ve gone back and forth on a million times. I believe that if you are remodeling putting in radiant heating under your tile in rooms that are typically cold or where you are typically barefoot is a good move. But this room? Is it necessary? Last Thursday we made the final call to do it. It was a cold and rainy day and we walked through the future day to day motions – the kids would come in from school, immediately take off their raincoat and boots, left in thin little socks to walk through the mudroom into the family room. And you know what they say about kids who suffer cold toes in the winter as children? They turn out to be unlovable psychopaths. Well, that can’t be! Then we pictured our nightly bathing off of the mud pups…all wet and shivering…OOF. We seriously considered putting in a commercial-style hairdryer like they have at groomers (I’m not kidding – my brother kept sending me models that were affordable). We figured that having the floor be warm, to dry their little tummies would be a good thing. As I’m writing this I’m annoyed at myself for how spoiled we are all going to be. But when it’s been pouring rain and cold for 6 months, and your contractor turns to you and says, “for an extra day of labor and $1500 – $2k you can have warm toes year-round? eh?” You find yourself saying, “just do it” with both enthusiasm and shame.

*By the way, radiant heat flooring has come a long long way, and it is so much easier and cheaper than it used to be – definitely something to consider if your climate warrants it. We installed it in two bathrooms at the mountain house and while you barely noticed that it was on (just that you were comfortable), you sure as hell felt the freezing cold tile when you stepped into the guest bathrooms where we didn’t do it. We had to put more bath rugs in there because our stone tile felt like ice in the winter and our guests were politely putting towels on the floor for their middle-of-the-night trips.

Open And Closed Storage For Often Used Coats And Less Often Used Coats

Now back to the approachable practical ideas … Visually I love closed cabinet storage, but we all know that kids don’t (1.) open up a cabinet (2.) pull out a hanger (3.) hang their coats on said hanger and then (4.) reach up and (5.) hang the coat. If they could do that I wouldn’t waste my time being a designer, I’d send them to Oxford to become astrophysicists!! The talent and sheer intellect of such a storage sport surpass any testing they could do at school. Nay. Our special little humans need easy-to-reach hooks or baskets. So as you can see we have a closet for closed storage (our less used coats) but Brian planned out our jacket usage and it’s anywhere between 2-4 a day depending on the weather, which does change all day long. 1. Cold morning walk to school = fleece, 2. A brisk power walk with dogs = slim down parka. 3. A mid-day walk in the rain = rain jacket, and 4. Afternoon basketball session = hoodie or windbreaker. Once he broke it down to me I realized he was right – that we needed hooks galore. So the closed cabinetry is for winter coats or less used cute jackets and the double set of hooks is for everyday in and out use. I actually think we are doing shaker pegs there but I’m not totally sure. Sometimes jackets don’t hang on pegs as well as we’d like them to so we might do double hooks like you see in the rendering to make sure our intense coat and jacket consumption can be accommodated.

Affordable Curtain To Cover Washer And Dryer

You know I love a sweet little curtain and this is the perfect opportunity to sew one up from one of the million vintage yards of fabric I’ve been collecting since birth. There’s enough that I can switch it out all the time like a crazy stylist – my spring floral, my fall plaid, my holiday skirt, my easter skirt? You get it. We’ll use a slim little brass rod, install it somehow (assuming to the wood on top that the stone will sit on), and attached clips to it, maybe with pleats, maybe not. But if you have an exposed washer dryer anywhere, know that the skirt is in fashion and is extremely affordable to rig up. I love to comb thrift stores for vintage tablecloths or even weird patterned sheets. Or get some great deadstock fabric yardage on Etsy 🙂

Seating With Shoe Storage Nearby

Lastly, we incorporated a bench under the coats that just floats with open shoe storage below. Again, I love closed storage, but when it comes to shoes, if you want the kids to not complain about not being able to find them, then design them to be easily found. You could say that this is coddling, but I prefer to frame it as ” causing fewer battles and less daily nagging”. Why set yourself up for a rough morning just to have a slightly more beautiful mudroom? Make it easy on them (and you) with open shoe and open coat storage.

My level of excitement about this room is palpable, the dopamine is rushing through me as I write this. I hope some of these tips are at all helpful to you. When you see it styled out you’ll see some of the other smart features we put in here (inside the cabinetry and some laundry ideas).

I’m feeling incredibly grateful that we will eventually get to use it and that maybe our children and pups won’t bring all of the mud from the farm into the house.

Sources:

Cabinetry – Unique Kitchens and Bath (in natural white oak)
Windows – Sierra Pacific Simulated Divided Lites in Aspen – primed ready for paint.
Paint – Sherwin Williams – colors TBD
Lighting – Rejuvenation – this one over the dog washing station and these as hanging pendants.
Skylights – 3 from Velux that are EPIC!
Tile – Pratt + Larson (custom color and pattern I can’t wait to show you).
Build Team – ARCIFORM