Let’s be honest with ourselves: there’s no chore anybody wants to do. But say you happened to ask me which one I liked the least… I might himmm and haw over vacuuming, scrubbing toilets, wiping down the baseboards and then quite quickly, I’d land on laundry. I have no problem getting the energy to start doing laundry, but it’s the process of moving items to the dryer, knowing which items have to air dry, waiting for the clothes to dry, folding and then my favourite – putting them all away – that just does me in.
Despite there only being two of us in our household, I feel like we churn through an awful lot of laundry. Almost every other night you could hear the rumbling of our dryer either tackling Adam’s work clothes, towels, sheets or something I likely spilled on and of course – needed it for tomorrow’s business presentation! I also strongly believe that the prettier a space, the more likely you are to want to spend time in it and keep it clean. To give you an idea of what I was working with, this is our old laundry room as of early January:
A poorly lit space with no windows, ugly green tiles, a plastic wash-bin, no storage and a washer and dryer that weren’t exactly living up to the challenge. Can you blame a girl for not wanting to hang out in here?
We’ve lived in our house for three years and have tackled the kitchen, master bedroom, foyer, powder room, ensuite, backyard and more but for some reason we kept putting this project on hold – till now. The teams at Home Depot Canada and LG Canada approached us and asked if we’d be interested in testing out the TurboWash Steam Washer and Electric Steam Dryer. Wanting to reply with an instant, YES, I couldn’t help but realize my second thought: my laundry room is soooo not Instagram worthy. So with a little convincing, planning and organizing we set a date to kick off a renovation in our laundry room.
We literally stripped this room down to nothing: swapped old tiles for marble floors, ripped out the baseboards, added a new coat of paint, installed cabinets, a counter, updated the plumbing and added the finishing touch: the TurboWash Steam Washer and Electric Steam Dryer.
While we’d consider ourselves DIYers, this was the biggest project we’ve ever tackled. I can’t stress enough how helpful the Home Depot Canada team was at our local store in helping us sort through what seemed like the impossible (How do we even begin cutting tiles? How do we make these cabinets grey? How do you tile around a corner?). To say this was a huge accomplishment for us is the understatement of the year. I’m so proud of the work we were able to accomplish in this space and for the finished product.
Floooring:
We tore up our old green builder tile and replaced it with these Hexagon 2” marble mosaic tiles. I love the subtle pattern we get in the floor but it’s also a refreshing change from the dark hardwood we have running through our hallway upstairs.
Cabinetry:
This entire set is from the Home Depot Canada’s Eurostyle collection. It’s typically in stock at most locations and you can piece together what bits you need to create a space that works best for you. The Orange Apron associates at the store were awesome at helping us organize how to put which cabinet where and maximize the space as best as possible. The cabinets did come in white originally but always up for a challenge, we decided they should be grey. We used melamine-based paint from Behr (the shade is Silver Bullet from Home Depot Canada) and got to painting (no sanding required!). I LOVE how they turned out. We also added crown molding across the top to create that custom cabinetry look without the price.
Backsplash:
Since we were working with a farmhouse-inspired space, a white backsplash seemed like a no brainer. While I wanted to use a dark grout, the team at our local Home Depot gave us the tip that using a light grey shade would be best since this was our first time cutting tile and a dark grout would highlight any imperfections. Sold!
Counter:
Don’t get me wrong – this girl loves her marble – and there were plenty of options at Home Depot but sometimes you have to keep your budget in check. I had often loved the look of butcher block but could never bring myself to use it in the kitchen so I thought this was the perfect opportunity to introduce it to our space. We also found it very easy to cut and install.
Plumbing & Sink:
Fun fact – I actually used to work on the Delta brand in a previous career so selecting a faucet with Touch2O (the hands-free technology) was a no brainer for me. I often hand wash delicates, designer jeans and more, often finding my hands covered in product so getting to simply tap the spout with my wrist to turn the water on and off was genius for this space.
Another budget debate for us was the sink. Truth be told, I really, really wanted an apron front sink. Unfortunately, the budget just wasn’t there. After debating on our options, we decided that a drop in white sink was our closest bet to creating that farmhouse aesthetic without breaking the bank.
Paint:
Phew – something we knew a thing or two about. We’ve used Behr paint in other homes we’ve painted in the past so this was a no brainer for us…. or so we thought. I’ll be honest, this room was first painted white (too white!), then we debated a wallpaper but it didn’t jive with the subway tile and then we landed on what would have been original choice: the perfect greige shade of paint. The colour used in this room was Dolphin Fin.
Washer & Dyer:
I think the biggest and most notable improvement of all in this space is our new LG TurboWash Steam Washer and Electric Steam Dryer. Talk about night and day! I mean the immediate change for us was the upgrade in capacity: at 5.2 cu. ft. (washer) and 7.4 cu.ft. (Dryer) – I’ve already cut out 1 load a week from our previous pair, which is craz-eh! The TurboWash Technology also helps us save up to 20 minutes on our normal laundry loads – it’s like hitting fast forward on the television as you watch it zip through a load.
I also love that the washer incorporates Steam while cleaning to work hard at tough stains or allergens so you really do get a deep clean. And while certain ‘types’ of cycles are already labeled on the device (Towels, Delicates), you also have the option to tap the LG Smart Laundry app and find customized cycles (cough, cough that red wine stain on your white dress) that are tailored to your needs.
I had mentioned this in my stories prior, but due to the lack of space and only 8-foot ceilings, we needed to use what room we did have for cabinetry and counter space for folding and sorting through laundry. This meant we had to part ways with the concept of the LG TWINWash System ™ – bummer! The TWINWash ™ system includes Sidekick pedestal washer, which not only add height but also allow for the option of a secondary laundry load to be washed at the same time as a regular one – below the main washer. A secondary pedestal drawer is installed beneath your dryer and is a great storage unit where you can keep detergent, hangers, clothespins or other accessories for the space.
And guess what! I’m giving away a full LG TWINWash™ system that includes a front load washer, electric dryer, Sidekick pedestal and regular laundry pedestal on my Instagram channel right now! makeover. Keep
an eye out for my post later today and enter for a chance to win and get started on your own laundry room makeover.
Overall, these new appliances are game changers for the way we do laundry. We can conquer more laundry, save time and cut back on our water bill at the end of the month – a big win in Adam’s books.
This project was not for the faint of heart but so worth it in the end. Ask me now what my favourite chore is and I’ll probably tell you laundry. I literally find myself just hanging out in the laundry room perfectly folding t-shirts, organizing accessories and snapping the odd shoefie pic on my new marble floors.
Got questions about our project or looking for tips/tricks? Ask away! In the meantime, find all details below:
Eurostyle Cabinetry: c/o Home Depot Canada | Cabinetry Paint: Silver Bullet by Behr c/o Home Depot Canada | Richelieu Cabinetry Hardware: c/o Home Depot Canada | Butcher Block Counters: c/o Home Depot Canada | White Porcelain Subway Tile: c/o Home Depot Canada | Delorean Grey Grout: c/o Home Depot Canada | White Over-the-counter Sink: c/o Home Depot Canada | Delta Touch2O Faucet: Available at Home Depot Canada | White Floating Shelves: c/o Home Depot Canada | Marble Hexagon Floor: c/o Home Depot Canada | Delorean Grey Grout: c/o Home Depot Canada | Behr Eggshell Paint in Dolphin Fin – XX c/o Home Depot Canada | LG TurboWash Steam Washer: c/o Home Depot Canada | LG TurboWash Electric Steam Dryer: c/o Home Depot Canada
