I thought I would do a little post about our laundry in our house in the country. You can see from the before photos it was a pretty grim little room. We gutted it and moved the window to make the space work better. We kitted it out in simple white Ikea cupboards and a 'Lack' shelving unit. The idea was to create a butler's pantry feel, providing additional space for my ever-growing collection of china and glassware. A round sink has been used. This is great for washing jumpers and other items of clothes as well as doing flowers or even washing out paint brushes. The additional shelf we added came from the off cut from the second row of cupboards. Being a very narrow room we used narrow overhead width cupboards top and bottom and cut down the bench top to fit. It seemed there was this piece of laminate going to waste when the idea of adding an extra shelf came to mind. A little extra basin for hands and the loo is also incorporated. But what really makes this room fun is all the blue and white china pieces. Willow pattern saucers were the first thing I bought at an auction when I was about twelve. I can remember spending two dollars on a box of these saucers. Over the years they have been used as dishes for cat food, pot plant saucers and generally just cluttered up the cupboards. Hanging four different types in a line adds a little autobiographical touch. There are plates from my mother's kitchen and my partner's mother's dinner set as well as ones I have picked up at opportunity shops. There is one more details to add, a towel ring, an excuse to show off a collection of hand embroidered hand towels. So watch this space. The Roman blind is the strong graphic element that holds it all together. Found in our stash of fabrics it is called 'Draperie' from Clarence House. The pattern was just wide enough to fit the window. For a little more detail we added a herringbone ribbon braid, this is by Martha Stewart. The pale aqua adds a contrast. The colour appears elsewhere in the house.
 The laundry stripped back to the frame and external weatherboards  The basics are in place now its time to add the details.  The final product. All the little details make it interesting and homely.  You can see the Ikea 'Lack' shelving unit, as well as the extra shelf and the round sink.  Each little section on the 'Lack' shelf is a self contained vignette. The striped kitchen set was in my family home. The coffee canister was found in New Zealand in an op shop.  A detail of the Roman Blind, a chinoiserie toile from Clarence House. It is edged with a Martha Stewart, herringbone weave ribbon.  The storage boxes in the end cupboard came about because the plumber placed the hand basin too close to the cabinet, he couldn't read an architectural drawing, and thought he knew best.  More blue and white accessories, I even have a pair of blue reading glasses to co-ordinate. The blue lidded biscuit jars hold laundry powders. |  As you can see there was nothing worth saving in this laundry. |
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