Project Laundry Room, Day 1

There is something so exhilarating about rehabbing an old house because you never know what you’ll find.  We’ve discovered everything from 50 year old rolls of toilet paper to rat poop (lots and lots and lots of rat poop that fell on C.’s head).  From 1930s linoleum hidden under carpet to the biggest discovery of all–we actually had 13′ ceilings (with picture and crown molding) above a drywall ceiling.  This little undertaking was no different.  Once the men took out the wall and door between the laundry room and enclosed porch they discovered the original porch ceiling color–this absolutely gorgeous green painted on our original tongue-and-groove ceiling of the porch.

So that brought on a whole discussion of paint colors.  I think we’ve decided to find the closest color we can and go two to three shades lighter.  Since all the cabinetry, wainscoting, and walls will be white–and there are three doors with glass insets and a window–I think it will still be bright and airy.  At least I hope so.

Yesterday we also realized that my parents’ tile wouldn’t work.  They had about 30 square feet and we needed 90 square feet.  Since we’re on a tight budget we found some cheap tile at our favorite tile discount place.  The only requirements I had was one, that it couldn’t be too slippery when wet and two, it had to be dark enough to not show the dirt Vivi brings in every time she comes inside.  And for $1.12/sq ft I think it’ll do the trick just fine.  Plus, it closely matches our hardwood floors that are in the rest of the house so you won’t see the glaring difference between the two when you look down our long front hallway.

Have I ever shown y’all the beautiful built-ins that are in this part of the house?  First, we have the corner closet that original was exposed to the outside (the enclosed porch wasn’t enclosed until the late 1930s).  The family stored their salt-cured meats in the top part.

The other built-in was part of the bathroom before we framed in the laundry room in 2007.  When Miss Eleanor was growing up it was the only closet in the house and the whole family stored their clothes here.  …yet I can’t even get all my cleaning supplies to fit.  Amazing!

Sure, they are not as fancy as most built-ins in old houses, but to me they are beautiful and I have refused to take them out even though it would give me MUCH more space in my new mudroom.  To me they are the part of the heartbeat of this beautiful, old, drafty home of mine and as long as I live here–which will hopefully be until the day I die–they will stay.

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