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At The Picket Fence with Vanessa Hunt

Where Ideas for your Home Meet Inspiration for your Heart

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August 29, 2012

How To Create an Office in a Laundry Room

Traditional Laundry Room design by Atlanta Kitchen And Bath Designs by BSB
Source

I can’t believe that it has been so long since I shared with you an update on my Picket Fence Project!

Talk about a learning experience! When I was hired by our friends to help them rebuild their home after it was almost completely lost in a fire (no one was injured thank the Lord!), I had no idea just how involved the process would be. It has been so incredible to see the plans we sketched out on paper come to life.
 And after the latest walk-through this past weekend, I was reminded again of what an honor it has been to be apart of this journey.

This is how things were looking the last time I showed it to you:

DSC_0486-001

Here is how it is looking now. Isn’t the stone work beautiful?

The home should be completed within the next few weeks and this past Saturday we got to see the beginning stages of the cabinet installations.

I vividly remember, several months ago, standing in the skeleton of what would become the new mud room. As the homeowner, builder and I discussed some of the details I kept looking over at this one empty wall.

I knew it was MEANT to be something.

It had so much potential!

That’s when I remembered the conversation we had been having while looking at the kitchen layout.
There was going to be a desk area but it would be tiny.
 Teeny tiny to be exact.
And that would be the only designated office space in the entire house. That wasn’t gonna cut it!
So, I casually said, “well, what about building a desk along that wall?”

And then they looked at me like I was crazy…but I’m used to that by now!

I explained to them how I had been seeing a lot of people carving out office space in their laundry or mud rooms. And I grabbed my iphone and pulled up some pictures to prove it to them!

Like this one: I love how the desk is set back into a little nook.
Maybe it would help you to not notice the laundry piled up on the floor!

source
Or how about this one? Seriously you can barely tell that there is a washer and dryer in this space, it is just so gorgeous with all of those built-ins!


source

I’m not sure I would be able to concentrate on my blog writing if I was facing all of the wonderful windows in this next photo, but I’m sure I would manage…somehow! And, how fabulous is that bulletin board?


source

This next photo shows that the design doesn’t have to be elaborate. Simply by leaving an open space underneath the counter top, room was made for a functional desk area.

Traditional Spaces design by Architect Sarah Susanka, FAIA

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I love the little cubbies above the desk in this next photo and utilizing the corner helped maximize the space!

home office laundry room
source

Add in a fridge and you wouldn’t ever have to leave this next space.
 Well, that is until your family realized that they were out of socks and underwear and came looking for you!

hr2933312-17
source

I love that the washer and dryer in this next room are hidden behind the curtains.
And using a free-standing desk shows that you don’t have to do custom built-ins to make your office/laundry room functional and pretty!

Eclectic Home Office design by Minneapolis Interior Designer Lucy Interior Design

source

Our friend Kristin from My Uncommon Slice of Suburbia carved out this wonderful desk space for her boys in their mudroom. You truly should go over and see the rest of this awesome makeover!


source

I love absolutely everything about this next one! Maybe it’s because the color of the cabinets remind me of my own laundry room cabinets. Or maybe it’s the floor? Or that open shelving? Or that it’s HUGE?

Traditional Laundry Room design by Atlanta Kitchen And Bath Designs by BSB

source

This space, created by Jolie of the lovely blog Shopping Candy, does triple duty as it serves as a laundry room, office and a craft room!


source

Well, there you have it!
10 different ways to incorporate an Office Space into your Laundry Room or Mud Room.

Would you ever consider doing this?

I can’t wait to show you how the Laundry Room Office turns out in my Picket Fence Project House along with the rest of the incredible transformation!

We also want to take a quick moment to announce the “second” winner of the Southern Blogger’s Conference Pass! Our first winner wasn’t able to attend so….CONGRATULATIONS to
REBECCA of YOU ARE TALKING TOO MUCH!! 
We will be in touch to get you your pass…and there’s still time for YOU to get YOUR ticket! Click the link below for more information…hope to see you there! 
Southern Bloggers Conference

Thanks so much for joining me today at the Fence,

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Friday Party Friends:
vif187Fridays Unfolded
Photobucket

24 Comments Filed Under: Decorating, Good Ideas, Round-Up

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Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. Suzy says

    August 28, 2012 at 1:01 PM

    I had no idea how cool it could be to turn your laundry room into a multipurpose room! All of these rooms are so beautiful that I would have trouble choosing just one. Congrats to Rebecca on winning the ticket!

    Reply
  2. How to Nest for Less says

    August 28, 2012 at 1:13 PM

    Wow, I know what I want in my next house!!

    Reply
  3. Carmel @ Our Fifth House says

    August 28, 2012 at 1:14 PM

    I love this idea. I would totally do this if my laundry room was large enough – mine is so small!

    Reply
  4. One bolt short of a toolbox says

    August 28, 2012 at 1:33 PM

    This is amazing, no one ever thinks to put the office and the laundry room together!

    newest follower of your blog, i love it!

    Jan
    door251.com

    Reply
  5. Kathy @ Creative Home Expressions says

    August 28, 2012 at 1:50 PM

    I love this idea, Vanessa! I wish I had room in my laundry/garage entry area for something like this. Some of the laundry rooms you’ve shown are so big it would be a shame not to utilize them for something else ~ along with laundry!

    Reply
  6. Susan (My Place to Yours) says

    August 28, 2012 at 1:52 PM

    I DID do this — and I’d do it again if given the chance! When we incorporated the laundry area in our 1907 house into an enlarged master bath, we moved the laundry upstairs to a huge extra bedroom. On one end of the room, we stacked the washer/dryer and added an L-shaped counter with a large soaking sink for cleaning my vintage linens. The rest of the room has space for a computer armoire, Etsy shop shipping supplies, craft storage, sewing desk AND a small settee. It’s a tight fit, but I spend a lot of time in this space! If I ever started from scratch, I’d design a smaller room that had counters around every wall with shelves and cubbies above. It would be a multi-multi-function room in a very efficiently-designed space. …Perhaps something like you’re working on for your friends! Can’t wait to see what you do.

    Reply
  7. marty (A Stroll Thru Life) says

    August 28, 2012 at 1:55 PM

    Oh my word, I love that first one best,but then they are all fabulous. I would take any one of them in a heartbeat. Stunning examples. Hugs, Marty

    Reply
  8. Sandy says

    August 28, 2012 at 3:28 PM

    Unfortunately, my laundry is sent to our basement, very few laundry rooms seen in new houses circa 1979. But we do have four bedrooms and the posted room with the fabulous vertical bulletin board would be my ideal office to copy for one of my unused rooms.

    Reply
  9. Daniela @Frugal Aint Cheap says

    August 28, 2012 at 6:01 PM

    we might end up in the future with an office/laundry room combo (and drum room too). Our washer/dryer is in the garage, and we are kicking around the idea of converting the garage into a livable space…down the road. A lot of people in Italy have their washer in the kitchen or main bathroom! (no dryer)

    Reply
  10. Shannon at Fox Hollow Cottage says

    August 28, 2012 at 7:00 PM

    I loved the brick floors in that all in one number 😉 It’s almost all I could look at!
    I you will work some magic on your project!!

    Congrats to REBECCA!!! Could not happen to a sweeter girl 🙂

    Reply
  11. ℳartina @ Northern Nesting says

    August 28, 2012 at 7:27 PM

    I love this idea Vanessa and love all that beautiful inspiration!!

    Reply
  12. Ruby Jean says

    August 28, 2012 at 7:35 PM

    I SERIOUSLY could use a HUGE laundry room. I always marvel at how small they come.. It is a space that is just about as important as the kitchen.. 🙂
    Blessings
    Angelina

    Reply
  13. Shirley@Housepitality Designs says

    August 28, 2012 at 10:21 PM

    I just love all the laundry/work rooms…my next house…will have one less bedroom and one HUGE laundry/craft/workroom…my dream…thanks for all the inspiration of those unbelievable rooms!!!

    Reply
  14. Cristina Garay says

    August 29, 2012 at 12:54 AM

    They are all beautiful rooms! I wish I have more space in my laundry room so I could incorporate an office!

    Reply
  15. ange says

    August 29, 2012 at 3:09 AM

    What a great idea! You know I love making offices in small spaces or other rooms. Can’t wait to see the house, the sneak peek of the stone fireplace is amazing!

    Reply
  16. Becca says

    August 29, 2012 at 10:13 AM

    Genious idea, Vanessa … they are going to be thanking you left and right when it comes to fruition! I have a tiny “command central” in our mudroom … not a desk, but, at least it is a counter where I place our calendar … school items that needs to be addressed, etc. I look forward to seeing the house reveal … they’re luck to have your help!

    Reply
  17. Debbie says

    August 29, 2012 at 12:02 PM

    Proof positive that any space can be made twice as beautiful and twice as functional as we think it can. So inspiring! Our laundry is rather small, but I still try to multi purpose it.

    Reply
  18. Kristin @ My Uncommon Slice of Suburbia says

    August 29, 2012 at 2:38 PM

    Thanks for the feature ladies!! I’m loving all this eye candy!!! Enjoy the day!
    XO
    Kristin

    Reply
  19. Pam - @diy Design Fanatic says

    August 29, 2012 at 3:33 PM

    It would be great to have a laundry room big enough to also use it as an office. Our laundry room is only 7 ft by 7 ft with an angle cut out of it. It’s so small I don’t even fold clothes in it and have to bring the clean laundry into another room. Thanks for the eye candy; I would love to have any one of those!

    Reply
  20. Amanda @ Serenity Now says

    August 30, 2012 at 12:45 PM

    What an honor, Vanessa, to have friends choose you to help them rebuild! I love the idea of using extra space in the laundry room for office work. Your source photos are gorgeous! And I love love love the stonework on the fireplace!

    Reply
  21. debra says

    August 31, 2012 at 10:03 PM

    LOL I love this but my laundry is done in the basement.

    However one can DREAM and that’s what this stuff is about …Just extraordinary..love it 🙂

    Reply
  22. Athena at Minerva's Garden says

    September 1, 2012 at 6:05 AM

    These are really some cute ideas for carving out office space in an area you might not think to put it. Right now I’d just be happy with getting my laundry room organized!

    Reply
  23. Mobilt Bredbånd Priser says

    September 4, 2012 at 12:50 PM

    Author has good efforts for the published and interesting image so that we can connected in this blogger and used it , The good efforts for the new creativity often people are used in this blog and fantastic also.

    Reply
  24. Daisy Pink Cupcake says

    September 9, 2012 at 10:37 PM

    I like this idea!
    Daisy~

    Reply

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“Those who know your name trust in you, for you, “Those who know your name trust in you, for you, LORD, have never forsaken those who seek you.” Psalm 9:10
This is one of my most favorite projects from my b This is one of my most favorite projects from my book Life in Season! 

Because, if heaven has a fragrance, I’m fairly certain it smells like lilacs.

I think that somewhere along the way the verse in the Bible that said, ‘heaven will smell like lilacs’ just got lost in translation. But it HAD to have been in there at some point, right?

When I bury my head in the blossoms (which I absolutely MUST do every single time I walk past them), I immediately feel a stirring in my soul.

It seems like I wait forever for my lilac tree to bloom. Every year I anxiously watch as the buds begin to form on the branches and then when the blossoms finally burst forth I begin that agonizing process of deciding the absolute perfect moment to snip them and bring them inside.

And then, after all of that waiting and watching it’s just over…done. Because, unlike heaven, lilacs don’t last for an eternity. So, making my own lilac room spray seemed like the perfect way to enjoy their fragrance long after the blossoms have faded.

Here’s how to make it! Ingredients: Water, Vodka, Lilac fragrance oil. Directions: Fill spray bottle with 50/50 ratio of water to vodka. Add 12 drops of lilac oil. Give it a shake, spray and if the scent isn’t strong enough, simply add a few more drops of lilac oil.

Once you’ve made this lilac scented room spray you will be very tempted to spray it in every room in your house. And someone may want to use it in the bathroom to cover up other less…ummmm….pleasing aromas.

But, do not, I repeat do NOT, let them.

You’ve captured the fragrance of heaven in a bottle and you wouldn’t want to go and tarnish it now would you? 😉
We had two back to back days of sunshine (the most We had two back to back days of sunshine (the most we’ve had in a LONG time) and now we are back to pouring rain. This has officially confirmed what I’ve know to be true for awhile now.

I’m a MUCH better version of myself when the sun is shining! 🤪 So I’ll just be over here today plotting and planning how my husband and I can be snowbirds someday when the kids are out of the house.

If you could spend your winters (and apparently most of spring too!) in any part of the country, where would it be?
Happy weekend sweet friends!! We’ve had a LOT of Happy weekend sweet friends!! We’ve had a LOT of rain lately (which is saying something when you live in Oregon) and I’ll admit that it’s affecting my moods a bit. I feel like I’m dragging and struggling to find the energy to get stuff done. So don’t mind me if I’m over here looking at photos of my garden in the summertime and finding that it keeps me hopeful about those days to come. They will come, right?! 🤪. 

What are your favorite plants that you look forward to seeing in the summer?
We’re going to be giving our laundry room a make We’re going to be giving our laundry room a makeover soon. It’s LONG overdue! In fact, the folks from the counter company were just here taking measurements. While we have made some simple, inexpensive updates over the years, it still has many of the original elements from when the house was built in 1992.

Two of our bathrooms are also in need of major makeovers. And we’ve saved up enough money over the years to tackle those projects. But, for the most part, we made the decision to use the bulk of that money in another way. While we knew that it was financially wise to invest in our house, we also knew that the greatest investment we could make was in our children. 

I’ll admit, there are times where I see other people doing massive overhauls of their entire home in a matter of months and I feel a prick of envy. But, we decided that if our choice was between waiting a bit longer to enjoy a renovated bathroom or going on adventures as a family, we would choose adventures every time. And we don’t regret that decision for a single second. It’s not that we haven’t tackled home projects (we’ve done a lot!). It’s just that it’s been a slow and steady process. 

Most recently, we let our son pick where we would travel for spring break since this is his senior year of high school and we are trying to make up for lost time. With so much of life ‘paused’ for two years, we have appreciated these moments more than ever. And, since he’ll be heading to college in the fall, we are very aware of how important it is to spend this time together while we still have a modicum of control over everyone’s schedules.

We have many years left to remodel our home but only so much time left to make memories with our children.

And, while I’m always happy to look around my home and see rooms that are updated and more reflecting of our style, it doesn’t compare to the joy I feel when I look around my home and see the people I love the most who have been shaped by the many adventures we’ve experienced together.
Happy Saturday!! After endless days of rain (and h Happy Saturday!! After endless days of rain (and hail and snow) we are finally getting some sunshine and warmer temperatures. I’ll be honest, it’s really affected my spirits having one gloomy day after the next. So this is a much needed reprieve. Our cherry trees are showing off outside my kitchen window and we plan to get outside and make the most of these days while we have them.

What’s the weather like where you are?
“The devil, darkness, and death may swagger and “The devil, darkness, and death may swagger and boast, the pangs of life will sting for a while longer, but don’t worry; the forces of evil are breathing their last. Not to worry…HE’S RISEN!” (Charles R. Swindoll).

Happy Easter! He is risen indeed!
Who has believed our message? And to whom has the Who has believed our message? And to whom has the arm of the Lord been revealed?

For he grew up before him like a tender shoot, and like a root out of parched ground; he has no stately form or majesty that we should look upon him, nor appearance that we should be attracted to him.

He was despised and forsaken of men, a man of sorrows, and acquainted with grief; and like one from whom men hide their face, he was despised, and we did not esteem him. Surely our griefs he himself bore, and our sorrows he carried; yet we ourselves esteemed him stricken, smitten of God, and afflicted. 

But he was pierced through for our transgressions, he was crushed for our iniquities; the chastening for our well-being fell upon him, and by his scourging we are healed.

All of us like sheep have gone astray, each of us has turned to his own way; but the Lord has caused the iniquity of us all to fall on him. (Isaiah 53)
I try to always remember to put a water bottle in I try to always remember to put a water bottle in my car before I go to pick up my daughter from school. She didn't ask me to do this, but a few months ago I began to notice that she was often thirsty when she would get in the car. Her water bottle filled up at the beginning of the day was empty by the time school got out and she would ask if she could have some water from my hydroflask. So I make sure to have one waiting for her. It's just a simple thing, really. But, I want her to know that I'm paying attention, that I see her.

Isn't it amazing how small gestures can make us feel less invisible? Knowing that someone is thinking of us and takes the time to meet a need that we might not have even realized we had? These little acts can have big impacts. What is something that someone has done for you recently that made you feel valued and seen?

What have you done for someone else to remind them that you are paying attention to their needs?

“No one is useless in this world who lightens the burdens of another.”
― Charles Dickens
“The next day the large crowd that had come to t “The next day the large crowd that had come to the feast heard that Jesus was coming to Jerusalem. So they took branches of palm trees and went out to meet him, crying out, ‘Hosanna! Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord, even the King of Israel!’ – John 12:9-19
#palmsunday
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