As much as we love having our new built-in shelves in the laundry room, they did kinda get in the way of our oh-so-fancy ironing board storage system. You know, the one that made a clanging noise whenever the spin cycle kicked on?
So clearly the ironing board had to find a new home. Earlier on we thought about making a little cubby so the ironing board could slip into our built-ins, but we wanted maximum space for baskets and bins and bowls (instead of breaking things up and making it narrower). We contemplated just shoving him (her?) in a closet somewhere else in the house, but somehow it felt like he she it belonged in the laundry room… just not looking all busted and ugly.
Those nice little dark streaks? Would you be surprised if I told you they were residue from Sherry’s oft-used no-sew hem tape? Picture the wife hanging her head in shame. And an old more-fun cover that we had was also ruined in a similar manner (ripped – oops). Maybe Casa Petersik is where ironing board covers go to die?
Sherry contemplated sewing a new cover herself (possibly out of ironing-board-disfiguration guilt), but after popping over to Etsy (specifically, here) for some inspiration, she instead found herself inspired to buy a charming little handmade-by-someone-else cover (long story short: she was enamored with the fabric and unable to find it herself at a few local stores that she hit up). So 24 bucks later we had a much more presentable looking ironing board that Sherry is excited to display 24/7 (and has vowed not to maim). She’s more into that ironing board cover than a person should be.
Do I get any husband points for letting her go the pink route? Even I’m man enough to admit that it looks pretty awesome with the grellow walls.
Obviously leaning on the wall wasn’t our storage solution. Nope, we wanted to hang this lady (now that it’s pink, I’ve decided it’s a girl) on the wall. We briefly considered some sort of pulley system from the wall or ceiling that would allow it to fold out for in-room ironing, but thanks to the space being about as narrow as a bathroom stall, we decided we’d much rather hang it somewhere to store it, but keep it removable to accommodate ironing in a more spacious room (Sherry’s partial to the living room, I like the bedroom). The perfect wall for the job was this one (opposite the door) since it had some eyesores of its own to be covered – er, accessorized?
Yup, remember those two painted-over fuseboxes? We figured hanging our chipper little ironing board there was a multi-tasking solution. This way we can easily access the fuse box by simply removing the iron (just like a framed photo or bulletin board, which some other folks opt to hang there instead).
Since all of the ironing board hook / caddy things we found at the store also had a spot for an iron (and our iron ain’t pretty enough to showcase, plus we worried about slamming into it since the room is so narrow) we decided to “make” our own by repurposing two jumbo sized coat hooks from Lowe’s (about $6 each). To hang them, we used long strong wood screws and intentionally drilled into studs (so we didn’t risk hitting any wiring that runs to the fuse box and got a nice secure hold).
The hooks worked perfectly – which was quite a relief since they were the only ones I could find that I hoped were big enough to accommodate the wide ironing board bar and attractive enough to pass TWT (The Wife Test). The only thing we were somewhat undecided about was which direction to hang the ironing board. Sherry preferred the look on the left (pointing up), and I liked the version on the right (which Sherry thinks is “upside down and weird”). Feel free to rock the vote and weigh in on your favorite ironing board direction. Can you handle the excitement? Oh the things we debate around here.
But this is my post, so the rest of the pics will have it hanging my way. Sorry lady-wife. By the way, we realize the ironing board looks a bit far from the appliances (especially from this angle) but that’s intentional because:
- we wanted to position it over the fuse box
- we didn’t want to be banging into the ironing board every time we opened the washer door, so it’s happily out of the bang zone. And if we ever get around to switching the way the dryer door opens that one won’t bang either (right now it swings the other way).
Oh, and notice the missing cabinet doors two pics up? That’s because we had another little project going on at the same time. Those built-in cabinets that we inherited are great for concealed storage (aka, the place where ugly stuff goes to be ugly) – but they were sort of an off-white color that clashed with the freshly painted white trim, and the hardware was kinda blah.
In fact, we had another jeepers-creeper-where’d-you-get-those-peepers-knobs situation going on like this oldie but a goodie. Except this cabinet monster is a vampire since we’re in the midst of watching True Blood Season 3 on DVD (no spoilers – we’re only halfway through). Just picture it saying “Sook-eh, that was not my intention” in a weird Southern accent a la Bill Compton.
So off came the doors, knobs, and hinges. Here’s the old hardware (white eyeball knobs & brass hinges) next to the shiny new replacements. The pink glass knobs (yes, there’s me permitting pink again) were around $4.00 from Hobby Lobby after a 50% off sale (is it me, or are they constantly having 50% off sales there?). The brushed nickel hinges were $3 a set from Home Depot. Together they make for a much more updated (and fun) finish on those cabinets.
But first the cabinet doors and frame needed a coat of Kilz no-VOC primer and two thin coats of white semi-gloss paint (Olympic Premium No-VOC Base 2), which you can barely detect making a difference in these photos. You can kinda see how the door on the left has been framed with fresh paint around the edge. Maybe. If you happen to have binoculars or a magnifying glass next to your computer.
With primer and paint dry and the new hardware screwed in, things were back in working order within about a day or two (although we kept the doors cracked for another 24 hours, just to combat any stick-age).
Not the most dramatic makeover you’ve ever seen, but hey – sometimes it’s the little tweaks that make us the happiest. Sherry says those pulls remind her of pink champagne. Not that she’s ever had any, but she thinks it sounds fancy. Then she said something about pink diamonds but I tuned her out.
Oh and if you’re curious as to what’s actually in that cabinet… in a word: junk. In a few more words: a drill, paint and supplies, seldom used laundry items, bungee cords, and some saws. You know, the usual. If you’re Dexter or something (saws, drills, and bungee cords? yikes).
Oh but before I go, here’s our updated laundry room to do list.
Paint the odd brown quarter round near the baseboards glossy white
Redo all the dinged up trim (also in semi-gloss white)Paint the wallsReplace our dryer hose with a safer all-metal oneAdd adjustable built-in shelving in that nook next to the stacked washer & dryerPrime & paint the upper cabinetryReplace the hinges and knobs on those upper cabinetsHang the ironing board to obscure the giant metal fuse box- Get a new light fixture <- DIY something? maybe a small chandelier?
- Add a window treatment (maybe a homemade one?) <— ?
- Add other functional storage near the door for shoes, Burger’s leash, etc
- Hang some art to keep it cheerful
We’re still debating the whole window treatment part, hence the question mark. That window isn’t a privacy issue (you just see the top of the built-ins and the ceiling from outside) and we wonder if even a simple roman shade would just crowd things since the window practically grazes the built-ins and the white trim and mullions are nice and clean on their own. So we’re planning to figure out the light fixture and then make the call.
Anyway, what’s up with you guys? Anyone have an ironing board cover that they’re loving a little too much? Do you have some small projects like new hardware & hinges or a coat of primer & paint that you plan to cross off your to-do list by the end of the weekend? Anyone want to come over and do some laundry with us? Seeing how many people we can pack into our tiny 3.5′ wide space could be a good time. Or a science experiment (my guess is 32 & Sherry’s pushing the envelope with 43).
Psst- We announced this week’s giveaway winner. Click here to see if it’s you.
Psssst- To jog your laundry room memory, so far we’ve replaced the washer/dryer, taken down window shutters & cluttered shelves along with frosting the door (all here), filled some ceiling cracks, painted the room, and added some built-ins.
Rachel P says
That’s so Iron-ic (haha,just had to use the pun, my husband and I just did the same thing with our ironing board and we also struggled with finding another hanging solution than the iron holding type. We went the coat hook route as well. This post just proves to me that I need to find an awesome cover to make the ironing board “artwork” for the room. Of to etsy I go. :)
Beth says
I agree with Sherry! Iron board looks better pointing up.
Elisa says
Love the laundry room- I would want to be in there all the time!
I have a solution/comment about the ironing board hanging position…
I’m right handed and like to have the pointed end of the ironing board on my left. Which means if I lived at your house and it was hanging “John’s way”…I would always be cursing that I have to take the ironing board down and flip it each time I set it up and put it back.
I would want the narrower end pointing up.
BUT, if you iron with the pointed end to your right (and are still right handed) then it’s perfect!
Problem solved- who does the ironing and is it in a natural position to easily take down and set up without flipping it around?
YoungHouseLove says
We both iron (John does his pants shirts and I do curtains and other fabric projects like quilts and banners- haha) and I think we randomly place the pointed part either way. At least I don’t use it to iron fabric corners or anything, so it’s just kind of random. But John might use it a certain direction. Hmm, off to ask him.
xo,
s
kate says
another vote for ironing board pointed down:)
Sasha says
I’m with Sherry: ironing board with skinny side up.
Emily says
Sherry is absolutely correct about the ironing board… you should point it up. Pointing it down will throw the universe out of balance.
Sarah says
Just a quick note to keep the old ironing board cover and pop it on for any future hem-tape / heavy starch type things, and then the new one will always stay pretty.
And yes – it looks weird and upside down if the point is facing the ground.
YoungHouseLove says
Awesome idea! I’m just obsessed enough with the new one to go through great measures to protect it. A la Bill Compton. Haha.
xo,
s
Mollie says
everything looks so good guys!! i actually really like the window as-is. I think all the white trim makes things look really clean!
Dana says
I’m so jealous… My laundry room is where junk goes to die…
Jessica fielhauer says
Laundry board pointing down. It better covers the fusebox. (sorry sherry)
Stephanie says
Pointing up! The ironing board is easier to handle with the heavier end closer to the ground. I’m short, so maybe I’m biased. Looks good guys, and I like the pink champagne knobs. You would probably cringe if you saw where I do laundry (dark, cluttered basement with my summertime bug friends). A major basement organzing effort is on our fall to-do list.
Amanda @ Our Humble A{Bowe}d says
That ironing board cover is so cute! That’s a smart solution to put the ironing board over the fuse box. And, the new knobs are pretty, too. We have a striped pink and purple one that I love. We recently checked an item off our list that made us feel so much better. Installing drawers in our laundry room and bathroom: http://ourhumbleabowed.wordpress.com/2011/06/01/bathroom-business/ We still have to sand, prime and paint the laundry cabinet doors and paint the shelving we installed, but it feels better to have usable drawers in those spaces.
Torrie says
Because I know how much you guys love a bargain, I will tell you that I just bought the exact same nobs from Anthropologie for $8 each for a dresser I re-did. (Seen here: http://www.flickr.com/photos/torrie/5939743923/in/photostream)
I thought it was ridiculous to spend $8 per nob, but the ones in Pottery Barn Kids were $10 each, and I couldn’t find anything cheaper. I guess I should have spent more time looking, but I’m pregnant, and nesting, so I was impatient. Lesson learned.
YoungHouseLove says
Isn’t it so funny how many prices there are for similar things? I think Hobby Lobby had them marked for $8 but they were 50% off, so $4 instead. Without the sale they would have been the same Anthro price though!
xo,
s
Hilary @ My So-Called Home says
Looking good you guys. I love the pops of pink and plan to paint the office in OUR NEW HOUSE pink. Can ya tell I’m excited? We just closed on Wednesday and cannot wait to get working on it!
You can see our Before house tour here:
http://www.mysocalledhome.com/p/tour-house.html
YoungHouseLove says
Wahoo! Good luck!
xo,
s
Carrie says
So first of all, even though it is a small change in a small room, it is amazing how much new hinges and knobs add to that space! Love it.
Second, I think your instincts are right, a window treatment there might just look cluttered up. It looks really good nakey.
And third. Sherry is right. Your iron is upside down and weird. Sorry. ;) But you are a really good writer, so chin up. Have a great weekend you two.
Dianne says
I vote for a window covering of some sort…mostly because i’m the type that would definitely need to run in to get underwear right when there was some creeper staring in… :)
Allyn says
Seriously, what did we ever do without Etsy? I’ve bought so many things on it for my upcoming wedding. Love it.
Speaking of pink champagne, you should totally buy Sofia, which is Sofia Coppola’s pink champagne. You can get it in little pink cans that come with little pink straws! Girly overload to an amazing degree. Perfect for the pool, and so tasty!
Josey says
It definitely needs to point up. “weird and wrong” indeed when it’s pointing down :)
Jamie says
We are moving today – new homeowners! I’m taking a short YHL break on the couch as the movers sweat like a pig. We have our first ever laundry room that is a blank slate (no cabinetry or shelves yet) and I showed my husband the ironing board idea and he liked it! He also lol’d about the vampire cabinet and Bill’s accent.
Sook-eh…
Elizabeth says
I’m with $herdog…the broad…I mean the board…looks better with the narrow end up. Seems more natural that the weightier end would be the base.
Amber says
Have to agree with Sherry- pointing up! Sorry, John!
Jenny says
Psst. Your ironing board is upside down.
Karla says
No it has to point UP! It looks too weird pointing down and would drive me nuts.
Kandace says
I’m with John :) It covers the fusebox better. But either way it looks great! Lovely colors and I’m dying over those knobs!
Annette says
I an SO with Sherry on the which-side-up-question.
Up is where the tapered part is.
You can’t hang her with the bum-side up, John! All the blood will rush to her head and…
Erm, yes. What was I going to say? Oh yeah: Team Sherry.
Alissa says
A window treatment may be better down the road once you’ve transformed your carport to a garage. At that point, won’t the window will be looking out on a dark room? Less pretty. Until then, I say enjoy the sunshine while you have it!
YoungHouseLove says
Yeah we’re thinking we’ll frost it down the road with that conversion (we’ll add windows in the back, side, and doors of the garage so we hopefully still get some outside light coming in). But maybe it’s worth frosting now just to be one step closer? Not sure!
xo,
s
Rebecca @This Nest is Best says
Very cute! The ironing board is like a bit of modern art :)
lizvd says
Weighing in on the ironing board position, I’d have to say that since you’re trying to disguise the fuse box, John’s way is the better bet. Normally I’d agree with Sherry that it looks strange hanging that way, but in this case it just doesn’t seem to work as well. (Sorry Sherry!) Love the transformations so far! I can’t wait to have my own laundry/mud room to pretty up. Darn apartment living!
Allison says
Love the knobs! I just but the same ones in a pretty aqua color from Anthropologie at $8 a pop. I wish Hobby Lobby would come to Northern Virginia – they seem to have such great deals!
Allison says
meant to say “bought” not but..lol
Lisa says
Hobby Lobby has a new store in Fredericksburg…at Central Park! Not open on Sundays though!
Margaret Critz says
Gonna have to agree with $herdog on this one: ironing board facing UP!! Laundry room really looks terrific!!
Christine says
Love the ironing board cover!! I think it should point up- I agree with Sherry on that one. It feels too top heavy the other way.
Robin @ our semi organic life says
Team Ironing board pointing UP! Whats up with us? Packing to the max! Richmond here we come in 1.5 weeks! We’re moving to the Forest Hill Park area – see you at the South of the James farmes market J&S!
YoungHouseLove says
Wahooo! That’s so exciting Robin! Richmond is excited to have ya.
xo,
s
Hannah says
Just a random thought, but the “LOVE YOU MORE” print you used to sell in your shop would look really cute in there since it had the grellow/pink thing going on.
Love the “Sook-eh” thing, btw. My husband walks around our house randomly saying “Sook-eh, I am vampire.” Cracks me up every time!
YoungHouseLove says
Hmmm, I think we still have one of those prints laying around. Interesting…
xo,
s
Melissa says
Oh I am so Team Sherry on this one. How could you even consider hanging your ironing board upside down?
rebekah says
No window treatment! I think it would crowd things! You guys are amazing and it’s crazy how you have the ability to write long posts about something so simple. I wish i had that!!
Amy says
Gotta take Sherry’s side in this one…pointing up!
Laura Jinkins says
Looks great! I would not cover the window … part of what’s so lovely is how bright and cheerful it is. Thinking a window covering would really turn down the volume on the cheerful-ness. :)
jessica says
laundry room looks awesome now! ironing board should point up… sherry’s right it looks upside down pointing down.
Beth says
I’m on team Sherry with the direction of the ironing board!
Donita says
LOVE the ironing board cover. It has to be a woman thing, cause the little things like that, just make my year. LOL
The knobs are GREAT. The room looks so nice. You two are so inspiring. I can’t wait to see what you do with the light, window and Burger storage. ;-)
kim says
It doesn’t matter which way it hangs….up or down. Up is what you see more, but whatever…I think it might come down to does it matter when you take it off the wall? Does that make sense? I mean, is it more awkward to get it set up when it comes off the wall “bum up?” Anyway….can’t wait to see what kind of light fixture you choose. I am currently painting my laundry room doors and cabs and want to update the fixture too. I just need something on the cheap.
Smarts Magazine says
I vote for top up. I have been rocking this same solution for my ironing board for a few years. It’s true, hooks that are both big enough and attractive can be hard to find.
Amy S says
I love the make-over, but am decidedly on Team Sherry for the ironing board.
Mary says
Love how this space is coming together – you guys are so creative & inspiring. Love even more how big supporters you are of Etsy! Never ceases to amaze me all the amazing and practical things you find to incorporate into you home.
Cait @ Hernando House says
I love the hooks you chose to hang the ironing board! I’ll need something like that when we get around to our laundry room.
Jason says
I love it – functional and very nice looking.
When you Bling your Board why hide it? Functional items as Decor are great.
Maybe I’ll try that in my kitchen laundry area, but my board is from my grandmother and it’s old and wooden, she uses one almost as old I’m sure but it’s metal. But anyway I don’t think it has bars.
You guys and all your great ideas…your ribbon chandeliers and pink door knobs and ironing boards are just the best! The bees knees and you love bees!
Jason says
PS – I lost my original comment so when I wrote a new one I forgot one thing – Point up is how it should be hanging..but how is it hanging?
LOL that was funny from yesterday to me too.
Lisa says
Cover the fuse box….with the board pointing down….that is why you chose to hang it there, right!?
Elle says
Pointy side up! The energy feels so much more positive that way. (And I’m not even a weird energy freak!)
Petra says
I’m siding with Sherry on the placement of the board on the wall. John’s version seems like going for a nose dive…
Also, the door knobs sort of remind me of magic ball, working hard before giving a reply.
A. H. says
I’m with Sherry on this one, the ironing board needs to be skinny side up.