The Washer And Dryer Are In!! (Walk-In Closet Progress)
Y’all, yesterday felt like Christmas Day to me! I was seriously as anxious and excited as a kid waiting to unwrap gifts on Christmas morning. It was a long day, but at the end of the day, the washer and dryer were in place, hooked up, and I had those puppies running non-stop until I went to bed. 😀
My friends were schedule to come over between 5:00 and 5:30pm, so in the meantime, my mom and I had to get a bunch of stuff moved out of the way to make a clear path between the sunroom and the closet so that the washer and dryer could be easily moved through without all of the obstacles that had been piled up over these last couple of months from all of my projects in this closet. I also had to finish trimming out and painting the inside of the washer and dryer cabinets.
I had already painted them, for the most part, but I still wanted to install baseboards. I know they won’t show at all, but for my own peace of mind, I needed baseboards in place. So I got those installed and then painted them the same dark blue as the inside of the cabinet.
I didn’t even think to get a picture of them once they were all painted. I was too focused on making sure everything was ready before they got here because I didn’t want them to have to wait around for me while I rushed around finishing stuff and moving stuff. But I also had to get the outlet covers, the cover for the dryer vent, and the covers for the hookup areas back on. And then we had to clean up a lot of the stuff in the closet, sweep and vacuum the floors, and get the island moved over to the side to clear the path.
I know several of you have been concerned about there not being enough room for the washer and dryer to get through, but there was plenty of room. With the island moved over, there’s about six feet of space there.
I put my shop vac there and had Cooper lie down so y’all could get an idea of the space. Cooper is a pretty big dog. He weighs about 100 pounds. So you can see that there’s plenty of room there if I ever need to get the washer and dryer out or have them worked on.
And even though I had checked the dimensions of the washer and dryer about a hundred times on the website, measured the dimensions myself on my actual washer and dryer, and checked the dimensions of the cabinets I built, I have to admit that I was sweating bullets when they were bringing those appliances in. The closer they wheeled the washer and dryer to the cabinets, the less confidence I had that I had gotten the measurements right. 😀
But they fit perfectly! There’s about an inch of space to spare, which is what I had planned. These appliances require zero clearances on the sides and top, which is another thing I checked about a hundred times just to make sure. And I had left the top trim off of the cabinets until after they were installed just to make sure they would fit.
I don’t think I’ve ever been so excited about a plan coming together in my life. 😀 Just an FYI, that light area on the washer is just sticky stuff from a label that was there. I need to get some Goo Gone or something like that to get that residue off of there.
So here’s a look at the final configuration with the washer and dryer in place.
And I was also anxious to see if my measurements with the doors had come out right. I wanted them to open all the way with just a tiny bit of space to spare between them and the window sill, and even though I had measured that also about a hundred times, I was so relieved to see that it worked out just as I had planned.
I did install the top trim almost immediately after my friends left, and I had hoped to get the countertops in place as well, but I was a bit sidetracked with…well…laundry. 😀
I will be doing laundry all weekend to get caught up. I haven’t had a working dryer since the middle of December, so as you can imagine, I have piles of not only clothes, but sheets, blankets, towels, and other things that are kind of difficult to find space to air dry when you don’t have an outdoor clothesline.
But oh my gosh, I was so excited that I walked into the closet about fifty times throughout the evening just to look at the washer and dryer, finally in their proper place. And just look how great the blue looks with the wallpaper! This is exactly why I chose this specific wallpaper. I wanted the blue washer and dryer to kind of blend into the dark blue background of the wallpaper.
I also got the island moved back into place because I wanted to see how the final arrangement looked from the doorway of the closet.
They really do kind of blend in with the wallpaper, which is exactly what I had hoped. I didn’t want the washer and dryer being the things in the room that demanded attention.
And I was also very pleased with the amount of room there is in this laundry area. I think photos make it look smaller than it really is. When you’re in the room, there’s a lot of space back here! And it’s going to be so convenient to have that big island right there so I can take laundry out of the dryer and put it directly onto the island to fold and put away.
I was telling my mom that some people had commented that it might be inconvenient having the washer and dryer in this configuration rather than side-by-side because of the distance between them. She said, “Oh, no! This will be great!” And then she proceeded to demonstrate how I can get some lunge exercises in while taking laundry out of the washer and putting it into the dryer. 😀 I should have videoed that. Y’all would have gotten a kick out of it. But they’re really not far apart at all. In fact, I don’t have to take any more steps between them in this configuration than I did when they were side-by-side. So it’s actually a very convenient arrangement.
And here’s a reminder what my old “laundry room” looked like. It was a corner of the “sunroom” — the room that I hope to tear down in the very near future…
So this feel like a massive upgrade. I’ve been waiting so long for this!!!
Anyway, this is where I’ll be spending my weekend! I’ll be working on the island and washer/dryer countertops, and getting caught up on laundry. I don’t think I’ve ever been so excited about doing laundry in my entire life. 😀 And a huge shoutout to my friends and their two teenage boys for doing this for me! I’m so blessed beyond measure to have friends who are always willing to help when I need it.
More About My Walk-In Closet/Laundry Room
see all walk-in
closet diy projects
read all walk-in
closet blog posts
Addicted 2 Decorating is where I share my DIY and decorating journey as I remodel and decorate the 1948 fixer upper that my husband, Matt, and I bought in 2013. Matt has M.S. and is unable to do physical work, so I do the majority of the work on the house by myself. You can learn more about me here.
This looks great! Congrats
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Perfecto! It looks great!!! Happy washing and drying! 🙂
I love that configuration for the space! Looks fantastic and functional😁. So glad friends could help out💛
WD40 will also remove sticker residue. You probably have it handy.
Plain ole vinegar will work too.
Yep. That’s what I was going to suggest too – WD-40. There’s a Texas saying, “If it sticks and you don’t want it to, WD-40. If it doesn’t stick and you want it to, Duct Tape”.
WD-40 will work, but you have to be careful with it. It will stain some surfaces and materials, so it’s not always the best thing to use. Any oil (vegetable oil, olive oil, coconut oil, etc.) will work if left on sticky residue long enough and then wiped off. Or mayonnaise, or peanut butter. Anything glue won’t stick to.
Hi Krisit: The closest is coming along great and the washer/dryer really blend in well! I have one question though – Since you are working on the countertops (and not sure if this has been answered already), if you have issues with your washer or dryer, are you able to pull it out without pulling out and damaging connections. If not, can you make an opening (kind of like a lift off lid) in the back of each countertop so that you can turn the water off, etc.?
They can both be pulled out without affecting the connections. All of the hoses are quite long (about six feet) and the cabinets are about 34″ deep. I’m going to get slider feet for the washer since it’s much heavier and harder to move, but the dryer is much lighter and pulls out pretty easily.
Awesome. I should have known that you had already thought of this.
Do you have a drain pan under your washer?
Excellent! Simply excellent! Please give us an update on how your dryer vent works…I’m excited to hear about that.
That dryer vent is working GREAT! And it makes my front porch smell good. 😀
I had been thinking the washer and dryer would look great with the navy background of the wallpaper. I never thought I’d think of a washer and dryer looking attractive but your set looks very smart!
This is coming together beautifully!! 😍
OH, that all looks wonderful! I think having them across from each other is even more convenient!!! It is finishing up beautifully, and I sure I’m not alone when I say, I WISH I had this closet…this set up. It is the best set up I’ve ever seen. So convenient and smart. Keep on plugging…the finish line is out there!
Oh my gosh that is just stupendous. Love mom’s exercise idea. Not that you don’t get plenty with your projects.
Outstanding girlie – so happy for you!
Wow! This is phenomenal! I’m so excited for you!! You did a great job and I love it! I can only imagine your joy doing laundry in such a beautiful space that you hoped for and worked on for so long. Congratulations on a dream realised!
It is soooo beautiful! You’ve added so much value to your home with all your amazing plans and hard work. Thank you for taking us on this awesome journey with you! And kisses to Cooper too!
Ditto!
We have all been anxiously waiting to see the washer and dryer installed. Everything fits perfectly and looks so pretty. It won’t be long now before you start bringing your clothes in
Great friends to help you get this done. Enjoy your weekend with Matt and your laundry.
I can feel your excitement to do laundry! So glad you finally have them ready to go! Big thanks to your awesome friends! ( and try a bit of salad oil on a cloth to get the sticker residue off the washer. It works for me 90% of the time, before I go to smelly Goo gone!) I see you staying up until the wee hours doing laundry and smiling. They look great and fit is perfect also.
It looks so amazing. I am so happy for you to finally have your laundry area finished, and now working hard. I love how they look so great, but you have to look to see them. Really clever. Give Super Cooper a big cuddle, he loves his mommy very much.
Cheers to you and Matt!
Before you even said it I was thinking, wow, those appliance really blend in well with the wallpaper. Nice job!!!
Your dream comes true!! This is perfect. Beautiful and functional. Congrats! Now go fold laundry.
I absolutely love your closet and everything in it. If you have enough wallpaper, I would consider wallpapering the sides of the w/d cabinets because the wallpaper might make them recede even more into the background. However, I’m looking at a picture and you’re actually looking at the area in person which always makes a huge difference.
Congratulations, Kristi, your hard work and careful measuring has paid off! What will Cooper do for a looksee once you get the privacy film on the window?
He generally looks out the windows in the living room or bedroom. 😀 He’s only in the closet when I’m in there. But when he thinks there’s actually something to see and bark at, he heads to the living room.
That looks great and I love the colors and wallpaper you chose. I wish my laundry room was on the main floor, hoping that one day they may be as I have plans for a new bathroom and turning our bath we have now into a powder room/laundry. I’m almost 60 and the last thing I want to do is carry large laundry baskets full of clothes and such down 18 steps and back up again till the day I d!e. Enjoy your weekend, hopefully no trolls bother you again!
When I read your comment, I thought of my sister who is 91 and just bought her first clothes dryer. She was tired of lugging a wet laundry basket of clothes up from the cellar and out to the clothesline.
Kristi’s closet and laundry area are perfect and the colors are beautiful.
It is amazing what Kristi accomplishes and she manages to take pictures and blog at the same time. Happy weekend everyone!
Falling down stairs is my number one worry in this house as my husband and I get older. I could not imagine carrying a basket full of wet laundry up stairs at 91 to hang. I bet she is happiest in the winter and not having to hang wash outside to dry.
I love how it has come together!!!! So excited for you to enjoy your closet/laundry room combo.
Gorgeous! And thank-you for the fur baby tax! Just wanna reach into the screen and scratch Cooper’s back and tail!
Yay for a dryer again! I know what you mean about doing all the laundry! I had to have my mainline sewer replaced and my pipes inside blasted due to a clog. I didn’t have a kitchen sink or washer for 3 weeks! Yay to both of us for fully functional laundry areas! (My washer is my kitchen and my dryer is in my sunroom. Talk about a few steps!
Completely awesome, Kristi! What a gorgeous laundry area! It is perfect.
When I saw you post for the day, I said,”Woohoo! She got her washer and dryer in!” My husband looked at me like I was nuts. It looks amazing and I am so very happy for you! Enjoy your weekend! You have more than earned it!
Hooray!! I felt the same way when we got our washer and dryer done. 🙂 we moved into a house without a working washer/dryer in July. I made a laundry room out of a guest bathroom but didn’t get it finished with a working washer/dryer until next April. Yep … Almost a full year of schlepping it to the laundromat!! Boy does it feel like a privilege to do laundry in the comfort of my own home now! Enjoy the nice, fluffy clothes and the laundry scents 🧺
So exciting!!!!I know what you mean about even tho it’s not visible, if not painted, you know it’s there😝 I’m the same.
I saw a tip not long ago: when nailing put a piece a tape, then fill, little to no sanding needed. i hate sanding all those fill spots on trim!
Congrats on planning everything so well! The washer and dryer look SO custom! Mine are spaced across from each other, and it’s never a problem. Enjoy!
Kristi I’m so happy for you that you have such a beautiful space to do laundry after all this time! The appliances really do blend in to the wallpaper perfectly. I actually thought the first picture was a “before” until I zoomed in and saw them installed. Great work on the layout, the build, selection of wallpaper and colors–all of it. Excellent job!! On a side note, your mom is so precious! I just love the relationship y’all have 💖 Love and blessings to “all y’all” from NC ☺️
I am SO happy for you Kristi! Everything you do is amazing! I hope you are so proud of yourself!! Hugs
The look amazing!! FYI – Peanut butter works as good as Goo Gone! Spread a little on the sticky reside…..leave it for a bit….then wash it away!
When I bought my house in 1991, I felt the same way about my (grungy) basement laundry as well as garage for my car. I remember thinking “ my pokey little car has a better house than a lot of people”. So no more killing time at the laundromat because let’s face it laundry is one of those th8ngs you do while you’re doing something else!
It looks so good.🥳😍
I am so happy for you to see all of your measuring, questioning yourself and remeasuring for good measure…to all come together!!! WOW! I am feeling all those feelings for you! Just so happy for you and Matt as you continue to make your home “YOUR HOME! It spurs me on to tackle my shack in the woods…, I am not sure if I thank you for that??!
It’s absolutely mahvalous, dahling!
Looks awesome! Happy for you!!!
Oh Kristi, I’m just giddy for you! I know you’re so happy, you could probably do a little dance with “lunges” 😁. It is so beautiful, I’m so jealous now! Happy happy day girly! 😂
Congrats! You earned this! Looks great.
Rubbing alcohol will remove sticker residue. I worked at B. Dalton Booksellers a hundred years ago, and this was our trick to remove sticker glue from dust jackets.
I am thrilled for you! And the color scheme you have put together is so beautiful. Wise decisions—all.
Merry Christmas!
Love how the floor turned out!
Just PERFECT! Love your whole closet design, complete every detail so well thought out with your design rationale! It all works beautifully! A joy to live in it I’m sure!
Yay!!! I’m always amazed by your creative ideas and your incredible work ethic, and that’s so wonderful that you’re able to start enjoying the fruits of your labor, even while it’s still in progress.
Well and truly done! It is beautiful!
You nailed it!!
I can’t believe what a difference it makes with the washer and dryer installed. It looks so good!! Wish I had my w/d on the first floor instead of the basement. Enjoy.
Stunning and very exciting to see it all come together. Had you considered painting the encasements for the washer and dryer a navy? I only mention it because you stated you didn’t want them to stand out, and they don’t, but would stand out even less if they were navy. I think it all looks great though. I wish I had the same setup.
This is so funny. Guess what I just finished doing! Painting one of the cabinets dark blue. 😀 I only got one coat of paint on one countertop so far and realized that the color I bought is way too light. I need to add black to it, but I didn’t have the energy for that this evening. I’ll finish it up tomorrow.
Yeah for you! Looks amazing!
Sooooo over the Moon delighted and abundantly HAPPY for you Kristi… your tenacity is to be admired…you make my heart broadly smile..👏🏻🥳🥰
Absolutely STUNNING!