ORC Spring 2023 - Week 5 | One Room Challenge is at my doorstep (or should I say Laundry Room Door)

May 07, 2023

ORC Spring 2023 - Week 5 | One Room Challenge is at my doorstep (or should I say Laundry Room Door)

Down in the Weeds

Time seems to speed up as you get closer and closer to the One Room Challenge 8-week mark. That's why at the start of any project, one has to know their timeline and necessary steps to achieve all the tasks in their design project if they have a set timeline. Thankfully, the longest time spent in the ordering of the countertop, was deciding with what material to go with and once decided on, what color and texture to use. Having worked with eager suppliers has been very beneficial, plus, relying on a dependable resource has been reassuring too. Next week the Cosentino bath fitters will be at my home working to cut and install the long-awaited countertop for the laundry room and 2 bathrooms along with the sinks and fixtures. The plumber will be on site the next day to install all the bathroom hardware as well! It will be a very busy 2 days!! I will be so happy to finally have this part of the design process finished, so I can move forward with pulling all the spaces together.

Take a look back to Week 1 | Week 2 | Week 4 to get caught up on this project.

This past week, I (and my hubby!) spent some time sanding, then dye staining, the ensuite bathroom vanity cabinet. WHAT a mess...

Out of the Woodworks

I spent some time at 'Woodcraft' in Raleigh to experiment with their vast array of finishes along with learning a thing or two, what products were on the market today. It has been some time since I have actually tackled refinishing wood, so I thought I would familiarize myself. My mother was a "Lady of the House" refinisher and wood stripper and I fondly remember the numerous projects she undertook with me as consult and aide. But, back in the day, she didn't use the sander, so a lot of toxic chemicals were used. I always worried over the long-term effects on health. Now, scouring for eco-friendly products is a main consideration here. I have chosen some non-toxic water-based products to use so we will just have to wait and see how their application and durability perform. My intention is to remove the horrid 90's cherry stain and go with a more espresso color that might create a more contemporary Zen atmosphere. But since the whole vanity will have to be sanded down, I might just land on another color depending on the stripping process. I always like to leave some room for a "margin of change"...if you know what I mean!

Here is a sample board I experimented with this week:

After lightly sanding and staining with water acrylic, I finally (after 2 decades) decided to finish the bench I bought for my daughter's room when she was a baby. Alright...I am known for holding onto things a very long time! But it will finally have a new home in its rightful place adorned with pillows and all. Just you wait--

This will also be in team with the Hickory cabinetry I purchased for the room along with this gorgeous horse canvas! We actually built our ranch style house in horse country among the farms so I think this will pay homage to that, even though some of the horse farms are diminishing in the area, I wanted to pay homage to a simpler place and time-

As you can see, I also have fine-tuned the space, where his/hers laundry hampers fit snugly into their space. This was the one purchase where corners couldn't be cut, so these wonderfully constructed models were purchased from the 'Container Store' and will last the test of time! Now you can get the picture where the counter top will be placed while all the neighboring elements await.

Peace of Mind...

Another difficult or should I say challenging hurdle I had to overcome was wrestling with the laundry and dryer hookups. While the original rough-in was designed for side-by-side washer/dryer units (which left the space cramped and inefficient) the current 'LG Tower' would need to be fitted for the new dryer vent. After consulting a Professional 'Vent Wizard', it was not cost effective to relocate the vent to a new location, but we were able to update with the new 'Dryer Flex' vent. It is supposed to perform better than the old foil duct and semi-rigid types. A smooth interior free from crush points lets the dryer perform at maximum efficiency, shortening dryer time. A more earth-friendly product, that will save money on power bills, and it can help extend clothes and dryer life.