Saturday 19 November 2016

Utility room makeover on a budget

Thanks for all the positive feedback on the rooms so far.

We are lucky enough to have a utility room which is in fact as big as many peoples kitchens! I have bought a huge chest freezer to go in there and it also houses an under counter fridge and our washing machine. It's been really handy to have the space to leave tools and pots of paint where they aren't in the way.
The units were perfectly ok, but I felt they were a bit 'modern' looking for the style of the house. The chrome metal bar handles in particularly were out of keeping. The walls were salmon pink.
I began by removing the handles, filling one of the two holes left. I replaced the metal handles with wooden ones recycled from the various second hand furniture I had bought for the white bedroom (waste not, want not). I used a water based eggshell paint on the cupboard fronts including the handles in a cheerful blue. The walls, ceiling and woodwork all got the white treatment. The window was thoroughly cleaned and the silicone replaced. The worktops just stopped with no edging, so I did have to succumb and buy metal finishing plates.
I'd still like to replace the taps - a) they leak slightly and b) they are quite uncomfortable to turn, but that is a job for later.

Before ish...I had already changed the handles

After - a much brighter space. I even painted the basket unit on the left we brought with us from our other house so it matched. I use it to house cat food and dog treats in the top basket, onions and potatoes in the bottom two. 

All in all, the makeover cost about £30 for the paint used and another £15 for the two worktop ends to neaten everything off. I'm also planning on selling the chrome bar handles on eBay. 

27 comments:

  1. Well done, it looks so much better.....and yes it's bigger than my kitchen! (But then I do also have quite a large utility room, built onto the side of the kitchen, which used to house a loo, coal shed and bread oven, long since ripped out before we moved here).

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    1. Our downstairs loo is directly next to the dining room table so you can have a chat with your dinner guests whilst relieving yourself!! It's also VERY pink
      It's going when we build the extension!
      A bread oven would have been a nice feature....

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  2. You are doing such great job, everywhere looks gorgeous.

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    1. Thanks - I'd had a long time to think about what id like it to look like before moving in :)

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  3. Much prefer your colours, great job done.

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  4. Another very impressive makeover, love the colour palette.

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  5. What a great utility room, really like the color of the cupboards.

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    1. Thanks - it's stone blue by Farrow and Ball - cheerful but not overly bright!

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  6. Very lovely makeover indeed! I know what you mean about utility rooms being big. A house we once rented had an enormous one but the kitchen was huge, too. I do really like not having the washer in the kitchen here, and very lucky to have that luxury.

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    1. In my last house I had crammed the washer in the understairs cupboard to avoid having it in the kitchen.
      You have your lovely cellar space now too :)

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  7. Love the colour of your cupboards now, so much better

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    1. I had considered having that colour in the kitchen too but it looks better in the utility

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  8. That looks absolutely Fab-u-lous, dahling! (as Craig would say!) I love the colour you have chosen for the cupboards. Do you know what I might now do? Of course, it mightn't be suitable for your laundry/utility room especially if used by pets, but I'd look out for an inexpensive rug or runner for the centre of the floor, one that would incorporate the red tones of the floor and the blue tones of the cupboards. This would marry the two colours together. Just an idea, but I thought I'd mention it anyway. But I just love that shade of blue!
    Margaret P

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    1. I was thinking about a long rug. The only thing that has put me off is one of my cats is still sometimes reluctant to go outside to pee/poo and it's easier to clean off the tiles, but ultimately I know I'd like to make it a bit cosier underfoot in there. :)

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  9. Great job well done. It's surprising what you can do on a budget if you put your mind and elbow grease into action.

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    1. Yes it certainly doesn't need to cost a fortune and I enjoy decorating anyway which helps :)

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  10. Lovely room, so glad you are settled in and it is all coming together nicely for you.

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  11. That looks so much better .... I really miss having a utility room :-(

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