Out With the Laundry Room - In With the Pantry

 Since my kids are on spring break this week, I thought I would show you some of our home's "befores and afters."  It might be easier than trying to get projects done (although you never know, less running around, right?). When we originally purchased our house we walked from the garage (door to the garage is to the right), through the laundry room.  The door the photo is shot through is from our little desk area at the side of the the kitchen and family room.  I've never liked the idea of walking into the house through a laundry room.  Now, I know several of you have decorated laundry rooms that would (almost) be a joy to spend time in, but mine is never like that.  Plus, our kitchen did not have a pantry, that's just not right...

"Brilliant" idea No. 1.  Remove the laundry room from this spot and replace it with a pantry.  The old cabinets and sink were removed and replaced with shelving.  I had the handyman put in this section of cabinets with a laminate counter.  I made this choice because I was using my bread maker constantly and didn't want it on the kitchen counter. 

Next, a wall was added with a vented sliding door (we chose vented for air circulation and sliding to keep it out of the traffic flow).  Now the closed in section does not include the door coming in from the garage. 

Pantry items are moved in.  This is when it was first installed, and no matter how many times I have Artsy Chick straighten it out, it never looks very neat. 

This is a gratuitous photo - come on, ladies, I NEVER see a man with a mop in his hands, so I HAD to take this picture!  {laugh out loud with this one!}  I don't know if you can see it, but over the handyman's shoulder is a sticky note that reads "Do Not Texture This Wall".

'Cause I had to get it there with chalkboard paint - PERFECT for a pantry wall, no?

(Currently.  Keepin' it a little too [cringe] real!)

Now, this is the wall we walk past when we come into the garage door, right.  Much better!  Lots of storage, plus no seeing piles of laundry when coming in.

Final note:  At the far right of this photo (the dark-ish line) is where the old door and door frame were, those were taken out at the same time.  Edited to add:  My later post solves the mystery of where the laundry room went.


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