Storage

Style Guide: Vintage Laundry Room Decor Ideas

Storage Ideas That Also Decorate a Laundry Room

A lot of the functional things in a laundry room can be doubled as vintage decor pieces. For example, storage containers play a role in the room’s decor. Some containers that work well for a vintage styled room include porcelain enamel metal bowls as seen in picture (2), wire baskets (3), wicker baskets with a vintage patterned fabric or lace lining (4), and glass jars or bottles.

Vintage style fabric can also be used to create a slip cover for the ironing board or to create laundry bags as seen in picture (5). Then there vintage clothing pegs which look amazing (6), as well as a vintage styled hook rack (7).

Furniture and Lighting Ideas

When it comes to furniture pieces like a table, shabby chic wooden furniture with that weathered painted look work best. If you are fitting a sink into the laundry room, a porcelain one will look great – like the one in picture (8). Also in picture 8 you can see a barn light hanging over the sink, a go to style choice (barn lighting) if you are installing light fixtures.

For ideas on how to store your ironing board, have a look at my post here: Wrestling With Your Ironing Board: Ideas on How To Store It and Hide It.

Simple Vintage Decor Ideas

Other vintage laundry room decor ideas to consider include decorative vintage irons (9), vintage signs and clocks, and a metal bucket to use as a trash can. 1/2/3/4/5/6/7/8/9

May 9, 2013 in Laundry Room, Storage

Vintage Kitchen Storage Ideas: From Milk Baskets to Wicker Baskets

Going With Glass

Glass jars and containers are great for storing ingredients, spices and things like pastas, cookies and other snacks. These can be left out on open cabinets creating a nice look in the room – just like the kitchen in picture (1). These glass jars can be left as they are, or if you want to do a little crafting some vintage style printable labels can be made and stuck on them. Like the labels in picture (3). I’ll definitely be designing a few printable labels soon.

Other Simple Ideas

Vintage soda and milk bottles are great for storing items or used as unique drinking mugs. Other vintage kitchen storage ideas include porcelain enamel containers and canisters like the ones in picture (4), wicker baskets (6), TV trays, lunch boxes, copper pots, wooden (apple/wine/fruit) crates (7), and wire baskets like the milk basket in picture (8). The old school metal buckets can be used to store things, as a trash can, or to house plants (9).

Replace Your Plastic Bottles

Here is an idea from Martha Stewart: pour all of your washing liquids into good looking (vintage) glass bottles. Having these bottles out on the countertop or on the sink’s ledge will act as nice decor pieces (10).

Redesigning Your Cabinets

When it comes to cabinets some design ideas include the weathered painted look, pastel colored cabinets, or unpainted wooden ones – depending on the overall vintage style you are going after (colorful, plain white, or rustic). For more pictures and ideas visit our post here that shows a whole bunch of vintage style kitchens. 1/2/3/4/5/6/7/8/9/10

May 8, 2013 in Kitchen, Storage, Vintage Design

The Space Under The Stairs: Ideas and Designs

When it comes to doing up that space under the stairs, some ideas are better suited than others depending on where the staircase is located in your home. Is it in the basement, on the ground floor – is it next to the living room (a dry bar could work) or in the foyer area (better suited for storage and closet ideas?).

Daybed or Reading Area: How about turning this little space into a cozy nook for a daybed or reading area as seen in pictures (1) & (2). Line the walls with shelves or fit a bench with storage under it. If you want to go a step further, and there is an exterior wall, then look to install a window.

A Cozy Getaway: Reading Nook Ideas

Home Office: A common idea for this space is to use it as a home office (3) (4). Fitting a desk can be done easily. The only other thing it needs is some storage options and a desk lamp. Hang up a curtain if you want to close it off when it is not in use.

Bed: If the space you’re looking to makeover is in the basement, one idea is to turn it into a bedroom. Check out picture (5) of the double bed fitted under the basement stairs (14 Different Room Ideas For a Basement).

Playroom: This is a pretty cute idea, turning that tiny space into a nice little private playroom (6).

Kitchen/Dry Bar: If the stairs are close to the living room or kitchen why not convert it into a dry or wet bar (7). It could also be used as a make shift wine cellar with wine racks and a wine refrigerator.

TV Room: If the staircase faces a living area, then built in cabinets can house an entertainment area (8).

Storage: You can either have an open storage area with cubbies, floating shelves or hooks to hang jackets and keys (9) or a closed off storage area using draws (10) and closet doors (or turn it into a walk in closet).

Bathroom: Yup, you can have a bathroom under the stairs – this tiny space can be turned into a toilet if needed. It will be cramped. But the best way to do it is to have the sink by the door in the tallest end of the space, and the toilet at the other end where it slopes. A better layout, if the space is wide enough, is to have the sink and toilet side by side at the tallest end (11).

Some other ideas on what to do with this space under the stairs include turning it into a walkway (12) or how about converting it into a dor or cat house (13). 1/2/3/4/5/6/7/8/9/10/11/12/13

The Small Basement: Ideas and Tips On Making It A Dream Space

February 12, 2013 in Misc, Storage

3 Ideas for Basement Wine Cellar Designs

There are 3 types of wine cellars that can be designed to fit a basement space. The full room wine cellar, the spiral hatch, and a standard storage area.

The Full Wine Cellar Space

(1) This (pictured) is the dream wine cellar. A full room with stone or wooden lined walls covered in rows of wine bottles. It comes equipped with a cooling unit and humidifier to protect the wine. (2) A leather seating area, possibly a wine bar countertop – stocked with wine classes, carages, aerators, and decanters. (3) For a more rustic wine cellar feel use wrought iron light fixtures and doors, stone walls, and hang classical paintings on the wall (Rustic Décor Ideas For a Basement). (4) If you have a large basement space, then a wine cellar can be closed off in its own room and the rest of the basement can be turned into a family room, bar, or entertainment room (14 Different Room Ideas For a Basement). This way it will cost less to run the cooling units and humidifiers.

The Spiral Hatch

(5) Not really a basement wine cellar per se, the spiral hatch can be built during a major remodeling or a new house build. These spiral wine cellars are usually fitted under the kitchen.

Ideas and Designs for Small Basement Spaces

(6) Instead of having an entire room dedicated to a wine cellar, a small area of the basement can be tailored for wine storage. Fit a few wine racks and if you are concerned about the temperature, a wine refrigerator will do the trick. (7) Small wine cellars or storage areas can be fitted under the staircase or in a hallway. 1/2/3/4/5/6/7