The Laundry Room That Went to the Dogs

A bright sunny laundry room was always at the top of my list when we were looking for the home where we would raise our kids. I wanted a place where I could daydream away as I folded our clothes. Of course, that’s not the way it happened! Instead, my laundry room has no window to let the sunshine in. So all the pretty plants I’d imagined were out of the question as well. And the laundry room itself has gone to the dogs. Literally! Let me explain…

First off, it’s important to say I love our house! We certainly didn’t get everything on our list but it’s home. We traded several things for the location that we felt was best for the kids. I don’t regret that but just like everyone else, there are several things I would change if I could. Since the laundry room opens into the garage, a window would never be a possibility. I accepted that and decided I could still make it cute. I would paint the walls, add some bright colored birdhouses, and it would be as cute as can be! Of course that’s not what happened either!

The Dogs

Our family has been blessed with many wonderful fur babies through the years. They were all very special and all very loved. But I think if you asked any one of us about our pets, the first one we would tell you about would always be Dusty. He was a rescue who lived to be almost 21 years old. He raised our kids right along side us. I can’t tell you how many tears his fur soaked up over the years! How many nightmares he destroyed by crawling into bed! How much laughter he brought by his antics. He broke the sweetness meter and he shattered all our hearts when he crossed the rainbow bridge. He truly was one in million!

When the kids entered high school and I became a working mom, Dusty was alone too much. He had the cats for company but we decided he needed a new friend. We brought home Cooper, our little dachshund, and they quickly became best friends. Dusty was his teacher, his protector, and they were inseparable from day one.

Cooper was 6 years old when Dusty died and his grief was overwhelming.  He stopped playing,  he stopped eating, and he cried every time we left the house.   As much as we wanted our own time to grieve, we knew we needed to bring another pup into our home.  Dusty of course was irreplaceable but Cooper badly needed a four-legged friend.  In honor of Dusty, we decided to find another shelter pup. 

Enter Teddy

Teddy was a rescue from a hoarding situation out of state.  When they found him, he was in a cage too small for him let alone the four others crowded in with him.  There was no room to lay down and they had no idea how long he had been there.  They rescued 120 dogs that day and after nursing as many as they could back to health, they held a massive adoption event.   We were determined to find a friend for Cooper there so we brought him with us.  We wanted to make sure they would get along.

Long story short, Cooper chose Teddy.  We were not so sure.  He was literally petrified of us all. After hours of lines and paperwork though, we brought him home.  He ran up the stairs and under the bed.   We coaxed him out to eat and go outside but everything was a new terror for him.  Teddy has been with us now for almost 5 years. He’s a sweetheart although a visit from anyone new sends him back under the bed for awhile. But he is a treasured member of our family.

A Safe Place

When Teddy first arrived, we were faced with the problem of where to leave the dogs when we were at work. While Cooper would have happily scampered into a crate, I knew there was just no way I could put Teddy into anything resembling a cage. So we added a bed and some blankets to the laundry room. We needed somewhere that the dogs could be safe and we wouldn’t have to worry about accidents in the house.

So each day when we left, we would tell them it was time to get in their basket.  Early on it was a coaxing with treats but eventually it was just how we all rolled. Today when we are leaving the house, they simply run to their basket and stay there until we come home again.

The Laundry Room Makeover

When it came time to finally update the laundry room, I no longer cared about my bird house theme. I didn’t care about the lack of a window. All I really cared about was making sure the dogs were safe and comfortable.

With that being said, there are only two ways to access my lower level. One is through the doors outside and the other is through the laundry room. When the weather is nice, we will use the outside doors since we are usually out there anyways. But this time of year, the chosen path is through the laundry room. Since I’m sure the time when will be entertaining guests again is in sight, I needed to at least make this room presentable.

In keeping with the rest of the house, I chose a light gray paint for the walls. Sherwin Williams Reflection worked perfectly!

I chose a darker gray for a refresh on the cabinet under the sink. The Rust-oleum Cabinet Transformation Kit accomplished the look we wanted.

Next, we added a row of cabinets to make sure anything toxic was out of reach for the dogs. A few faux plants above brightens things up a bit as well.

Even though we have referred to this room as the “dog room” since Teddy’s arrival, I did add a few laundry room signs because… well… signs! Love ’em!

Finally, I added a few pictures of the very reasons I have a laundry room that went to the dogs to begin with!

The Dog’s Room

When all is said and done, the laundry room really doesn’t matter much anymore. The dog room, however, where the puppies are safe and content, is exactly what it should be.

I’ve always felt that my dogs are the best judge of character in the house. If they don’t like a visitor, I’m pretty sure I won’t either. My husband always tells people that if for some reason the dogs turn on him, I would kick him out the door in a heartbeat!

I don’t really foresee that being a problem!

Please be sure to check out my latest post Spring Cleaning 2021 and print your free checklist and spring printable. If you are a dog lover, I’ve also added the printable seen above my cabinets to the inspirational section in the Library as well.

As a member, click here to visit the library, enter your password, and print your copy! Haven’t joined us yet? I sincerely hope you do! Your email in the form below will have your member’s password in your inbox in seconds! I’ll keep you up to date with all the latest trends in home decor. See you soon!