We all have areas in our home that we’d rather not spend time in… but with a little paint you can make the most of the mundane. Whether it’s a boring laundry room, or a narrow hallway, murals can liven things up without taking up any space.
One of my favorite rooms in my home is actually my laundry room. Not many people can say that. And, I don’t even have one of those new, beautiful, high-efficiency washer and dryer sets. I have the plain, old fashioned kind that are getting up in years. The room itself, is not that impressive either. Just take a look at this Before picture:
To be completely honest, I didn’t put a lot of thought into how I was going to paint it. In fact, the reason it’s that teal blue color is because I had leftover paint from another room I’d done. I figured since my laundry room was small, I’d have enough paint to cover the walls. But as soon as I started painting and realized how tall my ceilings were, I knew I’d better roll it on thin. I rolled on such a light layer of paint that it ended up creating a different effect. It was light and airy, and kind of looked like the sky. That’s when I decided to throw in some clouds to make it feel like I was outside. The clothesline came next because, IT IS a laundry room, and clothes drying out in the open air seemed a perfect fit. I can’t tell you how many times a mistake (such as a misjudging how much paint I needed) has lead me to something better! It, seriously, happens all the time. So embrace those mistakes! Because of mine, I now have something fun to look at every time I do a load of laundry. Talk about making the most of the mundane! I’m even reminded that I need to “soak, wash, & rinse” before I “dry, fluff, & fold”… just in case I forget! Trust me, it could happen. I forgot my kid at church once! Talk about embarrassing! But that’s another story…
After painting my laundry room, I ended up painting another one for my sister-in-law. She likes bird houses, and at the time, had a 14-year old cat named Katie who took ownership of the laundry room because her litter box was in there. The cartoon style made it fun, which really fits my sister-in-law’s personality. I love people who don’t take themselves too seriously, and I especially love when that can be reflected in the home.
This next photo is an example of how murals are perfect for tight spaces. This was a dark and narrow hallway, in an otherwise gorgeous home. Every room was masterfully decorated. The homeowner was SERIOUSLY creative, but there was no space for her to put so much as a accent table in this hall. So, she asked me paint a mural of a gate and wanted me to incorporate an iron piece she had found an make it look as if it was mounted on the gate. Unfortunately, it was such a tight space, I couldn’t get my camera far back enough to get a full picture, but this gives you an idea. I think I was standing inside a closet to take it.
In another tight space, a small entry way, there was an angled wall with just enough room for an accent table and mirror, but it still felt like it was missing something. So, I mixed some black and bronze paint into a clear glaze, and I painted just a little accent scroll above the mirror.
For me, it’s those little embellishments, that make a huge difference. They not only make the most of the mundane, they can turn a standard house into a home with personality and flair.