Monday, January 11, 2010

Country Cabinet



Our basement laundry room moonlights as extra storage for odds and ends.



Before the contractors showed up for the second half of the house renovation (when porch, dormer and dining room were added), I came upon the above cabinet on one of my excursions into the city. I mention this because despite being in construction mode, I couldn't maintain the will power to abstain from decorating-mode.

I thought the old country cabinet would be perfect for the laundry room as it would add some nice old-fashioned character as well as provide some extra storage for my collections of transfer ware, flower vases and all our extra Martha Stewart white ware pieces (our everyday dishes).



I like having something that is enclosed so that dust is kept to a minimum and there are no critters lurking about when I need to retrieve something...this includes the ocassional field mouse, lizard, frog, salamander or eek, spiders...all of which have been sighted at one time or another. But really, it's the spiders, as I am one of those people who abhor spiders, yet can't bare to hurt them.



The cabinet also provides extra drawer space for items I don't use frequently.



At some point, we'll completely enclose the laundry room from the rest of the basement and perhaps add some heat so that doing laundry this time of year doesn't require wearing a hat or gloves. We also need to fix some parts of the old drop ceiling as it was disturbed when the electricians and the plumbers swept through with their updates.

To give the laundry room a more comfortable cozy look, I got a nice chunky jute rug for the floor. It was also a really cheap option I found at Home Goods - only $30. For its size, I thought it was a lot more charming than the synthetic rugs you get at Home Depot or Lowe's.

xoTrina

36 comments :

  1. so beautiful! Love the score on the jute rug - wow!!

    Happy Monday ~

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  2. What a pretty laundry room! LOVE the cabinet and little chair and painting too. Storage never looked so good! xo.

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  3. Simply gorgeous! That cabinet is just out of this world! Anyone that knows an old farmhouse, knows their basements are not the best place in the house to be...but you have really made this an inviting space. You truly have a gift! ;o) ~mary~

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  4. I love it! Perfect for an old country farmhouse. And keeping the spiders out.
    Brenda

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  5. Oh such a pretty cabinet/dresser, your basement reminds me of our old house only it wasn't as bright :)

    Thanks for sharing

    All things nice...

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  6. I just love your entire home and you have such a great sense of style! Your stepback cupboard is gorgeous and I love the jute rug...what a great price for such a pretty rug!

    Kat :)

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  7. It's a wonderful piece - it really suits the space. It's hard to imagine such a cozy looking room is actually freezing!

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  8. Ok, I think that cabinet is far too fabulous to be hidden away in your basement, and so too is all of your lovely pieces inside.

    Chania

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  9. What a charming and functional addition to your laundry room. Gorgeous! All the best, Lori

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  10. Somehow I knew your basement would be just as great as the upstairs! :) I love how you even have art down there ~ simply lovely.
    sarah
    meandmyyellowhouse.blogspot.com ~ the new blog's been fun so far!

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  11. What a lovely storage piece! It's such a perfect fit!

    : )

    Julie M.

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  12. Love the cabinet. What a wonderful find for storage. I have to admit though I would have it proudly displayed in my dining room.

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  13. This is so fun to see your "dirty laundry" (so to speak!!) Great cupboard! Yes, I remember doing the laundry in the unheated basement in Portland... burrrrr!

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  14. We toured an amazing big old house (complete with sleeping porches and a fireplace in the master) yesterday that was for sale and I kept thinking about your blog the whole time I was walking through. It needed a lot of work but the bones were there and I fell in love. The best part was that no one had done a thing to it...no bad 70's kitchen or other questionable remodels. But, the systems have all been updated...a restorers dream!It had a big old unfinished basement with laundry like yours and your idea is such a great one....of course, the one thing I kept thinking was....would it be filled with spiders in the summer/fall...I am extremely arachnopic...but for me they MUST be killed.

    Anyway, sadly, we aren't really in the market for a new house but I wish we were because I can't stop thinking about it. Serious love.

    Love your blog. I live in Seattle and I am trying to figure out where you are...Oregon? Guess based on your mountain hikes.

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  15. The cabinet is smashing...but I'm still scratching my head over that $30 rug! A perfect combination.

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  16. I so love that cupboard, and it fits nicely for the purpose you want it for!

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  17. Hi Dear Trina,

    Loving your laundry room. It is so clean and spacious yet comfortable. Love the cabinet too. What a great place to store the extras. You have again managed to turn the ordinary into something really special.

    ~janet

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  18. Even without enclosing it with the rest of the basement it is a very pretty room. Great extra storage, and great display.

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  19. A great cabinet for the laundry room -- our laundry is in the basement as well -- but I think of it as basement and laundry and don't worry about decorating! The basement is a great place, however, for storage -- mine is not as pretty as yours! BTW, love the rug

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  20. hello :)

    What a pretty laundry room, Love the cabinet -it's so gorgeous!

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  21. That's a beautiful cabinet. Last Christmas my husband made me one and I love it. It fits SO many of my dishes and milk glass collection; however, it doesn't have doors. That may make a nice addition since I often need to wash the dust off of everything.

    Your laundry room is coming along nicely. I don't think I've commented before, but I adore your kitchen. Mine is under construction at the moment and our plan is to build our own butcher block countertops. I've already got my shelves started. Can't wait until the project is done. :-) Your home is an inspiration for me. Thank you for sharing it with us.

    -FringeGirl

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  22. You never cease to amaze me! Now you've made a BASEMENT look charming! I love it & I really enjoy your blog! =)

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  23. Awesome idea to use something nice in the laundry room. It looks great.

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  24. *LOVE* Ahhh...I just love everything you do. I wanted to know I featured you on my blog today. Thank you for being a great source of inspiration to me!

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  25. Already it appears you have a laundry room people end up in during a party.

    Don't decorate it toooooooo perfect.

    I love it just as it is. Excepting the cold!

    Garden & Be Well, XO Tara

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  26. Love it! You truly are inspirational~
    xx

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  27. Wow, that cupboard would be dining room worthy in my house. If only I had a dining room...

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  28. What a happy place to do laundry! I'm all about making every room of the house...every ordinary ones like closets & laundry rooms....works of art. You've really captured that in this one. And the cabinet-A-Maz-Ing! You have a great sense of style...thanks for the inspiration!

    P.S....I'm totally with you on the closed cabinets to keep critters away...except here in Texas it's not spiders so much as roaches...YUCK! I hate them!

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  29. Looks gorgeous Trina - you have a great eye for finds. I need a night table for a bedroom - wish you lived closer and I would get you to come hunting with me on the weekends haha. We could have a grand old time! xo Terri

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  30. Oh it looks so peacseful & pretty!! Your cabinet is awesome!!!

    I think we're connected somehow because I have a similar-looking cabinet in my laundry room (haha, but i like yours better!) and a jute rug exactly like yours and finally, we also FREEEEEEZE when doing our laundry!! :)

    xoxo,
    lauren

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  31. I absolutely adore that cabinet! So glad you picked it up...it really is beautiful.

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  32. This cabinet + your kitchen = LOVE! I'm your newest follower.

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  33. I just discovered your website and when I saw your laundry area I had to write as it is so amazingly similar to mine. We live too live in a renovated farm house (C. 1920). Love your taste and your site. Congrats on your pregnancy!

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  34. I would LOVE to know where your country cabinet in the basement came from; is it antique or manufactured somewhere currently?

    Thanks very much!
    Kate

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  35. Anon,

    Got it at an antique store in Portland, Oregon!

    Trina

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Thank you for leaving your thoughts. Kind regards, Catherine

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