Budget apartment laundry renovation

[raniia]

This economical laundry makeover created a more attractive and functional space without the expense of moving utilities in a concrete wall.

• The project
• Before and after
• How to plan a laundry renovation
• More laundry project inspiration

The project

My apartment laundry was a decent size but it needed some storage. Naively, I thought "How hard can it be to chuck in a bench and some cabinets?" and quickly realised I had no idea where to begin.

I did a quick mock-up with the Kaboodle planner for inspiration. 

I still had plenty of questions and I received some great advice from MitchellMc and EricL. In the end I decided that the concrete wall in the laundry would make it too difficult to move the washing-machine plumbing and power points.

I shifted gears and instead focused on making the space functional and opted to do some very basic D.I.Y.

First was a fresh coat of paint. The laundry was overwhelmingly beige, so I went with a light, cool grey to brighten the room. 

Then I built a bench out of some Pine panels (sanded and finished with some satin varnish), a couple of brackets, and some levelling feet. It does the job perfectly and provides plenty of space to fold laundry. I also used the off-cut to make a little floating shelf to put a plant on. 

Instead of wall mounted cupboards, I got this little shelf/cupboard unit. 

Finally, I put in new black tapware. 

I didn’t remove the bolts from the old dryer, partly because it was more trouble than it’s worth but also in case we want to put it back if we decide to sell. I was able to hang a poster frame on the bolts. 

I’m super-happy with the results and the whole thing only cost about $800. It could have been even cheaper but I needed some tools. 

Before and after

How to plan a laundry renovation

With research and planning you can turn your laundry into an efficient and even welcoming space. Check out the guide How to plan a laundry renovation by experienced Bunnings Workshop member Adam Woodhams for renovation tips and space-saving ideas.

More laundry project inspiration

Bunnings Workshop member housetohome created lots more storage with this stunning farmhouse laundry renovation.

Bunnings Workshop member Rufaro gave his laundry a fresh new look with this clever budget laundry makeover.

There are also plenty of great ideas in our Top 10 most popular laundry renovation projects.

Let us know if you need a hand with your project – we're here to help.