Challenging Laundry Space Makeover

Have you ever had a project where you couldn’t find anyone to take the job?

We recently had a client come to us wanting to add work space for laundry and upper cabinets for storage to her basement laundry space. Other contractors had been out to her home to look at the space and but no one wanted to do the job due to the complexity of the project. The challenge was due to a maze of plumbing and water valves that made the space unusable and the room an eyesore.

 Needless to say, we took the job and set about designing an organization solution. Our client’s wish list included a flat workspace to fold clothes on, upper cabinet storage and a built-in fold-out ironing board. In addition to addressing our client’s wish list, our design needed to work around the unmovable pipes while masking them as much as possible. However, we also had to ensure that there was still access to the water meter and shut off valves.

With the washer and dryer located to the right of the pipes, we designed a solution to run along the wall of pipes using lower cabinets to hide the piping and valves while still allowing access. We custom notched the counter tops to accommodate the pipes coming up from the lower cabinets,  delivering the work space our client desired without compromising the piping. A built-in fold-out ironing board was mounted on the left wall and the lower cabinets wrapped around the right wall abutting the washer and drawer. Installation was understandably tricky and we worked carefully to insure the piping was not compromised.

Our client was thrilled with the results. Not only did she gain the functionality she desired, the room was transformed from an unfinished, dreary space into a polished, organized room with the laundry cabinets and storage she had always wanted. The installed cabinetry, paired with new flooring and a fresh coat of paint, dramatically changed the feel of the room. Our client told us that she couldn’t believe it was the same room! To refer to a quote from the playwright Moliere – “The greater the obstacle, the more glory in overcoming it.”. Perhaps glory is a bit grandiose but we are pretty proud of our work and it feels great making our clients happy.