Gray Walls and Some Updates!

This project and these pictures are from months ago, but better late than never right? : )

 The back entry/laundry room/power room was high on my list to refresh once we moved in.  Not that we spend all the much time in those rooms, but the space was small so I figured it would be an easy and cheap makeover. 

Here are some before shots.  Nothing wrong with the space, but the ENTIRE house had yellow walls and it was time for a few of them to go!

I knew before we moved in that I wanted to do a yellow and gray scheme (Gray Walls, Yellow Accents), based around these fabulous yellow Target towels.   I had been eying them up for quite some time, and my awesome coworker surprised me with them for Christmas! Yay!

Step 1 – Inspiration Towels – CHECK!

Next up paint… I went to both Home Depot and Sherwin Williams and pretty much got every gray paint color swatch imaginable....I admit, it was a little ridiculous!

Then I spend a few days narrowing it down, narrowing it down, narrowing it down...Some were too taupe, some were too green, many were too blue, and many were too dark. I wanted a true gray.

Having my yellow sign helped, since I could tell what gray would play nicely against it, but I was still having trouble. My dad had come the day before painting so we could figure out what we needed and my mom came with him, which was awesome since she helped me pick the final color. She suggested going outside to see them in better lighting, and she also suggested grabbing my pillows from the front room to use since they had the true gray I was looking for.

With these suggestions, I finally got it narrowed down to 3......

Then I got it down to 1! Yay! Finally a color chosen! "Wood Smoke" by Glidden available at the Home Depot.

Step 2 – Pick Paint – CHECK!

Then my dad came over again and we got painting!!!! Goodbye yellow, Hello gray (and hello lovely contrast between gray wall and white trim!) Thanks Dad! You are the best!

It was pretty tight quarters for painting, especially in our teeny tiny power room but we got it done.

Step 3 – Make the paint a reality – CHECK!

Now that the painting was done, it was time for some decorating.  Yay!  I got yellow coat hooks from Target since even decor needs some function! (The coat closet is in the front, but we come in and out in the back).  I mentioned a yellow sign above, that yellow sigh is a wood painted sigh I got on Etsy.  “ You are my sunshine” is a welcome sight as you come home after a long day.  Plus my Grandma sang that to us as little kids, so that saying is extra special.  I actually had the vendor make it a little smaller than they had listed, which was awesome.  I didn’t want the sign too big, since you only view it close up since the room is so small.

  

 For the power room, step 1 was putting out my inspiration towels and step 2 was finding a mirror.  I knew I wanted a fun carved wood one, and since Home Good is the only place I could actually afford a mirror, I checked and rechecked the store every few weeks until I found one.  I had seen one I loved, but I thought it was going to be too big and didn’t buy it.  But Colin said as along as it techinally fits, and if I love it, to make it work! So I did! : )  It takes up the whole wall, but considering it is the only décor in the room, I think it is fabulous!!!!

Step 4 - Decorate and Personalize - CHECK!

Behold some After Photos!

There was a cabinet behind the toilet which I was planning on painting, but the room looks bigger without it, so for now it is just chilling in the garage. : )

We also updated the hardware on the one cabinet in the laundry area.  Such a simple and cheap change and it made a HUGE differerence!

So there you go, our updated back entry, laundry and power room!

P.S. Isn't that runner lovely! Too bad, the back entry has proven to be way too high traffic for things that are "lovely" and that rug has been rolled up in the closet for months! : ( Boo!
The dark cheap runner with the rubber bottom the old owner left us seems to fit the bill better.

Although I tend to live in an aesthetically driven world, I do bow down to function on occasion!
(Coat Hook and Rug also from Target, I just had trouble finding the link.)