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Owning what was, potentially, the ugliest laundry in Queensland, I knew I had my work cut out when I decide to undertake a complete gutting of the room – all I can say is thank goodness for Bunnings Warehouse and Bunnings Workshop.
Materials
All cabinets (Alpine profile - raw), benchtop (Calypso Gloss 38mm), bin, carousel, kickboards, filler panels, under cabinet LED panel - from Kaboodle range
https://www.bunnings.com.au/kaboodle-600mm-white-2-drawer-base-cabinet_p2662249
https://www.bunnings.com.au/kaboodle-450mm-raw-board-alpine-cabinet-door_p2668846
https://www.bunnings.com.au/kaboodle-35l-base-mount-pullout-bin_p0137867
https://www.bunnings.com.au/kaboodle-2-tier-corner-rotating-baskets_p2667709
https://www.bunnings.com.au/kaboodle-2400mm-raw-board-kickboard_p2668824
https://www.bunnings.com.au/kaboodle-raw-board-base-filler-panel_p2668806
Worn Gold Salento Handle https://www.bunnings.com.au/kaboodle-96mm-worn-gold-salento-kitchen-handle_p0175893
Waterproofing
https://www.bunnings.com.au/dunlop-20kg-pro-rapid-waterproof-membrane_p0211368
Floor leveller
https://www.bunnings.com.au/bastion-20kg-floor-leveller_p0273642
Gerflor vinyl planks Senso in Ceruse Blanc
Dulux Lexicon Half Strength
https://www.bunnings.com.au/dulux-2l-vivid-white-low-sheen-wash-wear-interior-paint_p1370157
Dulux Vivid White
Dulux Ceiling White
Dulux Sharp Blue
Premium BC Plywood
https://www.bunnings.com.au/1200-x-1198mm-12mm-plywood-pine-premium-bc-grade_p0390211
Click 40cm Wall Fan
Barn Door Rolltrak door hardware (but in brass)
Barn door handle pull
https://www.bunnings.com.au/delf-37mm-x-50mm-polished-brass-flush-ring-pull_p4010512
Victorian mosaic tiles
https://www.bunnings.com.au/decor8-297-x-297mm-blue-glass-victorian-print-mosaic-tile_p0289685
Grout
Dunlop floor primer
Rust-oleum spray paint in Gloss White
Washing machine outlet hose
Painters' tape
Hooks
Aquadhere glue
Turbo Builders' Bog
Tools
Kaboodle Handle Drilling Template
https://www.bunnings.com.au/kaboodle-handle-drilling-template_p2662166
Measuring tape, drill, drill bits, hammer, trowel, drop saw, circular saw, planer, orbital sander, sanding paper (various grits), paint brushes and rollers, drop sheets, hinge boring drill bit, vice, screwdrivers, pencil, studfinder, laser level, clamps
Steps
Step 1
The old laundry
My old laundry was located on the ground level of my Queenslander; it had been hastily refreshed just before I was about to give to give birth and, in the years since, life, work, travel and other renovations were prioritised. I hated the laundry so much that I could barely bring myself to enter the room in the past year or so but my particular disgust was reserved for the revolting exposed pipes with the outdated colour scheme coming a close second.
IT HAD TO GO!
Step 2
Planning and inspiration
I spent LOTS of time scrolling online and even more playing with the Kaboodle online planning tool. However, it was house to home's 'Farmhouse laundry renovation’ post that truly provided inspiration for my appliances’ cabinets. Without a doubt, the idea of a raised washer and dryer is a gamechanger.
After I measured, remeasured, mocked up, planned and replanned using the Kaboodle site, I booked an in-store Laundry Planning Consultation to double-check everything with the Special Orders Team at Bunnings Newstead. I absolutely recommend this step – even though I consider myself to be an experienced renovator, it’s still valuable to get professional advice and tips.
Step 3
Building and painting cabinets
Again, use the Kaboodle resources – watch and REWATCH all of the videos! I constructed all of the cabinets myself (fortunately, I have a good set of knees!), but if you’re new to flatpacks and using power tools, you may want to have an offsider and take it very slowly, initially. What’s important is to back yourself and have a go. More advice:
- read the instructions (yes, really!)
- construct the cabinets on a large, thick rug with plenty of elbow room
- organise your tools and the screws, etc on a separate flattened box
- dip the screws in Aquadhere glue for extra strength
- have a laptop or phone available with the Kaboodle videos ready to play, just in case
- ensure that you have enough room to store your completed cabinets
- download plenty of podcasts or some audio books to listen to as you work
I had a very particular colour scheme in mind so I decided on the raw cabinet doors. Owning several Queenslanders has honed my painting skills, so I was very happy to paint all of the cabinet doors – no one else was allowed near my beautiful Alpine doors! Again, if you are new to painting, I thoroughly recommend the Kaboodle videos as well as the videos on the Bunnings website – watch them several times and then have a go. The great thing about painting is that any mistakes can be corrected. My advice:
- set up an area for painting and do nothing else there, except paint
- keep the area dust free
- use the correct equipment (definitely the nap rollers)
- I recommend a tinted undercoat for the coloured doors, then three to four coats of gloss paint (Dulux’s Sharp Blue and Vivid White)
- DON’T add the knobs or handles until you install the doors – this was just to check that I was happy with my choice of Kaboodle’s Worn Gold Salento Kitchen Handle
Step 4
Fixing the floor
I gutted the room, managing to reuse most of the existing cabinets in a rental property I have, but the sink was past its use-by date. Between painting and prepping the walls, I waterproofed the edge of the floor which joins the exterior wall, screed and primed the concrete and then laid the vinyl planks. The new brass spotlights were installed by the electrician; already the room felt better…and it was empty.
Step 5
Painting the walls
Painting really gave the Utility Room such a fresh look. Dulux’s Lexicon Half Strength is perfect if you want a classic Hamptons look and the brass spotlights complement the style.
Because there is only one window in the room, both paint and lights had to work well together.
Step 6
Construction time
I had 7 cabinets, 2 sets of drawers and a broom cupboard (pantry) to construct and install. Again, I did these all myself; I only needed assistance with the installation of the wall cabinet. My advice: measure, measure, measure! I left the kickboards and the benchtops until later in the process.
To construct the appliances’ cabinets, Premium BC Plywood was used. Remember to leave room for plumbing and electrics - measure your taps and plugs carefully. Also, I did spend some time mocking up the construction, for my own peace of mind.
Step 7
Boxing up
One of the happiest days of the project was when I constructed and installed the boxing around the pipes. Thank you to @MitchellMc and @EricL for their timely online advice and support. Pipes, wires and random holes have now disappeared! Ahhh, the quirks of a 110+ years young Queenslander...
Step 8
Hacks with Belfast sink and Broom cupboard
I had to be quite inventive with some modifications to accommodate the broom cupboard with a slightly lower ceiling height and some quirks of the room’s construction (limited building regulations in the first decade of the 1900s!). I trimmed down the door but still wanted the shaker-style look, so I glued on some very thin ply which worked perfectly.
A new drill bit helped me to change the position of one of the cabinet’s hinges. Cutting in at the back of the cabinet also allowed me to position it over an existing powerpoint, so I have power for my vacuum charger.
The only real hitch I had in the whole process was getting the modified broom cupboard door square; due to its weight, I needed to call on my husband and between us, we were able to adjust the hinges.
To accommodate the Belfast sink, I constructed two 'benches' from leftover ply on which to sit the sink, allowing the waste pipe to go through the middle, and got some more assistance from my husband for the final installation of the Belfast sink (which I could barely lift!) Then, our very patient plumber did the second fit plumbing to connect the waste and brass tap, as well as the inlet pipes and taps for the washing machine.
The cabinet door underneath the Belfast sink also needed to be cut down, so I drilled a new hole for the top hinge and used the same process of adding an extra piece of ply to the top of the door to maintain the Shaker-style look of the door.
When it came time to install the benchtop, I played it safe and created a template in cardboard to use as an accurate guide when cutting out the Calypso Gloss benchtop.
Step 9
One final push
I used Rust-oleum spray paint in Gloss White to rejuvenate the whiteness of my dryer and security grill (also perfect for spraying an air-con unit if it’s yellowing slightly). I fitted new brass window fittings, a Kaboodle under cabinet LED light panel with contactless switching, a Kaboodle 35L Pullout Bin and blue Victorian glass tiles as the splashback.
As it was my first time using mosaic tiles, I made sure to plan the pattern carefully.
With the under-cabinet LED panel, I wanted all of the wires to be hidden – this meant that I had to plan accordingly: install this before the kickboard, tiles and benchtop all went in.
When undertaking a project like this, always break down its different stages to the smallest parts; this means that everything is done in the correct order and reduces the likelihood of costly errors.
The end was in sight, but there were still some vital jobs to complete: measuring, cutting, painting and installing the kickboards, cabinet handles (DEFINITELY use the Kaboodle template), crown moulding and the Calcutta gloss benchtop.
My husband was able to push the cabinet into place and lift the dryer to slot into place; however, we had to hire a lift trolley to get the washing machine up and into place, due to its considerable weight. In the end, it went in fairly easily and doesn’t even require any extra rubber pads underneath, which I thought might be needed. It did need an extra-long outlet drain hose but, after a couple of false starts, I got the right one.
As with any job, there’s always one final big push: for me this included painting touch-ups, extra boxing of pipes and the installation of a beautiful barn door from Bunnings (sadly, these have been discontinued). I splurged on a special order of the brass roller track but with the tap, lights, sink waste, cabinet handles, sink protector, window hardware and hooks all being brass, using any other colour on such a visible part of the room would have looked ridiculous.
Step 10
The finished product
At long, long last, I got to style my Utility Room, which was fun, and then ORGANISE it – the best part of the job! The drawers are amazing for sorting washing, the broom cupboard houses the larger cleaning items and I also installed a Kaboodle carousel which has been fantastic – no more rummaging through the back of a cabinet, searching for cleaning products (and no replicated purchasing of items!). A fan, phone and speaker charger, some lovely hand soap and lotion, matching blue labels for my cleaning items, a Bunnings terrarium and a custom-made Roman blind (with William Morris fabric) completed the project.
Not a week goes by when I don’t tell someone how much I adore my Hamptons-style Utility Room. It’s much more than a laundry: it houses sewing equipment, cleaning utensils and products, ironing equipment, general household items, and even craft materials and I spend a lot of time in here doing different hobbies and tasks. Happily, I really enjoyed the process of designing, planning and constructing the room.
Even better, I learnt new skills, improved existing ones and overcame my underlying fear of circular and drop saws – my confidence with power tools has gone through the roof. I’m really satisfied that I managed to complete the majority of this project completely by myself and keep the budget to a respectable four figures, which represents good value nowadays, even with some particularly high-end purchases.
Thank you to the Newstead Bunnings Special Orders Desk staff (especially Lizzy, who chased many items for me!) and the Bunnings Workshop team, who provided such inspiration and guidance on this site.
