Welcome to The Yellow Rose Farmhouse Laundry Room Reveal!
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Our laundry room was one of the first rooms to be renovated. I really wanted a bold transformation that included all my favorite farmhouse inspiration. I also need it to be functional since I spend most of my life in this room. Laundry really is a never ending cycle in our house!
This is the only “Before” shot that I have but you’ll still be able to see most of the changes.
A large folding space is a must for me to separate out everyone’s clothes as I fold. So one of the first changes we made was removing the space where the refrigerator had been.
Luckily, we were able to leave the cabinets the way they were. We extended the countertop to the wall and then added a clothes rack under the cabinets. We left the space under this section open for storage. I found this adorable rolling laundry cart and it fit perfectly. It was meant to be!
The next thing that I knew we would have to change was the washer/dryer pedestal. I don’t have front loaders and I didn’t plan on buying new ones so we had to remove the pedestal. I feel like it made the laundry room look so much bigger. That may all be in my head but I’m going with it!
The tile that we chose for our laundry room might just be my favorite tile in the whole house. I almost didn’t choose it because I thought it might look too busy. I also didn’t want it to clash with our bathroom and kitchen. I’m glad I got over that and just went for it. It really makes this room stand out. Bonus: It doesn’t show dirt! Yay!!!
Even though I wanted a bold transformation, I also really wanted all our rooms to flow well together. The shiplap and countertops do this for our home. We have the same countertops in the laundry room, the kitchen and all of our bathrooms. They’re so pretty and super durable. You can check out our Farmhouse Master Bathroom Renovation to see how everything looks together in there.
We also have shiplap in all the bathrooms and around the fireplace. So adding shiplap in here just seemed right. I love how these details and our paint colors really make our house feel like it all fits together.
Because functionality is so important, the sink was a nonnegotiable. I did look into cute farmhouse sinks like the one in our kitchen but I didn’t really think those would stand up to everything we would subject this one too. This sink is used for washing everything under the sun! You name it and it’s probably been washed in our laundry room sink. Dogs, kittens, kids, husbands, and the list goes on…. All I’m saying is, I don’t regret not getting the pretty sink.
Once all the renovations were complete and we got everything moved in, it still felt a little bare. The space above the washer and dryer in particular looked really naked. We had talked about continuing the cabinets but decided against it. Instead we decided on open shelves. Chad took on this little DIY project on his own. I’m so in love with how they turned out. They are the perfect contrast to the white shiplap and cabinets. I will probably paint the hardware black later on but Mama’s done for now. I’ve also already restyled the shelves several times and I can assure you that I probably will again. Listen, I can accept that I have a problem 😜
The open shelves are exactly what this space needed. I think I could get used to doing laundry here everyday…maybe.
I hope you enjoyed The Yellow Rose Farmhouse Laundry Room Reveal! I’d love to hear what you think. Leave me a comment below. Don’t forget to subscribe and follow us on Facebook, Instagram and Pinterest to keep up with our day to day. Thanks for stopping by!
Sources
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Floor Tile | Backsplash | Countertops | Pendant Light | Fluff & Fold Sign | Rolling Laundry Cart | Sink | Faucet | Table Lamp | Seltzer Bottles | Letter Board | Wire Basket | Wood Tray | Galvanized Washboard | Fern Plant | Eucalyptus Wreath | Mrs. Meyers Detergent |
I’m so excited to share this DIY natural raw wood coffee table project with you guys!
*This post contains affiliate links. That means that if you make a purchase after clicking on a link, I may earn a small commission at no extra cost to you. You can even shop some of my decor at the bottom of the page.
I love a good DIY project. Especially when they turn out the way I want them to which is always a 50/50 shot for me. I think I may be the reason we have those “Nailed it” memes. Either way, I enjoy them. Lately I’ve been seeing so many pins, insta posts and home decor blogs with beautiful natural raw wood furniture pieces. I love this style and I’ve been dying to find a piece for my own home. After a quick internet search, I realized I’m not the only one into this style right now because everything I found was either really pricey or sold out. I convinced myself that it couldn’t be that difficult to do and thus my DIY natural raw wood project was born!
I have flexible seating in my classroom and I used this coffee table that I found off Facebook Marketplace my first few years of teaching. After having to repaint it every year because of all the student graffiti and damage, I decided to retire it and take it home. I didn’t have the heart to get rid of it because I knew the bones were still good. I had hoped there might be an opportunity such as this in it’s future. I’m so glad I kept it.
I researched and read what felt like a million different articles on how to create the natural raw wood style that I was looking for. So. Much. Information. There were so many great articles out there and they all had different ways of doing it. I felt a little overwhelmed. I’ll admit that I’m a bit of a lazy DIYer. If the project starts looking too complicated, I’ll typically ditch the project and save up for it instead. This time, I stuck to my guns. I decided to try a mix of everything I had learned and hoped for the best.
5 DIY Steps to a Natural Raw Wood Finish
Here’s a quick look at the 5 steps I took to get the natural raw wood look I wanted.
- Strip It
- Scrape It
- Sand It
- Seal It
- Wax It
Step 1: Strip It
As I mentioned previously, the coffee table had several paint layers because I just spray painted over any flaws the table had and called it good. I knew sanding it at this stage would take forever so I decided to start with a stripper instead. I’ve never used a stripper before but I loved this one that I found at Home Depot. You can also find it on Amazon here. It did the job and the smell wasn’t unbearable. I coated every inch of the table with a thick layer of stripper. For this I used a cheap paint brush that I happened to find in our shop. I actually started out using one of those cheap craft foam brushes but the stripper melted it. Oops.
One of the articles I read said to cover the furniture with saran wrap. A friend of mine confirmed that it would allow the stripper to work a little longer without drying out too fast. I used moving wrap for this. It was actually meant for packing up my classroom. The handle on the ends make it super easy to wrap around larger pieces. I let the table sit overnight and removed the wrap the next afternoon. I was impressed with how well the stripper worked. Some of the paint even came off with the wrap as I was peeling it off.
Step 2: Scrape It
I scraped the remainder of the paint off with plastic scrapers so I wouldn’t scratch the wood. This part was pretty messy. I’m thankful for the concrete floors in our shop. I wouldn’t recommend doing this inside if you can help it. If you do, place some trash bags or newspapers on the floor before you start. The paint was super sticky and I had to clean the gunk off my scraper a few times before I could finish. I also moved one of the used strips of saran wrap on the ground below where I was scraping so that I could scrape the paint directly onto it. This was a game changer and made cleaning up much quicker.
Although I was pleased with the outcome, I decided to paint the stripper on once more because the table was still covered in some of the original golden stain. I repeated this entire step but in hindsight I’m not sure I really needed to.
The next day I finished scraping the last bit of paint and stain. There were still a few spots in the corners and the hard to reach places that had some paint left over but I decided to not worry about it (because lazy DIYer). I think it adds a little character and tells a story. At least that’s how I’m justifying it. The table was pretty tacky so using mineral spirits and the rough side of a dish sponge to wipe it down really helped. This stuff was pretty strong and really soaked into the wood so I let it sit for another day to dry before I started sanding.
Please note that this project took ME a couple days to complete but I honestly don’t think it needed to. With four kiddos, I don’t always have loads of free-time to work on projects. Hopefully that explains my leisurely pace.
Step 3: Sand It
This was probably my least favorite part of this DIY natural raw wood project. It wasn’t difficult, it was just tedious. I used our sander with 220 grit paper to sand down most of the table. Then I used a fine/medium grit sanding sponge for the corners and places that were difficult to reach with the sander. I vacuumed as much of the dust as I could and then wiped down the rest with a microfiber rag. Tedious or not, this step was a must and so worth it! It looked AMAZING!
Step 4: Seal It
No more golden yellow color! This was the actual natural raw wood of the table! I probably could’ve left it like this but since it was going in our house with my kids, I thought it best to seal it. I purchased a clear satin finish poly for this. Then, I applied 2 coats of it with a new, higher quality paint brush. I read that spraying the poly would give it a more even coat but because I was in a small room, I chose not to. It appeared well covered after 2 coats to me, but it’s actually recommended by the professionals that you do more. Even though the poly was clear, after drying, I noticed some of the original golden color reappearing. Don’t PANIC! Let the magic liming wax do it’s thang!
Step 5: Wax it
This step was the most important one in getting the natural raw wood look I wanted for my coffee table. I was familiar with liming wax but had never used it before. THIS STUFF IS AWESOME and super easy to work with. I used an old cotton t-shirt to rub the wax over the table. You can also use a waxing brush to get a more grainy look. I applied a thin layer on and then wiped off any excess with the dry side of the shirt. I waited maybe an hour or so for it to dry and then repeated this process twice.
Some of the articles I read said to seal the wood again after you’ve applied the liming wax but I didn’t. Now that the table has been in use for a few months, I see why I probably should have. There are a few places on the table where little hands constantly touching the table have taken some of the wax off. I can see a little bit of that golden color coming through again. However, reapplying some wax and a coat of sealer will be an easy task later on to preserve this beauty.
I love how our DIY natural raw wood coffee table turned out. It has that beautiful natural raw wood look that I was going for. I’m so glad I stuck with this project and I can’t wait to do this to other pieces I have around the house!
Let me know what you think. I’d love to hear about pieces that you’ve redone. What process worked well for you? Leave me a comment below. Don’t forget to subscribe and follow us on Facebook, Instagram and Pinterest to keep up with our day to day. Thanks for stopping by!
Sources
*Click the items below to shop affiliate links
Stripper | Paint Brush | Moving Wrap | Plastic Scrapers | Mineral Spirits | Orbit Sander | 220 Grit Sand Paper | Sanding Block | Microfiber Rags | Clear Satin Finish Polyurethane | Liming Wax | Wax brush | Poly/Paint Sprayer | Wood Beads | Flameless Candles | Chicken Wire Basket | Fern Plant | Area Rug | Amber Vase | Farmhouse Throw | Pillow Covers |
Welcome to our farmhouse master bathroom renovation!
*This post contains affiliate links. That means that if you make a purchase after clicking on a link, I may earn a small commission at no extra cost to you.
Our farmhouse had more than a few quirks when we first bought it. The family that lived here before us believed this would be their forever home. They had made custom adjustments to the house to suit their family and their needs. No problem there except it is now our forever home. Some of those adjustments didn’t necessarily work for us. This was especially true for our master bathroom.
Farmhouse Master Bathroom : Before
It was narrow and the placement of the sink felt a little awkward to me. I wanted to figure out a way to add more space while also finding a better place for the toilet instead of right across from the sink. I also really wanted to have two sinks rather than one. With just the vision of what I wanted for our farmhouse master bathroom, we got to work on the renovations.
It turns out, this project was more complicated than I thought. Half of the bathroom space was actually a closet. The master bedroom already had a closet but Chad and I didn’t really feel like it was big enough for us to share. See the problem… If we took out the closet to add more space for the bathroom, then Chad would be without a closet (Obviously, I need a closet more than he does and I was not about to share 😜).
After much debate, we were able to find a solution where we get more space for the bathroom and we both get a closet of our own. It was a Win/Win! Chad’s aunt and uncle are carpenters and renovating geniuses! They were actually the ones that found a way for us to add another closet in our bedroom without taking any space away from the master bath.
One obstacle down and now on to the next one. Once we were able to knock out the wall for the closet, we had to figure out the layout we wanted. I had a pretty good vision of where I wanted everything placed but we had to work around the plumbing and electric. Luckily, because the master bathroom is upstairs, it made it easier to rearrange the plumbing. I was thrilled to get a space for the shower and bath, two sinks and a separate pooper room (I’m positive that’s the technical term).
I also really wanted a free standing tub and a separate shower. Remember how I told you that the bathroom was upstairs. Getting the existing cast iron tub out of that space was one of the most nerve racking experiences ever! I’m talking about life or death! That was a bit dramatic but Chad did almost knock me off of our balcony in the process. Near death experience or not, It was totally worth it.
Farmhouse Master Bathroom : After
I’m obsessed with our tub now. I think it totally changes the entire feel of the bathroom and It’s one of my favorite places to unwind.
After getting the plumbing and electric done, it all seemed to go by super fast. Before I knew it, our cabinets, counter tops, fixtures and sinks were all in.
The last part is my favorite and it was the most fun. The details and decor!
We were living in the apartment in our shop during renovations so I picked out most of the fixtures and finishing touches online. This was a little bit scary since it wasn’t tangible and everything came in at different times. I really wanted to know what it would look like all together but I just had to be patient.
There were definitely some stresses along the way but I love how our farmhouse master bathroom renovation turned out.
I’d love to hear from you! What are some of your most rewarding renovations or what are you wanting to start? What obstacles are getting in your way? Leave me a comment below. Don’t forget to subscribe and follow us on Facebook, Instagram and Pinterest to keep up with our day to day. Thanks for stopping by!
Sources
*Click the items below to shop affiliate links
Floor Tile | Shower Tile | Bath Tub | Sinks | Sink Faucets | Lighting | Chandelier | Countertops | Round Mirrors | Tub Faucet | Wall Sign | Bath Towels | Fiddle Leaf Plant | Vanity Stool | Hanging Basket | Vanity Mirror |