Our freshly painted laundry room is bright, cheerful, and completely transformed. I started by repainting all the trim with an off-the-shelf, no-VOC semi-gloss white and painted the brown quarter round near the baseboards so it would blend in. I applied three thin coats of the same paint—no primer—using a method that worked well in our living room. For the walls, we chose the leftover paint from the adjoining kitchen so the two spaces would feel connected and light-filled.
Because the laundry room is small, keeping the same color as the kitchen helps maintain visual flow and prevents the room from feeling even smaller. We may add a subtle stencil or paint treatment later if we decide it needs more personality, but right now we’re planning to wait until we install window treatments, a new light fixture, and some shelving and art before making any further changes.
The color is Sesame 381 by Benjamin Moore, color-matched to a no-VOC paint in semi-gloss. Our laundry nook gets natural light from a door and a window that open to the carport, so the color reads slightly more yellow here than it does in the kitchen. It’s an artichoke-toned green-yellow that feels bright and cheerful. The main reasons we picked this shade were:
- It brightens the space without overpowering it.
- It reads a touch more yellow in this room, which makes the space feel warm.
- It creates a cheerful atmosphere perfect for a laundry area.
Seeing the change as soon as I started cutting in made it clear the new color would wake up the whole space. We painted the stacked washer and dryer area and the surrounding walls so the laundry nook now feels intentionally designed rather than an afterthought.
We installed a thick piece of plywood under the stacked machines to help stabilize them, and I painted that board white so it will blend in once shelving is added. Some photos can make the color look more neon or dull than it appears in real life; in person the paint is light, soft, and warm—like liquid sunshine—without any garish tones.
We knew the room could handle this color because:
- We plan to add plenty of white shelving and white appliances to balance the color.
- The window, glass door, and open doorway into the kitchen help break up the color visually.
- When we eventually add wood flooring, the overall palette will feel even more grounded and muted.
We also addressed a metal fuse box cover by painting thin, even coats directly over the metal—no primer. Metal accepts thin layers of paint well, so with several light coats it covered nicely and still opens and closes easily. A quick tip: open and close movable metal covers between coats to make sure paint doesn’t gum up the mechanism.
The total spent on this phase was essentially zero because we used leftover paint, though we did buy a pack of rollers for about eight dollars. That said, the room still needs more functional and decorative items, so we’ll be adding storage, art, and other finishing touches over time.
Current to-do list:
- Replace the dryer hose with a safer, all-metal one
- Add adjustable built-in shelving in the nook next to the stacked washer and dryer (the room is only 3.5′ wide, so we can’t put the units side-by-side)
- Replace hinges and knobs on the upper cabinetry
- Install a new light fixture—possibly a small chandelier or a DIY project
- Add a window treatment, potentially a homemade option
- Create functional storage near the door for shoes and pet supplies
- Hang artwork to keep the room cheerful and to hide the fuse box
Fresh, crisp white trim pairs beautifully with the warm green-gold wall color and helps the room feel clean and cohesive. The photo that most accurately reflects the actual color shows a yellow with a hint of green—an artichoke-like tone that’s subtle and lively. The result is a laundry space that’s unexpectedly pleasant; I actually feel more inclined to do laundry now.
P.S. Thanks for the kind comments about my haircut recently—it was flattering to read your notes. Stylists do have a knack for creating looks that are hard to replicate at home, but your compliments were appreciated.