Our Transit Laundry Room

Not to brag or anything, but I really have a bomb handyman named Dennis Strahm of Lowan Handyman Services, LLC (602) 321-1367.  Which then leads to us having a bomb everything in the house including the laundry room, as I am going to share the first part of our house with you. Finally, you’re thinking.

Mr. Wonderful asked once we were married, “So what’s left with the house?  What’s left to be done?” and I asked for custom shelving and cabinetry in the laundry room, hopefully to be done before our backyard reception.  “Ok, call Dennis,” he said.  Words I love to hear.

And so, after many Pinterest pins later (some of you asked what was going on with my crazy shoe rack pinning), I sent them all to Dennis, drew out some crappy sketch and then he used his noggin and made it come to life in a very real and functional way, creating this wonderfulness that is now our laundry room/mud room.  He even stained it a gray stain and put the imperfect wood on the outside to give me the rustic look I was going for.

Inside the cabinets on one side is shelving to hold the iron, laundry detergent, all the cleaning supplies my wonderful cleaning lady uses, and the other has several coat hooks for friends purses and my aprons for now. As for that cool shoe rack – I measured a few pair of shoes and we determined height for a bench and how many shoes we could hold, as well as a high heel area for my shoes, thank you Pinterest for all the cool ideas!   Yes, our 1952 brick home has flagstone flooring in the laundry room and kitchen while the rest of the house is maple hardwood.

Denis also built the tops of the washer and dryer and covered it in galvanized metal so we can fold clothes on top!  I even put my groceries up there when I come through the door.  The theme of our laundry room is transit – hence the area rug which is how it all began, then I found an old New York Transit map I had for years, and came across a train station style mirror and hook rack from Anthropologie.

Dennis knows my style, which is essential.  He’s built us tables for backyard entertaining, a mailbox drop box (we have an old mailbox slot), wood doorbell cover, a side table inspired by a Pinterest post, and frames for me out of old pallet wood.  I have my mother to thank for finding him on BBB online when I first bought the house this summer.  Since then he’s painted, repaired, and worked on the house to make it the way it is.  We love his company and he has become a very good friend – I like to joke we practically have him on payroll!  I’m happy to share him with you, but if he becomes too busy for our home projects, I’m going to be a little peeved.  But, a good talented man like him deserves to be busy!  I wholeheartedly believe in self employment and sharing other people’s skills with the world – Dennis is a problem solver and he’s meticulous when it comes to detail which is hard to find for a craftsman.  He does everything to perfection and he enjoys a challenge.  Mr. Wonderful says we are so lucky to have found him!

Hope you like our laundry room, I’m absolutely crazy about it!

Handyman and cabinetry craftsman:  Dennis Strahm of Lowan Handyman Services, LLC (602) 321-1367 / Rope handle, mirror with hooks, “S” hook and garden hat: Anthropologie (of course) / Subway rug: Pottery Barn / New York Subway Transit Map: Paper Source / Handwoven basket: IKEA / Black and white tin cans: The French Bee / Appliances: LG

Diana Elizabeth just needs to finish sewing curtains.  She hopes she has enough fabric that she ordered from Pottery Barn!  Or else she’ll have to start over with another fabric!