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| Shaker Laundry Makeover |
| A lacklustre laundry is given a new spin. |
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This old laundry is the starting point for a complete home renovation. From natural finishes on the floor to effective paint finishes on the wall this laundry will be completely 'made-over', using the simple and minimalist Shaker-style.
Shaker Background
The American federal era saw the foundation of a religious sect named the 'Shakers'. At their peak in the early nineteenth century tens of thousands of Shakers lived in hierarchical rural communities. Aiming to create a utopian lifestyle, they planned and built their own villages, designing and making their own furniture and equipment.
Shakers made a great contribution to agriculture, wood growing and woodworking crafts. Pure, simple, serene, minimalist and functional, Shaker furniture was highly regarded for its practical design and sturdy construction.
Shaker furniture was intended for sleeping, eating, relaxing and working, but not much for making love, for they practiced strict celibacy rules. As adult recruits dwindled and child adoption was discontinued in 1940, all but one of their communities were closed and now only about six Shakers keep the faith at Sabbathday Lake in Maine, USA.
These days, Shaker furniture is extremely popular with antique dealers, museum curators and private collectors.
1 The laundry is given a fresh new look with a coat of paint. Contrasting colours of Dulux teal green and gold are selected to achieve a striking effect.
2 Next, a Dulux sealer / undercoat is applied.
3 A green / blue coloured Dulux paint is then applied to the walls.
4 Dulux 'Sunset' is next applied to the skirting boards.
5 Dulux 'Del Sol' is then painted on the laundry doors.
6 The floors will have an overall natural finish to tie in with the 'Shaker-style' design. The floor is first sanded using an electric floor sander.
NB: Take care using belt sanders as they can be tricky to use. Don't press down too hard, wear a protective mask, use light strokes and remove any protruding nails beforehand as they're likely to rip the sandpaper to shreds.
7 The floor is then sealed using Feast Watson 'Floor Seal' (tung oil base).
8 The peg-rails, shelves, hooks, calico laundry bags and reinforced hanging trellis (lattice) frame are next installed in the laundry to complete the look. These items look authentic, are very practical and make for effective storage.
9 To make the peg rails, use lengths of old timber. Clamp them firmly to the workbench and drill holes about 200mm apart to take the pegs (dowels). Sand the finished peg rails, give them a coat of stain and screw to the wall.
10 Wicker baskets will be effectively placed to complete the laundry makeover and create an overall Shaker-style. (In a typical 'Shaker' ironing room, many laundry baskets sat in designated spaces for storage and clothing items.)
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Materials
Wicker baskets
Calico laundry bags
Iron hanger
Hooks
Peg boards
Containers of all sorts
Dulux paints
Paintbrush
Lattice
Lengths of timber (peg rails)
Dowels for the above (size and number to suit)
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Disclaimer
All Fact Sheets and other material on the Our House website are provided as a general information service only and should not be relied upon as a substitute for the advice of a properly qualified tradesman. Neither ninemsn nor its licensors (including the Nine Network) assume or accept any responsibility for, and will not be liable for the accuracy or appropriate application of any information whatsoever in any Fact Sheet or other material on the Our House web site. Your use of the Our House web site is governed by this disclaimer and the ninemsn's Terms of Use.
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