Laundry Room Makeover Uses Rothko-Inspired Ombré Paint to Solve Storage Woes
June Cruz transformed her combined laundry and mudroom, which had no storage or organization, into a functional space. She joined the One Room Challenge and focused on decluttering, adding organizational systems, and painting a blue ombré wall treatment inspired by artist Mark Rothko. The ombré painting was the hardest part of the two-month project, which also included swapping in a drum light and a faux French door.
June Cruz's two-month renovation was structured around the eight-week One Room Challenge format, which allowed her to methodically address the combined laundry and mudroom's deficiencies. The project's centerpiece, an ombré wall treatment, required a continuous painting session to blend Sherwin-Williams' "Icicle" and "Naval" before the paint could set. This technique, inspired by Rothko's color field paintings, demanded precise timing and planning to achieve the seamless gradient effect.
The budget-conscious makeover incorporated several accessible DIY solutions, including peel-and-stick floor tiles that were customized using paper templates and cut with a standard paper cutter. The final phase added personalized storage elements, with individual hooks and shelves assigned to each family member, transforming the previously chaotic drop zone into an organized, welcoming space that balances aesthetic appeal with practical daily functionality.
This project could inspire homeowners facing similar small-space challenges to consider artistic paint treatments and temporary flooring solutions as viable renovation options. The emphasis on organization systems and family-specific storage may encourage practical approaches to multipurpose rooms. By demonstrating that complex-looking designs are achievable through careful planning, the story could democratize high-end aesthetics for budget-conscious renovators, potentially influencing how people prioritize both beauty and function in utilitarian spaces.