Decorating Forgotten Spaces

We like to go the extra mile when decorating our homes. We’d rather be “extra” than boring, right? But when all our efforts go into the main areas of our house, it’s easy to step back and see that there are a few forgotten spaces that need a little “zhuzhing,” too.

Let’s look at a few spaces around our homes that are easily forgotten. We’re even going to share a few ideas on how to give each of those spaces a little attention.

Laundry room

Why the heck would you decorate a laundry room? Well, why not? If you are like me, you probably visit your laundry room every single day. Kids go through clothes like I go through Girl Scout Cookies. So, decorating it makes doing laundry daily a little less miserable. I went so far as to paint our laundry room an unexpected color—because, why not?

This is the perfect space to add an accent wall using wallpaper or decorative tiles—or try out a fun paint color. If you have exposed storage, upgrade your bulky laundry bottles to jars or pitchers for soap, fabric softener, dryer sheets, clothespins, etc.

Try a 1-gallon glass jar like this. I have these in several places around my house. Throw in a fun laundry sign (like this one), and there you have it. A much-loved laundry room!

Pantry

This one came to fruition in my own home about a year ago. More than likely, you are the only one who will ever see the inside of your pantry. Party-goers do wander into ours on occasion, but it was still a space that I wanted to get organized and “Pinterest-worthy.” There’s not so much decorating in this space, but rather a whole lot of organizing. I found several glass jars in varying sizes and purchased waterproof labels from Etsy.

Warning: there are some drawbacks to putting everything in glass jars and discarding the original packaging…expiration dates. If it’s something that’s probably going to live in your pantry for a while, use a wax pencil or a piece of masking tape on the bottom of the jar to note the product’s expiration date. Nobody likes salmonella.

A set like this is a great place to start.

Top of the Stairs

We don’t have stairs in our home, but this could easily apply to the end of a hallway, a nook, entryway, etc. These types of spaces may not necessarily be forgotten, as you probably walk by them every day. If you have room for it, it’s a great area to decorate. Depending on your space, you may have room for a console table (check out our post on how to decorate a console table), artwork or photo gallery, or make it an accent wall (ahem…wallpaper, fun colors).  

Top of Kitchen Cabinets

If you like to entertain friends and family in your home, you most likely have guests regularly in and out of your kitchen. Maybe more than any other space in your home. If you have space, add baskets, plants, artwork, large storage jars, or decorative kitchenware or bakeware you don’t often use. Pro tip: If you decide to decorate this space, add it to your cleaning calendar, and be sure to clean this area a few times a year—you’ll thank us after the first time you do it.

Mudroom

Mudroom, garage nook, a place you throw your purse, shoes, and keys—whatever you want to call it—It’s the first thing you see when you come into your house after a long day of work, grocery shopping, or being your kids’ chauffeur. Make this space functional and stylish by adding a fun light fixture and a coat rack or wall hooks for coats, jackets, and backpacks. You can also add more storage by adding baskets to a shelving rack. Finally, if you’re ready for an even bigger makeover, consider building out locker storage.

Here is some of my favorite mudroom inspiration!