Laundry Room Project: Inspiration

i'm starting on a face lift for our laundry room. i think i said before that the builders decided to save some of their pennies on the sink/faucet/counter in there. lovely formica, a 5" deep overmount sink, and a crappy faucet are all bugging me, especially given the quality of the rest of the house. it's also next to impossible to wash anything in the sink without getting water everywhere.

anyway i realize it might not be practical or the best return on my money real estate-wise to change out these things but i justify it in a couple of ways. 1. i spend quite a bit of time in there and it's super blah. i think a room can really affect your mood and right now it's boring. it could really be so pretty. and 2. we're staying put for a good long while (knock on wood, i'm so superstitious!) and so where i used to really beat myself up about renovating only the things that would help us get a return on our investment, i feel like i can let go a little in this house and do things that would make me happy. it's not like i would choose neon pink counters or something that would then need to be replaced again down the road. the cabinets and flooring are nice and will stay.

so here is some inspiration:

via decorpad

isn't this room so pretty with the off white cabinetry (which i have as well) and light counters? those counters, swoon. they are not in my budget sadly but i love how light and airy it feels. my room also has a window but it's not on the sunny side of the house so there isn't a ton of natural light.

and more ideas (all via pinterest)...

i thought at first that i would do dark counters, like a soapstone, but i think it want to keep it lighter.

p.s. my very nice parents are making this all possible to do - it's my (early) birthday present. they knew i would have time to do it during my month off so they gifted early this year. most girls would wish for new clothes, a bag, or a day at the spa. my wishlist is counters, a sink and faucet :)