Adding style to laundry room
A splash of colour and touches of decor make it a place you want to be in
Doing laundry can be boring. The room you do it in, though, doesn’t have to be boring.
With a few strategic changes, even a small laundry room can become a space that’s appealing — and can also double as a room for other activities.
“Laundry rooms don’t need to be a space that we apologize for anymore,” says New Yorkbased interior designer Deborah Martin.
Here, Martin and two other designers — HGTV’s Brian Patrick Flynn and Miami-based Raquel Mothe of Mothe Design — offer advice on turning a basic laundry room into a space you can love.
Go bright and bold: Have fun with colour and pattern, the designers say.
If there are colours you love but think are too bright for other rooms, Flynn suggested using them in your laundry room. It’s also a great place for patterns that seem too much for a living room or bedroom. Wallpaper’s a good way to do that.
“Nine times out of 10,” Flynn said, “I find that simply adding wallpaper to a laundry room or laundry closet instantly makes it feel more inviting.”
Helpful details: Martin and Mothe both advise including a large sink in a laundry room.
And Martin suggested adding a drain in the floor.
“We never plan for accidents, but accidents happen,” she said. Martin also recommended built-in bins or baskets for separating clothes.
As well, have space for drying items that you won’t be putting in the dryer. Install a bar with hangers, a retractable hanging rack or drying racks for things like sneakers.
Best lighting: Laundry rooms need plenty of light, so why not “statement lighting” — something that brightens the room and adds a dose of style.
Flynn suggested adding a pendant light or even some kind of chandelier, if space allows.
And if you’re doing new construction or remodelling, Martin said, give your laundry room plenty of windows. Even if we’re just doing laundry, she says, “We can enjoy a little light. We can enjoy a view.”
Strategic storage: Don’t forget to add a few tall cabinets for things like brooms or ironing boards, Mothe said.
And she thinks it’s worth investing in high-quality countertops. A detail like that, she says, can “make a difference between the regular laundry and the luxury one.”
If your laundry room also includes open shelving, Martin suggests storing items in apothecary jars or large Mason jars. “There’s no reason we can’t put our detergent in something pretty.”
Location: One of the least convenient things about the laundry room, especially in older homes, is that it’s often far from where laundry is generated.
If you’re remodelling, Flynn said, consider relocating your laundry room as close to the master bedroom as possible.
“This makes it way easier for homeowners to tackle their laundry without having to then bring it back and forth across the house,” he said.
Consider other uses: Martin has one client who uses her laundry room to also cut and arrange fresh flowers.
If you’re building or remodelling, consider expanding your laundry area’s size and purpose — perhaps combining your mudroom and laundry room.