Laundry, ca. 1947

From “Livable Basement Rooms” by the flooring company Armstrong

A spirited collision of then-modern technology with nurseryrhyme innocence, this room has stowaway clotheslines and an electrical cord rack on the ceiling, plus provisions for sorting clothes, pressing water from washed linens, ironing, and sewing. Whew.

Wall Words are easyto-use decals to be applied to flat surfaces. Most designs are decorative text, a popular Arts & Crafts motif. Hundreds of offerings; online “design it yourself” feature and custom work. Fun for laundry, kitchen, or nursery! “Rabbits on the Grass,” $39, and “Laundry” script, $29. wallwords.com

Armstrong was touting their asphalt tile flooring, practical for a laundry room. Three marbled colors create a plaid design. Curtains echo the cabinet knobs.

The German-made Alape Bucket Sink from Rejuvenation is glazed steel with a grey PVC edge (no tap hole; offset overflow hole). You can add a wall-mounted faucet above; professional installation needed. Measures 20 1 /8" wide, $249. rejuvenation.com

Available in unusual, postwar dusty blue and pink, plus black and white, these 1.3" Allen + Roth Round Cabinet Knobs are porcelain on zinc with a glossy finish. Priced at $ .97–2.37 each at Lowe’s. lowes.com