Yes, it is true. I’ve been working on the restoration and design of my historic Victorian home in San Francisco for nearly four years now. But even as a blogger, I’m still a normal person my friends. We didn’t win the lottery. I’m not a professional interior designer. Contrary to popular belief, I’m not getting everything for free. And this house is a beast! But I have actually shared quite a bit of my progress – with the hopes of a full before and after to come this fall, but my laundry room makeover has been the most popular reveal I’ve posted to date. In case you missed it, check it out below.
Everyone always wants their house to be pulled together. I’m no different. But since I can’t make couches or rugs magically ship faster, I’m making progress wherever I can. Case in point: Our laundry room! I’d neglected to actually design the space before we moved into our house. But after just a few quick fixes, I got the room all dressed up nice and I can actually smile while folding clothes!
You may have caught the before pic of the space in this post. But in case you missed here it is again.
The room was essentially nothing more than a tiny box with a giant washer & dryer in it! When it came to actually adding some design into this space, I focused on three main goals.
1. Make it Functional: In the rush of completing construction, I never put any thought into the laundry room other than creating one. I knew I wanted a front loading washer dryer for their ease and capacity. But I got mine and just plopped them in there. I didn’t spend anytime thinking about how to optimize space, storage or really make the room actually work.
2. Add Storage: Now that I’m mom, I’m dealing with every kind of laundry dilemma under the sun. So the amount of stain boosters, whiteners and laundry pre-treaters have exploded. I needed to create space in our laundry room so there would be room for it all.
3. Make it Really Really Good Looking: Utility spaces can look just as good as any other room in the house. A few design tricks can make even highly functional spaces chic.
And if I do say so myself, I think I was able to achieve all three of my goals – though I’ll let you be the final judge.
Let’s talk function first. I selected the LG SideKick washer and dyer for my laundry room. I adore them, but they are pretty big! They both sit on pedestals making them nice and tall and easy to load and unload. But they are also rather deep. I nestled them into the wall as much as possible, but the laundry room is already relatively narrow. To get the storage I was craving, I had a custom shelf built that just fits over the two units. That shelf allows me to have everything I use daily – detergent and and laundry boosters et al at arms reach. I like that I don’t have to open any cupboards or move things in and out. Everything is right at my finger tips.
I was also able to capitalize on storage built into the LG Twinwash washer/dryer system itself. For one thing, the washer pedestal actually conceals an additional mini washer! That lets me do a quick small load, wash delicates or soak stained items in my favorite pre-treaters without needing an additional tub or bucket. Winning! The dryer pedestal is also actually a storage drawer. That’s where I house all extra detergents, stain fighters, essential oils, linen sprays and the like. I love that it keeps all the packaged goods tucked away where I don’t have to stare at a hot mess of labels. Major decorating secret. Decant anything you can and hide everything else to help decrease the appearance of clutter Again, winning!
The design elements of the room are where the design and function really come together. I started by installing beautiful Erica Tanov wallpaper to create a dramatic feature wall at the back of the room. I’m in love with the gold foil. It’s the perfect backdrop for my storage system. I worked with local organizing guru Bliss Haus to design a beautiful laundry supply storage system. Every cleaning product I need is decanted into glass jars for a clean, uniform look. There are even jars to collect dryer lint and lost socks! The custom print labels are so cool. It really took the room to the next level. A modern white and wood metal Japanese basket holds other key cleaning solutions like white vinegar, water and scented room spray. Because sometimes laundry rooms just get funky.
I also used jars with natural wooden lids from Jenni Kayne to mix in a organic modern touch to the design. To create even more texture and save my bare feet on cold days, a vintage Moroccan dhurrie rug from St Frank was added to the floor. The golden tones warm up the room and tie in with the Erica Tanov wallpaper’s golden hue.
My favorite design idea in the space might have to be the Meghan Shimek weaving I found at local San Francisco boutique The Podolls. I needed something to conceal our electric panel! The wall hanging does the job perfectly. A fiddle leaf fig and white textured planter from my favorite local florist Flora Grubb adds life and a pop of rich color.
All these elements come together to create my dream laundry room. I can do loads and loads while loving my surroundings. One more room down. Many many more to go!
Check out our entire archive of house updates and all the rooms completed to date HERE.
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original photography for Apartment 34 by aubrie pick
