Everyone always wants their house to be pulled together for the holidays. 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 new house. But now that the room is all dressed up nice, I can actually smile while doing my chores!
You may have caught the before pic of the space in this post. But in case you missed here it is again.
It was essentially nothing more than a tiny box with a giant washer & dryer in it! When it came to actually designing this space, I focused on 3 main goals.
Make it Functional: In the rush of the move, I didn’t put thought into the laundry room. I knew I wanted a front loading washer dryer for their easy loadability 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 work.
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.
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 for my laundry room. I adore them, but they are a pretty big washer and dryer. They both sit on pedestals making them nice and tall. They are also rather deep. We nestled them into the wall as much as possible, but the room is 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 boosters like Clorox Control Bleach Packs 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 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 actually a storage drawer. That’s where I house all my laundry secret weapons like Clorox 2 Stain Remover, Clorox 2 Darks and Denim, Oxi Max Radiant White and the like. I love that it keeps all the packaged goods tucked away where I don’t have to stare at any labels. Again, winning!
The design elements of the room are where the form 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 storage set up. Everything 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 spray bottles and scented room spray. Because sometimes laundry rooms just get funky.
I used jars with wooden lids from the Jenni Kayne to mix in a modern touch. To add even more texture, I added a vintage Moroccan dhurrie from St Frank 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 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 more to go!
Check out our entire archive of house updates and all the rooms completed to date HERE.
For more of my favorite house tours, CLICK HERE.
original photography for Apartment 34 by aubrie pick
This content was created is in partnership with Clorox.
Looks so beautiful plus functional.. best of both worlds
Dear Erin , Love the wallpaper. Great space
Pretty! I love your fiddle leaf fig & the planter – any chance of sharing the source?
They’re from a local San Francisco nursery Flora Grubb
Looks great Erin!