New This Week: 5 Fresh Laundry Rooms
Designers share the colors, materials and other elements that make these laundry spaces special
Even seemingly small choices can have an important effect on how a space looks and feels. In a laundry room, the right paint color, floor tile, accessory or other feature can take a boring space and elevate it to something special. Here, designers share the meaningful details that helped created that remarkable feeling.
2. Tile Style
Design-build pro: Manali Shah for EBCON Corp. | Hughes Construction
Location: Redwood City, California
Size: 60 square feet (5.6 square meters)
Homeowner’s request. “This laundry room was part of a garage remodel project, which houses the owner’s vintage Corvette collection on the lower floor and a new private condo space at the top level,” design-build pro Manali Shah says. “In addition to a new kitchen and bathroom, the owner wished to have a full-functioning laundry space as a part of the project. The laundry was added to the existing lower level. The design palette used for the project was dark and contemporary to align with the owner’s lifestyle and tastes and to be in sync with the aesthetics of a garage.”
Special features. “We chose to go with bold black-and-white-pattern flooring for this space, as it ties back with our charcoal palette of the kitchen and additionally adds interest to the laundry space,” Shah says. “Since we had dramatic floors, we used simple white laundry cabinets in textured laminate to give a tonal and visual balance to the area, along with a gorgeous gray quartz countertop. We also used sleek edge pulls to enhance the contemporary style. The compact washer-dryer stack is concealed behind a louvered door.”
Designer tip. “Cement tiles were a great use for this laundry space,” Shah says. “Not only do cement tiles have more thickness and are highly durable, but they are low-maintenance and have really cool color and pattern options. It’s very important to work with your tile installer to coat and seal these up after the install. Since our project was a partial car showroom, cement tiles did not worry the owner of any car being driven over the flooring.”
“Uh-oh” moment. “Although the pattern tiles are great, we would advise laying out patterns before grouting to make sure it all looks cohesive,” Shah says. “The challenge we faced here was the hex tiles were not installed correctly to follow a continuous pattern. The tiles started off correctly and somewhere [during] the install, the pattern got broken and the whole layout was wrong. The install should have been supervised more closely to avoid the removal and reinstallation of new tiles. In the end, it all worked out great.”
Flooring: Echo hexagonal cement tiles in charcoal, Zia Tile; wall paint: Decorator’s White in eggshell finish, Benjamin Moore; project photography: Agnieszka Jakubowicz
Pros Share 5 Laundry Room Features They Love
Design-build pro: Manali Shah for EBCON Corp. | Hughes Construction
Location: Redwood City, California
Size: 60 square feet (5.6 square meters)
Homeowner’s request. “This laundry room was part of a garage remodel project, which houses the owner’s vintage Corvette collection on the lower floor and a new private condo space at the top level,” design-build pro Manali Shah says. “In addition to a new kitchen and bathroom, the owner wished to have a full-functioning laundry space as a part of the project. The laundry was added to the existing lower level. The design palette used for the project was dark and contemporary to align with the owner’s lifestyle and tastes and to be in sync with the aesthetics of a garage.”
Special features. “We chose to go with bold black-and-white-pattern flooring for this space, as it ties back with our charcoal palette of the kitchen and additionally adds interest to the laundry space,” Shah says. “Since we had dramatic floors, we used simple white laundry cabinets in textured laminate to give a tonal and visual balance to the area, along with a gorgeous gray quartz countertop. We also used sleek edge pulls to enhance the contemporary style. The compact washer-dryer stack is concealed behind a louvered door.”
Designer tip. “Cement tiles were a great use for this laundry space,” Shah says. “Not only do cement tiles have more thickness and are highly durable, but they are low-maintenance and have really cool color and pattern options. It’s very important to work with your tile installer to coat and seal these up after the install. Since our project was a partial car showroom, cement tiles did not worry the owner of any car being driven over the flooring.”
“Uh-oh” moment. “Although the pattern tiles are great, we would advise laying out patterns before grouting to make sure it all looks cohesive,” Shah says. “The challenge we faced here was the hex tiles were not installed correctly to follow a continuous pattern. The tiles started off correctly and somewhere [during] the install, the pattern got broken and the whole layout was wrong. The install should have been supervised more closely to avoid the removal and reinstallation of new tiles. In the end, it all worked out great.”
Flooring: Echo hexagonal cement tiles in charcoal, Zia Tile; wall paint: Decorator’s White in eggshell finish, Benjamin Moore; project photography: Agnieszka Jakubowicz
Pros Share 5 Laundry Room Features They Love
3. Pattern Play
Designer: Sabrina Lowe Design
Location: Sarasota, Florida
Size: 100 square feet (9.3 square meters); 10 by 10 feet
Homeowners’ request. “They wanted to take their nonfunctional laundry room with a shower and make it a functioning mudroom and laundry room for their family of five,” designer Sabrina Lowe says.
Special features. “My client loves wallpaper and that was a must for this space and really what led the whole design for this room,” Lowe says. “We knew it would be the focal point for the room and what would draw you in and catch your eye from the other rooms in the house. I selected this Thibaut Kyoto Leaves pattern in Robin’s Egg from their Anna French Nara collection that sets the tone of the room.
“They didn’t have the budget for custom cabinetry in this room, so we took an Ikea cabinet and added additional trim and extended the height on top to make it look like a custom built-in. We also added additional storage under the bench seat for backpacks and larger items. The floating shelves were a major accent item for this room, so I came up with the idea to add a matching removable wood top over the laundry sink to tie it all together, giving them extra counter space when the sink wasn’t being used.”
Designer tip. “When you have a focal point for a room, like a bold wallpaper, I like to keep everything else neutral, textured and bring in natural elements like wood tones to keep it warm,” Lowe says.
Paint colors: Great Graphite (shiplap and millwork) and Polar Bear (walls), Behr
Designer: Sabrina Lowe Design
Location: Sarasota, Florida
Size: 100 square feet (9.3 square meters); 10 by 10 feet
Homeowners’ request. “They wanted to take their nonfunctional laundry room with a shower and make it a functioning mudroom and laundry room for their family of five,” designer Sabrina Lowe says.
Special features. “My client loves wallpaper and that was a must for this space and really what led the whole design for this room,” Lowe says. “We knew it would be the focal point for the room and what would draw you in and catch your eye from the other rooms in the house. I selected this Thibaut Kyoto Leaves pattern in Robin’s Egg from their Anna French Nara collection that sets the tone of the room.
“They didn’t have the budget for custom cabinetry in this room, so we took an Ikea cabinet and added additional trim and extended the height on top to make it look like a custom built-in. We also added additional storage under the bench seat for backpacks and larger items. The floating shelves were a major accent item for this room, so I came up with the idea to add a matching removable wood top over the laundry sink to tie it all together, giving them extra counter space when the sink wasn’t being used.”
Designer tip. “When you have a focal point for a room, like a bold wallpaper, I like to keep everything else neutral, textured and bring in natural elements like wood tones to keep it warm,” Lowe says.
Paint colors: Great Graphite (shiplap and millwork) and Polar Bear (walls), Behr
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4. Going Dutch
Designer: Wendy Black Rodgers Interiors
Location: Scottsdale, Arizona
Size: 105 square feet (9.8 square meters); 5 feet, 8 inches by 18 feet, 6 inches
Homeowners’ request. “The room is long and narrow and it needed storage space, a washer and dryer, hang-dry space and a large laundry sink,” says designer Wendy Rodgers, who is also the homeowner.
Special features. “Adding a Dutch door serves to keep the dogs contained while we can keep an eye on them,” Rodgers says. “We also used a large commercial stainless steel sink, which works well for washing dogs or paint buckets in addition to laundry.”
The flooring is Saramago limestone tile. The countertop is natural quartzite.
Designer tip. “Opposite the cabinetry and washer-dryer was a long, blank wall, so we added some fun art to give it interest,” Rodgers says.
“Uh-oh” moment. “When the builder said he needed overhead space for the electrical, cable, fiber-optics and gas line, we were concerned because the ceiling is only 8 feet in that area,” Rodgers says. “We were able to make a small bulkhead above the cabinets for all the needs and in the end it is barely noticeable.”
Paint colors: Natural Choice (walls) and Pure White (cabinets), Sherwin-Williams
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Designer: Wendy Black Rodgers Interiors
Location: Scottsdale, Arizona
Size: 105 square feet (9.8 square meters); 5 feet, 8 inches by 18 feet, 6 inches
Homeowners’ request. “The room is long and narrow and it needed storage space, a washer and dryer, hang-dry space and a large laundry sink,” says designer Wendy Rodgers, who is also the homeowner.
Special features. “Adding a Dutch door serves to keep the dogs contained while we can keep an eye on them,” Rodgers says. “We also used a large commercial stainless steel sink, which works well for washing dogs or paint buckets in addition to laundry.”
The flooring is Saramago limestone tile. The countertop is natural quartzite.
Designer tip. “Opposite the cabinetry and washer-dryer was a long, blank wall, so we added some fun art to give it interest,” Rodgers says.
“Uh-oh” moment. “When the builder said he needed overhead space for the electrical, cable, fiber-optics and gas line, we were concerned because the ceiling is only 8 feet in that area,” Rodgers says. “We were able to make a small bulkhead above the cabinets for all the needs and in the end it is barely noticeable.”
Paint colors: Natural Choice (walls) and Pure White (cabinets), Sherwin-Williams
Shop for cleaning and laundry room products
5. Dressy Decor
Designer: Natalie Meyer of CNC Home & Design
Location: Rocky River suburb of Cleveland
Homeowners’ request. “These clients had moved into this new-construction home and were struggling with how to decorate the space to make it feel complete yet also beautiful and functional,” designer Natalie Meyer says. “They wanted a designer-styled, fresh yet uncluttered, family-friendly and functional space that would hold their everyday essentials but still be beautifully decorated without too much clutter or too much decor.”
Special features. The wood flooring in a herringbone pattern and soft blue walls were existing. The homeowners had the narrow wood island custom made. “I selected a variety of decor in neutral tones with a mix of materials like woven baskets, wood, glass and marble to add fresh, clean, natural style along with depth and texture,” Meyer says. “Vintage laundry-room-inspired pieces like the custom scripted ‘Laundry Co.’ sign customized with the homeowners’ city, a vintage-inspired fan, glass jars with traditional laundry room essentials like clothespins and dryer balls, and baskets with folded towels make the space feel whimsical and fun but also intentional.
“A curated assortment of potted greenery, photo frames and neutral-toned objects give the room a fresh but uncluttered look. The wall-mounted planter holds hydrangeas — the client’s favorite — plus several framed family photos for added personalization.”
Designer tip. “When styling shelves or built-ins, I recommend personalizing your decor by mixing in favorite framed family photos, hardcover books or your favorite flowers,” Meyer says. “Also, mix and match items by varying the sizes of pieces. For example, place a large photo frame next to a small decorative orb, or a tall vase next to a medium-sized candle holder. I also recommend you layer different textures like wood, marble or brass for depth and to give your decor a collected look. And add pops of greenery like potted plants, succulents or a vase of flowers to bring life to your space.”
Project photography: Caitlin Antje
More on Houzz
Read more laundry room stories
Browse photos of newly featured laundry rooms
Shop for laundry room products
Designer: Natalie Meyer of CNC Home & Design
Location: Rocky River suburb of Cleveland
Homeowners’ request. “These clients had moved into this new-construction home and were struggling with how to decorate the space to make it feel complete yet also beautiful and functional,” designer Natalie Meyer says. “They wanted a designer-styled, fresh yet uncluttered, family-friendly and functional space that would hold their everyday essentials but still be beautifully decorated without too much clutter or too much decor.”
Special features. The wood flooring in a herringbone pattern and soft blue walls were existing. The homeowners had the narrow wood island custom made. “I selected a variety of decor in neutral tones with a mix of materials like woven baskets, wood, glass and marble to add fresh, clean, natural style along with depth and texture,” Meyer says. “Vintage laundry-room-inspired pieces like the custom scripted ‘Laundry Co.’ sign customized with the homeowners’ city, a vintage-inspired fan, glass jars with traditional laundry room essentials like clothespins and dryer balls, and baskets with folded towels make the space feel whimsical and fun but also intentional.
“A curated assortment of potted greenery, photo frames and neutral-toned objects give the room a fresh but uncluttered look. The wall-mounted planter holds hydrangeas — the client’s favorite — plus several framed family photos for added personalization.”
Designer tip. “When styling shelves or built-ins, I recommend personalizing your decor by mixing in favorite framed family photos, hardcover books or your favorite flowers,” Meyer says. “Also, mix and match items by varying the sizes of pieces. For example, place a large photo frame next to a small decorative orb, or a tall vase next to a medium-sized candle holder. I also recommend you layer different textures like wood, marble or brass for depth and to give your decor a collected look. And add pops of greenery like potted plants, succulents or a vase of flowers to bring life to your space.”
Project photography: Caitlin Antje
More on Houzz
Read more laundry room stories
Browse photos of newly featured laundry rooms
Shop for laundry room products
Designers: Dianne Kett and Amity Worrel of Amity + Kett Architecture and Interior Design
Location: San Antonio, Texas
Size: 72 square feet (6.7 square meters)
Homeowners’ request. “The homeowner wanted a dedicated laundry room, so a wall separating two unused closets was demolished and a bit of space was stolen from the bedroom adjoining the closets to make space for the new room,” says designer Dianne Kett, a Houzz Pro user whose clients found and hired her and designer Amity Worrel through Houzz.
Special features. Vibrant yellow cabinets (Yellow Ground by Farrow & Ball). Encaustic floor tile with touches of blue, yellow and cream. Built-in drying cabinet. Cork folding countertop. Oil-rubbed bronze flush-mount light fixture.
Designer tip. “A design trick we used in this space was maximizing a small room by designing for cabinets with ample storage and painting them in light yellow tones to make the space feel open, airy and bigger than it is,” Worrel says.
“Uh-oh” moment. “The client asked to include a drying cabinet, countertop and washer and dryer in the new dedicated laundry room,” Kett says. “The space was tight to fit the scope of work, and on top of that there was an existing window that we had to work around. The space was maximized by designing for a rod to hang clothes in front of the window and a cork countertop for folding space sitting across the same window.”
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