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We know, we know – doing laundry is a chore. A chore we all must grapple with because, well, it’s just part of life. And, if you’ve got little kids it’s probably a near constant source of grumbling. But what if your laundry days were serene and enjoyable? If your laundry room were transformed into an attractive, organized and highly functioning area, you might even (gasp) look forward to doing it.
Many NYC apartment dwellers might argue that having your own laundry room is a luxury in itself but, “the better organized the laundry room space is, the more efficient and luxurious it will feel,” advises Marissa Grace, interior designer. The best design is both functional and attractive, she says, and nowhere is this more important than in a utilitarian space like a laundry room.
“Laundry rooms should be considered as an integral part of your house,” says Grace. “They deserve good lighting, a thoughtfully planned layout and nice, easy to clean finishes. Respect your laundry room!”
The good news is upgrading a laundry room isn’t just an attainable dream for the super wealthy. With some clever planning and a few investments (peppered with some DIY), it’s a very realistic project for all. “I’d say add a fun element, like color, so you feel energized going into the space,” suggests Diana Lee, Design Consultant at Pottery Barn in San Francisco. “Laundry rooms should be bright, so maybe you’ll even want to spend a little time in that room.”
With a little help from our experts, we’ve got a list of 10 ideas for giving your laundry room that luxurious feeling.
1. Plan for the Necessary Functions of Your Laundry Room Space
Why it will elevate your laundry room: Both of our experts agree the first step of any design project is planning. When upgrading your laundry room, plan for the functions you need in the space.
“Think about your family’s needs and plan accordingly,” advises Grace. “At the minimum, a large folding surface, a few hampers for the various loads, an iron station, a detergent area right next to the washer, a hanging area which includes a bar for hangers and also a traditional hanging rack.”
Planning ensures your space (and for most people, there’s not much space to work with) will function efficiently.
What to buy: There’s a lot to consider, so before spending, get planning advice at Pottery Barn. Sure it’s possible to hire an expert or do it yourself but when companies like Pottery Barn offer free design help, why not give it a try? When we spoke with Lee, she said they often will start working with clients around their individual floor plan.
Price: Schedule one hour free at Pottery Barn
2. Pick a Theme for Your Laundry Room
Why it will elevate your laundry room: Now here comes the fun part. Designers are trained to not only plan, but to create a mood and feeling in a space. A design theme can be literal or it can simply mean that the space has, “a cohesive finish and color palette,” says Grace. Taking time to make sure the colors and finishes used work together elevates the design and gives your space an overall sleeker, more luxurious feeling.
Or, if you prefer to have a specific design theme within your laundry room, you can pick an idea to carry throughout. “You can choose a floral theme, or you could do a tropical theme, just make it fun! Laundry isn’t sexy but you can make it fun,” Lee suggests.
What to buy: Made for Living: Collected Interiors for All Sorts of Styles. This is a great reference book to help inspire your interior design theme.
Price: $25.36 at Amazon.com
3. Max Out Your Vertical Storage
Why it will elevate your laundry room: “Make use of vertical space because typically laundry rooms are not very spacious,” Lee advises. “There is usually wall space above a washer/dryer that can be utilized. Put things on the wall for instance a floating shelf, cubbies, baskets to corral and hide things but have good labeling. Most of our laundry room organization products are for hanging on the wall so it relieves the clutter on the floor space.”
What to buy: Pottery Barn Trenten Organization System. “I really like the Trenten shelves, they are open, they are functional and they look good,” says Lee, “The wood is solid, they hang easily, also they are modular so you can kind of mix and match them.”
Price: $99 to $299 at PotteryBarn.com
4. Upgrade Your Ironing Station
Why it will elevate your laundry room: Ironing boards, irons and spray bottles take up space and can be cumbersome. Upgrading your supplies and planning not only an area to iron, but also an attractive storage solution marries function and style.
What to buy: Pottery Barn Chrome Ironing Board Rack. “I love the Chrome Ironing Board Rack because there is a place to hang your ironing board (utilizing the vertical space of your wall), and right above it there is a shelving unit which is perfect for storing your iron, spray bottle, etc.” Lee says.
Price: $99 at PotteryBarn.com
What to buy: The Laundress Ironing Water highly concentrated scented spray water for your iron or steamer. “The Laundress makes the best laundry room products,” advises Grace. Plus, the bottle is pretty enough to add to an open shelf for display.
Price: $19 at TheLaundress.com
5. Add a Pop of Color
Why it will elevate your laundry room: Laundry rooms tend to be smaller spaces, so adding a wall paint, or even just an accent wall will not cost a lot of money. “You can add a pop of color and make the space cheerful,” suggests Lee, “Especially if you want children to help out with laundry. You can try and make the laundry room more bright and fun.” If you are looking for a real bargain on paint, you can check out Home Depot Oops Paint to see if there are any fun extra paints that might work for your project.
What to buy: Benjamin Moore Aura Bath & Spa Matte Base Interior Paint. This pricey paint is worth it (especially in a smaller space where you won’t have to buy too much). I used this in a bathroom and not only was I amazed by the color saturation (I used a dark chocolate brown), but it lasted for years and held up to frequent sponge cleaning wipe downs.
Price: $36.99 per quart at AceHardware.com
6. Consider Wallpaper
Why it will elevate your laundry room: We love the use of wallpaper in smaller spaces. It brings in color and personality without a large expense. Lee recommends trying out a peel and stick wallpaper on an accent wall, inside cubbies or even on a folding shelf. While you could certainly go bold you also can, “use a grasscloth on the wall to offer texture and warmth in an otherwise hard-surfaced room,” suggests Grace.
What to buy: Pottery Barn Tropical Blue Peel & Stick Removable Wallpaper. This bold wallpaper uses a self-adhesive which is removable and repositionable. It’s made of vinyl and has a 20.5” pattern repeat.
Price: $59 for a roll at PotteryBarn.com
What to buy: Brewster Grasscloth Wallpaper. You can order a sample of this classic style, or purchase by the roll (which offers approximately 95 square feet of coverage). This wallpaper is unpasted so you will need to install it using a wallcovering adhesive.
Price: $139.98 at Amazon.com
7. Install a Folding Shelf
Why it will upgrade your laundry room: Folding is a necessary part of the laundry chore process and having a dedicated counter or folding shelf makes the space more functional. “Many people don’t put a counter for folding,” says Lee. “They just put things directly on top of the washer or dryer and then it rumbles and it falls, plus it looks messy.” Lee mentions that she installed her own folding shelf inexpensively by visiting a local hardware store using brackets and a piece of wood. For an extra design pop, she covered her folding shelf with peel and stick wallpaper.
What to buy: Mart Cobra Folding Shelf Brackets. Available in various sizes, these heavy duty wall brackets are collapsible and have locking hinges. You can lock into place at 90 degrees, or release and fold down as a space saver.
Price: $14.99 for two 12 inch brackets at Amazon.com
8. Upgrade Your Lighting
Why it will upgrade your laundry room: A well-lit laundry room will not only make the space more cheerful to work in but also will make it more useful. “You want to be able to see true colors when you are doing laundry in order to sort loads properly,” advises Lee. You also can consider a new fixture that fits with your overall design theme for the space.
What to buy: Philips LED Dimmable Warm Bulbs. It’s important to look for a lightbulb that offers a high color rendering index (CRI). These offer a CRI rating of 90, which allows us to see color better.
Price: $13.18 on sale from $13.99 at Amazon.com
What to buy: Crate and Barrel Maddox Black Flush Mount Light. This is a very chic light that would complement a variety of design themes. It’s offered in black or white.
Price: $149 at CrateAndBarrel.com
9. Add Some Attractive Drying Racks
Why it will upgrade your laundry room: For delicates it’s not always possible to machine dry. Include drying racks into your overall laundry room plan. To save space, look for wall mounted racks that make use of vertical space and fold out of the way when you don’t need them.
What to buy: Pottery Barn Galvanized Wall-Mount Laundry Drying Rack. This space saver mounts to the wall and can be lowered at three different levels.
Price: $129 at PotteryBarn.com
10. Consider Tile and Flooring Options
Why it will upgrade your laundry room: Flooring helps bring the overall flow of a home together. “If possible consider the rooms next to the laundry room and perhaps extend the same flooring,” suggests Grace, “Or if using tiles, go for the largest tile you can find for a more luxurious look. Perhaps add a nice rubber mat in front of the workstation if you plan to be standing there a lot for folding, ironing, etc.”
What to buy: DEXI Rubber Mat. This mat is easy to maintain and keep clean; you can sweep, vacuum, shake off or rinse it. It also offers a non-slip backing for safety.
Price: $59.99 at Amazon.com
The post 10 Luxury Laundry Room Ideas to Make Laundry Day the Very Best Day appeared first on The Real Deal by RetailMeNot.
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