This Is The Way We Do The Wash

I don't do laundry but I think people who do it should be comfortable.

Car-dealership magnate Ernie Bloch Jr., who lives in a 16,000-square-foot mansion in Boston and has a "massive" laundry room, to the Wall Street Journal

I smiled when I read that quote in the Wall Street Journal last week ("The Baddest House on the Block" by Nancy Keates, August 1, 2013). What makes a laundry room comfortable? For many people, just finding a place for a washer and dryer can be a challenge. Stacking units are helpful, and some homeowners are able to tuck their laundry appliances into closets and behind curtains or sliding doors. A truly comfortable laundry room should be well-lit with a flat work surface, a drying rack (perhaps mounted on the wall), a rod for hanging clothes, a sink and well-organized storage space for supplies. Attaching an ironing board to the wall keeps it handy but out of the way. If you want to make your workspace pretty, you might consider wallpaper. Like the powder room, the laundry offers a place to try a pattern or color that might overwhelm a larger space. Painting the room a bright color can be fun, while soothing shades create a serene work area. Curtains and rugs soften the sterility of large appliances, and decanting laundry powder into glass jars eliminates unattractive containers. The laundry room photos below feature a hand-painted wall covering, Philippe Starck Ghost chairs, skirts for the sink and a black light. Take a peek for inspiration . . .  
       

"Laundry would not seem like a chore if you were washing clothes in a space dressed with hand-painted [Gracie] wallpaper, custom storage and a designer chandelier. Draza Stamenich is the young McLean designer who created the show-house laundry room in a minuscule space tucked off the kitchen."
Three-story Victorian mansion on a hilltop in Georgetown.

Photography by Gordon Beall.

"D.C. Design 2009 - A Little Luxury as You Launder" by Liz Seymour.

The Washington Post (April 16, 2009).

Interior design by Suellen Gregory of Richmond, Virginia.

Photo obtained from website of Suellen Gregory Interior Design.

"Commanding [Cole and Son] wallpaper from Lee Jofa sets the tone for the black-and-white laundry room. Classic hexagonal tiles cover the floor, while polka dots play under the sink."

Scottsdale, Arizona, home of Berkley Vallone and her family.

Interior design by Berkley Vallone, Berkley Interior and Lifestyle Design.

Builder for remodel: Nance Construction.

Photography by Colleen Duffley.

Written by Lisa Cregan.

"Gotta Love It!" produced by Barbara Mundall.

Traditional Home (May 2012).

"Homeowner Alison Booth doesn't shy away from color, and her conveniently-located second-floor laundry room is no exception. Strong colors and graphic patterns balance each other and add interest. For a bold wallpaper like this, keep cabinets and flooring in neutral or white."
Designer: Alison Booth, Booth Supply.
Photography by Victoria Macdonald.
"Pink Laundry Room"
Canadian House and Home (March 2009).

"Charm was the operative word as Jennifer Markanich created a multifunctional mudroom, which serves as a back entry from the garage. A utility sink skirted with a yellow, cream, and gray paisley fabric carries the charm banner, but it's super functional as well. A wide drainboard makes it a good work surface when loading laundry into the nearby washer and dryer. Shelves above the sink are stocked with vases, simplifying flower arranging. And for a fun twist on traditional, the designer covered a modern Philippe Starck 'Ghost Chair' in paisley fabric." 

O'More College of Design Showhouse in Franklin, Tennessee.

Design: Jennifer Markanich, Timeless Interiors.

Photography by Werner Straube.

"Living on Campus" written by Amy Elbert.

Traditional Home (July - August 2013). 

"A playful pink window valence and sink skirt celebrates the casual air of the tropics in the laundry room."

Southern California home of interior designer Wendi Young and family.

Interior design by homeowner Wendi Young, Wendi Young Design.

Photography by James Carriere.

Written by Sarah Egge.

"California Home Decorated To Feel Like a Tropical Retreat" produced by Andrea Caughey.

Traditional Home. 

Laundry room created with products from The Container Store. Spaces are "customizable by finish and size, with free online or in-store design services."

Elle Decor's Modern Life Concept House 2012: A townhouse at the Dillon in New York City.

Photography by Christopher Sturman.

Elle Decor.

"The 'his' side of the closet houses a compact washer and dryer set."

East Village, New York City, apartment of David Kaihoi, his wife Monique Simard, and their daughter.

Interior design by David Kaihoi.

Photography by Ngoc Minh Ngo.

"Living Big in a One-Bedroom" interview by Barbara King.

House Beautiful (July - August 2010).

Barn doors painted Benjamin Moore's Fresno "pack a punch in the laundry area. 'The doors to the laundry room could have been a lost opportunity - just another pair of white doors,' says [designer Mona Ross] Berman. 'But we felt they shouldn't be an afterthought. Painting them orange made them very visible and special. They read as art,' " 

New Jersey beach house of Maureen Doron, owner of the clothing store Skirt.

Interior design by Mona Ross Berman, Mona Ross Berman Interiors.

Photography by Jonny Valiant.

Text by Lisa Cregan

"A Sixties Surfer-Chic Beach House" produced by Ori Ben-Dor and David M. Murphy.

 House Beautiful (September 2011).

In the mudroom, "a bench is flanked by sliding barn doors that hide the children's cubbies on one side and a washer/dryer on the other."

Custom cabinetry designed by Wendy Posard.

Hardware above cabinetry: Bunny Williams.

Architectural and interior design by Wendy Posard, Wendy Posard and Associates.

Photography by John Granen.

Written by Amy Elbert.

"Handsome Hillside Home in California" produced by Eleanor Roper.

Traditional Home.

"The laundry room in the lower level of the 2010 Princess Margaret Showhome is covered in soft green tiles and crisp white built-in cabinetry from IKEA. A sewing table and open shelving make household chores a breeze, and the generous sink is perfect for flower arranging. The mangle rotary iron is a state-of-the-art appliance for pressing sheets and other large items in seconds."
Photography by Michael Graydon.
"Lovely Laundry Room"
Canadian House and Home (December 2010).

"Ironing becomes a major chore when it involves locating, extracting and clumsily setting up the laundry board. Solve the space problem and the hassle in one go with this ironing board concealed in beadboard paneling."

Design by Louise Brooks, Brooks and Falotico.

"Decorating and Design Tips From Louise Brooks"

Traditional Home.

"Designer Theresa Casey renovated her 600-square-foot basement to include an office, guest bedroom and luxe laundry area. She saved on affordable white lacquered cabinetry but added vintage handles, a marble countertop, a gallery wall and a vintage ladder to make the utilitarian space seem special."

Interior design by Theresa Casey, Casey Design/Planning Group Inc.

Photography by Angus Fergusson.

"High-Low Laundry Room"

Canadian House and Home (June 2011).

I found this photo of a serene laundry area on Theresa Casey's website: Casey Design/Planning Group Inc.

It features a stackable washer and dryer, subway tile, ample counter space and a train rack for hanging items. 

Design and photo credit: Theresa Casey, Casey Design/Planning Group Inc.

"The design of this room centers around a long Corian countertop that spans a washer, dryer and ample cabinets. Fresh blue walls, a striped runner [from Dash and Albert] and sleek faucet complete the pretty decorating."
Wall color: "Blue Grass" from Benjamin Moore's Designer Classics Collection.
Photography by Donna Griffith.
"Light-Filled Laundry Room"
Canadian House and Home (October 2007).

"Paige [Schnell] turned her attention to even the most utilitarian room, hanging a sleek glass pendant above the washer and dryer."

"Tarpon Run" - Southern Living's 2009 Port Arkansas Idea House on the Texas Gulf Coast.

Interior design by Paige Schnell of Tracery Interiors.

Architects: Jeff Dungan and Louis Nequette of Dungan Nequette.

Photo credits: Laurey W. Glenn and Robbie Caponetto.

Styling by Matthew Gleason.

"2009 Texas Idea House" written by Jennifer Berno.

Southern Living.

"A single window once limited this laundry space's storage potential, but small cabinets came to the rescue. Without blocking out too much natural light, the short cabinets add enough space to keep laundry supplies nice and tidy. A large countertop is the perfect spot for folding laundry. This laundry space is tucked into a kitchen corner, and the same cabinetry was used throughout the whole room for a seamless, integrated look."

"Stylish and Efficient Laundry Rooms" by Allison Maze.

Better Homes and Gardens.

Laundry room designed by Stephen Fanuka and Electrolux for the Kips Bay Decorator Showhouse 2011.

Design by Stephen Fanuka of "Million Dollar Contractor" and Fanuka, Inc. with Electrolux.

 Photo: Business Wire.

"Contractor Stephen Fanuka collaborated with Electrolux on this mod, space-age laundry bathed in blue light. Lozenge-shaped cutouts in the wall make the closets look like installation art."

Design by Stephen Fanuka of "Million Dollar Contractor" and Fanuka, Inc. with Electrolux.

Photo via Apartment Therapy.

"Design Ideas From the Kips Bay Decorator Showhouse 2011"

Apartment Therapy.