Design lesson: 3 distinctive laundry rooms

It’s one of the hardest-working rooms in your home – but that doesn’t mean it has to be completely utilitarian! Take inspiration from the distinctive laundry rooms on the next few pages. Then get the look with our pick of appliances, hampers, storage solutions and decorative accents to personalize your space. Who knows? You may end up loving laundry day!


Photography Monic Richard

Cottage casual
“Sometimes paint and imagination are more than enough to create a wonderful space,” says designer Kathy McAuley, who pulled together this rustic laundry room located in a guest cabin about 50' from the main house on Quebec’s Brome Lake. The look is inspired by the same cheeriness and no-fuss decorating approach as the rest of the cabin, resulting in a room that’s as fresh as a breath of country air.

Storage smarts
Two long wall shelves plus a narrow one backing the washer and dryer offer plenty of storage for accessories. Baskets and small pails in a variety of shapes corral supplies and define the country look.

Ideas to steal

• Kathy painted the original pine board flooring using Corrostop paint (tinted Benjamin Moore Cloud White CC-40). It contains polyurethane, giving the floor shine to reflect sunlight.
• The walls and ceiling are pine board, painted pale blue and warm white. Only one coat was used so the knots would be visible.