Laundry day is everyone’s favorite day, right? While that may not be entirely true, there’s no reason your laundry room can’t be somewhere you look forward to spending a little bit of time in. Design-wise, it’s a space that’s often bumped toward the bottom of the renovation wish list (along with the garage or basement bathroom), so instead of suggesting a pricey overhaul, we’ve come up with cheap and cheerful updates to give your laundry room loads of personality without washing money down the drain.
Laundry rooms can have notoriously bad (and often fluorescent) lighting. Swapping in a new pendant is fairly easy and can have big impact.
Photographer: Kate Osborne
A black ladder and hangers bring contrast and practicality to this white space.
A series of matching baskets, glass containers and bins keep laundry essentials organized and cut down on visual clutter.
Juicy sherbet orange brings a welcoming pop of color to an otherwise mundane space.
This antique cart on wheels adds loads of personality and is a neat place to fold clothes.
Go bold with an oh-so-appropriate wallpaper like this blue wave-patterned one.
Woven baskets and weathered floor tiles give a new-build laundry room instant character.
Photographer: Tessa Neustadt
A coat of paint in a hue like mint green will totally transform your laundry room.
Wire baskets keep washcloths neatly in one place, while a clear vessel makes even laundry detergent look good.
Painted navy blue and wonderfully weathered, this vintage door ups the architectural character in designer Christine Dovey’s laundry room.
Photographer: Ashley Capp
If wallpaper isn’t in the budget, the next best thing to refresh your walls is a coat of paint, and we can’t think of a more appropriate color for a laundry room than this watery blue hue.
Photographer: Tessa Neustadt
If you stick with the same style of hardware you already have (i.e. pulls that are the same width as your existing ones, or new knobs to replace old ones) updating your hardware is easy. Here, matte gold knobs dress up plain white cabinets.
Hanging your children’s drawings, a family photo or a painting like this colorful popsicle one in your laundry room can it a more cheerful space.
Trade flimsy hangers for more substantial (and better looking) wood ones — your clothes will thank you.
An ironing board can act like artwork on your laundry room’s walls — especially with a stylish cover like this striped one. Plus, hanging the ironing board when it’s not in use frees up floor space.
Photographer: Tessa Neustadt
Ensure your laundry room isn’t dark and dreary by installing doors with windows that let light in. They’ll keep you feeling connected to the rest of the house while you’re doing laundry, too.
Photographer: Kate Osborne
Tucking a dog or cat bed into a nook in your laundry room ensures you’ll never really be alone on laundry day.