Design That Feels Like a Velvet Hug
How color drenching, thoughtful storage, and a softer approach to natural light transformed a failing utility room into an enveloping retreat.
All interiors in this story are of original work by Founder, Rachel Anderson, photographed by Evernew.
THE BEFORE
Can Laundry Be Fun?
If I asked what your favorite room at home to linger in is, would you say the laundry room? Probably not.
And yet, after taking a big risk on color in our own laundry room, I now count myself among those few. Maybe it was because we waited so many years to tackle this space or maybe it was the deep shade of green that turned this room into a retreat.
Prior to renovation, the laundry room was forgettable and rundown. The cabinets had lost their shelves and the sink was covered in layers of someone else’s past, but it was too functional to complain.
After nine years of hitting our heads on the existing white wire shelving, we’d had enough. I dove into this remodel with the intent of transforming this space into a place I could not resist—which is asking a lot of a utility room.
Happily, the room feels entirely different and I do find any excuse to go in there daily. Here’s how I got from the before to the after.
A DEPENDABLE WORKHOUSE RETIRES
From Dysfunctional to Beautifully Efficient
I have to confess. Doing laundry is actually one of my top favorite chores, if not the favorite.
I know not all will agree with me on this, but after several years of retail in my youth and a quaint obsession with organizing things since childhood, I have amassed some astonishing folding skills… just ask my family.
For me, the process is peaceful and meditative. Often in the silence and stillness of neatly folding a pile of shirts, new ideas or distant memories bubble up.
On more anxious days or when I need to pass time in anticipation, folding clothes helps to channel the extra energy and settle my mind.
Given all this—and that this was my first house with a dedicated laundry room—I was intent on designing a space that felt a little unlike a traditional laundry room. One that would feel welcoming and add a magical quality to an otherwise mundane task.
I guess you could say I wanted to give the room the old Mary Poppins once over.
Boring chores be gone. POOF!
ROOM FOR LIFE TO HAPPEN
Utility Can Be Beautiful and Fun
Who says hardworking rooms have to look utilitarian?
Small spaces like powder baths, mudrooms, and laundry rooms are great spots to take bigger risks in your design. Make a brave color decision, splurge on a smaller scale, or try out a new finish with little worry.
We kept this space affordable by shopping at a local big box store, but my one indulgence was this wall drying rack. Paying for itself in functionality alone, it had the dual benefit of looking like a piece of art above the machines, filling out this wall nicely.
To the right, a block print by one of my favorite artists—Jen Ament—depicts a set of magic hands at work, adding a playful touch when life’s chores become tedious.
A wheeling laundry cart adds a delightful aesthetic to the space, while also being the most fun and functional piece of decor in my home (also the fav of our cat, Otto, who can often be found napping inside).
WRAPPED IN GREEN
Playing With Color Drenching
This room receives a blast of intense afternoon sun. Conventional design advice might suggest using pale colors to make a utility room feel fresh and bright, but brightness is not what this room needed.
Inspired by another sunny space that I had color drenched in charcoal black, we went for a deep shade of forest green to coat not just walls, but ceiling, trim, and baseboards as well. This color drenching technique creates the feeling of being wrapped by the room when you enter.
Now, as the sun moves across the south-facing window, the color changes in spectacular fashion—from rich and shadowy to warm and luminous, and then back again. What once felt harsh now feels otherworldly and magical.
CLOSING THOUGHTS
A Room That Changed Ritual
I didn’t renovate this room just because my love of laundry begged me to do so. I did so with the belief that the ordinary work of caring for ourselves and our home is worth investing in.
Laundry was my favorite chore regardless of how the space looked, but now I get to enjoy a vital part of my self-care ritual with deeper satisfaction. Not only is the space beautiful, but it supports me in ways I didn’t know I needed.
The room now feels organized without feeling sterile, elegant without being precious and deeply calming without sacrificing function.
When the glaring afternoon sun pours through the window and moves across the green walls, the room feels warm but friendly. It almost seems to whisper thank you, as if it can now live up to its true potential.
What was once a degraded space that we avoided unless necessary has become one of my favorite rooms in the house. It is a small reminder that beauty is not frivolous, especially when it changes how everyday life feels.
Don’t save the good stuff for the “important” rooms.
Even the hardest-working spaces in our homes deserve to feel considered. A little color, personality and intention can turn an everyday chore into a much better place to spend a few minutes.
If there’s a room in your home you’ve been overlooking, maybe it’s time to give it a little more attention.