Fall is officially underway and now that most of the yard work is done, it’s time to move inside and give some much-needed love to a room that often gets neglected; the laundry room.

The majority of homes have their laundry on the main floor and bedrooms up; if you’re thinking about building a new home, one of my first suggestions is to put at least one of the laundry centers on the same floor as the bedrooms (yes, lots of new builds are now adding two laundry centers-can you say first world problems!?!). But seriously folks, I cannot stress this enough-it only makes sense to keep the laundry room close to the rooms that create all the laundry!

So whether you’re renovating an existing laundry room or starting new, here are a few tips and design ideas to make it a room you’ll want to spend time in.

Think about how you like to do your laundry before you plan your space.  If you hang everything to dry, add in some build in drying racks. If everything gets tossed in the dryer and folded immediately, then building a counter on top of the washer/dryer may make sense for you.

People are realizing they don’t use the laundry room sink nearly as often as they thought they would and are opting out in exchange for more storage and counter space.

If you have the availability, a nice large farmhouse sink (ceramic or stainless) is always nice, even if it’s just to look at!

Storage is key whatever space you’re in. Transferring your detergent and soap to glass containers adds some style-using a water dispenser is a handy way to access your detergent, just make sure everyone knows it’s soap!

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Not many people think to add special touches to the laundry room; adding in shiplap or wallpaper gives it a charming feel and makes you forget you’re doing chores. The tile in your laundry room can have a bit more personality and fun as well as you cabinets. Adding in window coverings and a vintage rug can add personality and charm.  

Laundry may be an unenjoyable task, you might as well enjoy the space you’re in while doing it!

Courtney Ungaro is an interior designer living in Kelowna and has been working on both residential & commercial projects around the beautiful Okanagan for over 12 years. She has recently started her own company Courtney Ungaro Space + Design specializing in residential & commercial design as well as creative event styling. If she’s not on a job site or shopping for the perfect piece you can probably find her supporting a locally owned restaurant/brewery/winery with her husband and kids. Follow her projects on Instagram@courtneyungaro_spaceanddesign.