Designers Say Skipping This Room When Decorating Is a Big Mistake

While living rooms, bedrooms, and kitchens get plenty of attention and are always fun to decorate, there are other rooms of the home that are often full of potential yet may not be top of mind during the design process. As a result, you may put these spaces off until you’ve lived in your home for some time—or perhaps you neglect to ever really outfit them beyond the basics.

We asked designers to comment on the most underrated room in the home, and for three pros, the laundry room was their immediate answer. That said, there’s no reason your laundry room has to be an afterthought when there’s so much you can do to upgrade this space.

Here, these designers speak to why the laundry room is a hidden gem and how it can be thoughtfully decorated in order to truly make a statement. Get ready to embrace tons of color as you bring your own (possibly neglected) laundry room to life.

The Most Underrated Room to Decorate

The designers we spoke with agree that the laundry room is the most underrated room in the home to decorate, though powder baths were a close second. Kristina Phillips, the founder of Kristina Phillips Interior Design, explains how the laundry room is most likely the most used space in the house, yet the most overlooked.

Rebecca Merritt, the founder of Merritt Design Co., shares similar sentiments, noting that many people spend a whopping five to 10 hours in their laundry room per week. Who knows, giving a little love to your laundry room may make you dread the time you spend washing and folding clothes just a tiny bit less.

The best part is that there are no real rules at play when it comes to the laundry room—the direction in which you should take your design scheme is entirely up to you.

“Whether you want it to bring peace or spark joy, it deserves more love,” Merritt says.

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Tips for Decorating the Laundry Room

While there aren’t many rules associated with the laundry room, there is one main piece of advice that designers share when it comes to decorating this part of the home, and that is to embrace bold design and color.

Phillips is all about making the laundry room both fun and functional and envisions a vibrant, pattern-filled space. She suggests opting for a patterned floor tile or area rug as well as a vinyl wall covering, a playful light fixture, and a nice window treatment to round out the space.

Michelle Lynne, the owner of ML Interiors Group, agrees that laundry rooms make for an excellent opportunity to take a chance with design selections.

“It’s a great area to express personal hobbies, favorite colors, and other interests that otherwise might feel out of place in other spaces,” Lynne says.

For example, she suggests, why not opt for a red washer and dryer if you’ve always felt drawn to that color and have not yet had a place to use it?

Additionally, Lynne recommends outfitting the laundry room with some practical additions that will make the room even more usable, all the while keeping aesthetics top of mind. Suggestions include plenty of bins and baskets as well as an area to line dry clothes.

Moreover, she offers, why not jazz up one of your walls with chalkboard paint?

“Adding a chalkboard wall is also a great idea to make shopping lists, or cheeky notes to the kids,” the designer says. “Putting a pop of fun in functionality is always on trend for a laundry room.”