Designers

Best Use of Color 2021 Winner

An ordinary laundry room needed to be transformed into a colorful dream space that made household chores enjoyable. The result was a highly functional laundry and storage space with wow factor and whimsy from floor to ceiling.

by Colin Shea Denniston

Sep 2021

Photo by Jeremy Mason McGraw, Global Image CreationsThe hardware acts as the jewelry for the space, combining function with a touch of luxury.

WINNING DESIGNER: Interior Designer Nathan Taylor, Owner & Principal Designer of Obelisk Home

Project Goal Summary

The terms beautiful and laundry room don’t often go together, but that is exactly what designer Nathan Taylor of Obelisk Home created with this laundry room overhaul. “We literally gutted the laundry room and started completely over” says Taylor.

The homeowner spends a lot of her time doing laundry and was looking to create a space where she would want to spend time. She expressed to Taylor one of the most important elements of the redesign was finding a way to remove clutter from the space and make it feel more open. In the existing laundry room, you could see everything. With this redesign the homeowner told Taylor, “I want it to always look pretty when you walk in here.”

Taylor carefully balanced colors, patterns and textures to create a space that was as beautiful as it is functional. “When we found the wallpaper, she’s like, ‘that’s it!’” says Taylor. “It really created that over-the-top dramatic impression without being pattern everywhere.” The white glass chandeliers played an important role in breaking up the busyness of the wallpaper on the ceiling.

When it came to the cabinetry, the color of blue and finish of the paint were integral in tying everything together. “My original idea was to do it in a high gloss, and she was like, ‘yes, let’s do it!’ She was very trusting,” says Taylor. Other design details amplify the functionality of the space for day-to-day use. Cabinets extended to the celling for maximum storage and a rolling ladder makes it accessible. Pull-down drying racks above the washer and dryer allow the homeowner to hang clothing at eye level and then lift the racks back up to dry. “She loved having that option,” says Taylor. “The main thing is to make it look like a beautiful space even while laundry is going on.”