1 Adjustable swim arm sconce, $200, unionlf.com. 
2 Small jute storage bins, $7 each, hm.com.
3 Lavender fabric softner, $9, Lavender laundry detergent, $22, mrsmeyers.ca. 
4 Bosjön kitchen faucet, $169, ikea.ca.
5 Jute laundry basket with lid, $49.99, hm.com.
6 Rabat tile stencil, $10.50, designstudio.com; Beauti-Tone floor enamel, $42 per gallon, homehardware.ca.
7 Woven nylon hamper, $25, homesense.ca.
8 Clay pot, $10, plantworld.net.
9 Watering can decorative piece, $50, zarahome.com.
10 Whirlpool washer & dryer, $1,996 per pair, lowes.ca.

Create a room like this no matter your budget with a few simple design tips:

1 Go for look-at-me flooring.
Our Low floor looks like it’s tiled with authentic artisanal cement pieces, but it was actually decorated using floor enamel and a stencil. Though labour-intensive, it’s a super affordable approach that lends itself especially well to an unfinished basement space — the flooring is already concrete! For a long-lasting finish, source a durable enamel, such as an exterior-grade acrylic. These are the colour we used:

1 Beauti-Tone Hugs & Kisses A10-5-1411-0, homehardware.ca.
2 Beauti-Tone Pink Touch A23-7-1069-0, homehardware.ca.
3 Beauti-Tone Coco Chenille RI50-3, homehardware.ca.
4 Beauti-Tone Frond D25-4-0232-0, homehardware.ca.
5 Beauti-Tone Blushing Bride A10-6-1412-0, homehardware.ca.
 

2 Choose a matte black faucet.
White, grey and pink all over — with a heavy dose of natural finishes: This laundry room’s airy scheme called for a grounding force. Enter the matte black faucet. Whether you choose a rounded or an angular profile, there’s a great one-handle pull-down option for every budget.

(From left to right)
1 Sleek black matte high-arc faucet, $540, moen.ca.
2  Trinsic single handle faucet, $486, deltafaucet.ca.
3 Vigo Gramercy faucet, $234, homedepot.ca.
4 Pfister fullerton faucet, $279, lowes.ca.
 

3 Keep costs down with simple, but stunning DIYs.
Figures of function, washers and dryers are rarely a laundry room’s style stars. To amp up their visual appeal and add a work surface, we created a wooden surround by simply cutting ready-made butcher block countertops to size and securing them in place. It’s a simple DIY any novice can manage.

Editor's tip: All it takes to assemble this chic wooden surround is a saw and four L-brackets.

1 Karlby countertop, $220, ikea.ca.
 

4 Think practically.
Tucked away in the niche above the appliances, this slim tray keeps must-haves like dryer sheets and essential oils handy. Small dishes hold random bits like pocket change and loose buttons.

1 Lacquer wood tray, $44, westelm.com.
 

5 Opt for a lidded hamper.
No need to air your dirty laundry — instead, opt for a lidded hamper. With a top cover, your less-than-fresh unmentionables will be kept out of sight, so the eye can settle on the pleasing texture of a woven piece. Whether made from strands of synthetic fibres, lengths of natural grass or a combination of the two, the hamper is a tactile element that is sure to introduce depth and dimension to your space.

1 Neautra white lidded basket, $285, thecrossdesign.com.
2 Laundry basket with lid, $70, zarahome.ca.
3 Flat lid woven hamper, $120 US, connectedgoods.com.