This basement laundry room plays many roles, so it got the star treatment in a reno that organizes the space to the max.

Lurking in too many basements is a room cluttered with the essential but unattractive “guts” of a home: furnace, ductwork, washer and dryer, and all the bits and bobs we need to store. That wasn’t far from the truth for Beth Lowenfeld’s clients, a busy family in Toronto’s west end. Her mission: provide storage for everything from cat litter to vacuum cleaner, and organize the space for laundry and hobbies. Now, with the furnace hidden in a new closet and a designated spot for each item close to where it will be used, the room works hard so the owners don’t have to. Sleek finishes, a cheery palette of pinky peach and smoky forest green, and distinguished hardware let this space take centre stage in the role of a lifetime.

Photography: Mike Chajecki

Cabinetry

“The budget didn’t allow for custom cabinetry,” says designer Beth Lowenfeld of Four Blocks South in Toronto. Instead, she used budget-friendly standard cabinets to up the storage. Ductwork presented a challenge solved by mounting uppers a few inches above base cabinets, which created a small counter that acts as a handy perch for items.

Open Storage

Birch open shelves and a hanging rod optimize vertical storage in this hard-working space. The owner’s homemade preserves make a lovely display and add colour and texture.

Photography: Mike Chajecki

Flooring

Budget-friendly sheet-vinyl flooring is pretty and practical, creating the look of patterned tiles at a fraction of the cost.

Backsplash

A wall of hexagon-shaped tiles brings modern flair to a focal wall in the small space. Install- ing the elongated tile on the vertical creates the illusion of higher ceilings in the basement. White opens up the space and marries seamlessly with the quartz countertop.

Photography: Mike Chajecki

Fixtures

“To dress up the space, we added touches of brass throughout, including the faucet, articulating arm wall sconce and cabinet hardware,” says Beth. Note how placing a few other gold-tone accents on the shelves and by the sink give the room a polished and styled look.

Countertop

“Being a laundry room, we wanted a countertop that would be durable even when wet, so we splurged on quartz,” says Beth. The homeowner also wanted to use the space to re-pot plants. “Quartz was both a beautiful and practical choice,” adds the designer. She continued the surface over the washer and dryer, elevated for their extra height, as a place to fold clothes.

Photography: Mike Chajecki

Sink

A single-basin apron-front sink is a practical choice for handwashing delicates or cleaning up after potting plants. The modern farmhouse feel fits with the display of jarred preserves, Shaker cabinets and industrial-style sconce.