Inspiration for a small transitional single-wall dedicated laundry room in Raleigh with flat-panel cabinets, dark wood cabinets, quartz benchtops, porcelain floors, a stacked washer and dryer, brown floor and white benchtop.

After six years of living in their Huntley IL home, Chris and Meghan were tired of their dark, dingy, outdated kitchen and it was finally time for a long-anticipated change. “The kitchen is the place where we live, it’s where we do everything,” Meghan said. “It was important that it be a space where we wanted to be.” Meghan loves cooking and enjoys including their girls in healthy meal prepping, this led them to want a brighter, more enjoyable kitchen with increased functionality and improved storage. For Chris especially, the laundry room was an entirely dysfunctional eyesore. “We had a washer and a dryer, but it was all kind-of cobbled together!” Chris said. “There were always laundry piles everywhere, we weren’t really sure what we wanted to do in there, but it was time for us to make a change.” The mess of the space was stressful every time they walked in the door from the garage each day. Kids’ backpacks and shoes piled up haphazardly in the makeshift boot-bench closet left the family feeling disorganized and stressed. They needed space for folding clothes and locker cubbies to help keep the family organized. Having known Christine and Todd in the Huntley community for years, Chris and Meghan were familiar with their work. “We already trusted them personally and having seen their projects for years we knew they did top notch work. After we reviewed the initial round of designs, we knew that hiring them was definitely the right choice,” Meghan and Chris said. Although Chris had done a lot of work in their home himself, the kitchen and laundry room renovation was such a large undertaking that he didn’t want to steal time away from his family to spend what would surely be many long weekends doing the job himself. “That would not have been a wise choice for us,” Chris laughed. “Our designer, Michelle was very, very, easy to work with; anything we wanted to see or weren’t sure about, she went above and beyond to make this easy for us. She was easy to get hold of and always quick to respond,” the couple said. Michelle pulled ideas that mirrored the couple’s taste and style and was adept at directing the couple to limited choices that didn’t overwhelm them and kept the process moving. “I have a hard time making decisions. Michelle made the decision-making process so easy. I loved how she listened to what I liked and then presented three great options for me to choose from,” Meghan said. The main objectives for the kitchen were better storage solutions, they wanted the space to reflect their lifestyle and taste, and they wanted it to last for years with low maintenance. One of the first steps in creating a more functional kitchen was relocating the refrigerator, creating an improved workflow for the busy family. “We didn’t know that we could even move the refrigerator to a new location where it is now, that was something that we never would have thought of,” Chris said. “The new refrigerator location makes the kitchen feel so much bigger. We didn’t add any space, but our whole kitchen with the new design just seems like it’s so much larger than before!” Meghan said. The perimeter mist colored cabinets helped warm and brighten the entire room, while the graphite colored cabinets on the island added contrast. Using this fresh, clean color palette satisfied the couple’s desire for a bright space that was the exact opposite of what they had before. Organization accessories were also added to the cabinets such as a spice drawer tray and roll outs to create hidden convenience. “I absolutely love the hidden spices – it makes cooking so much more enjoyable!” Chris said. “And all the pull outs, and the double trash bin, who would think you could get so excited about organization!” the couple said in unison. One thing they hated in their original kitchen was how dark the space felt. Added lighting on the ceiling with the new light fixtures combined with the lighter cabinetry colors throughout solved this problem. “Our new kitchen has this warm, almost cozy feeling that our old kitchen never had, it’s just a space that I love spending my time in now,” Meghan said. The light airy feeling was accentuated with the use of floating white shelves on either side of the decorative range hood. “We have so much cabinetry space, the new design is amazing we actually have more storage space than we will ever need,” Meghan said. The island was extended to create more work surface and added space for stool seating. “The new island changes how we live. Now the kids can be in the kitchen with us, doing homework, eating breakfast, and the three of us have special dinners there when Chris is working late,” Meghan said. The Carrara Marmi Quartz countertops were chosen because they are, not only beautiful, but are made from hard-working material that doesn’t require maintenance. The white subway tile backsplash that wraps to the ceiling behind the focal point cooktop range/hood compliments the crisp white countertops perfectly, while brushed brass hardware and light fixtures keep the design fresh and new. The couple had a few fears at the beginning of the project, as most homeowners do. Their biggest fear was being out of their kitchen and laundry room for an extended time. The crew made it very easy for the family to work in a limited space keeping the washer and dryer hooked up the majority of the time, and also getting appliances working with minimal downtime. “They above and beyond accommodated us to get us through the process,” Meghan said. “They did a great job making sure we were as comfortable as possible throughout the process,” Chris added. “Our project manager DJ did a great job. He was very good at updating us on schedule changes, getting guys in as quickly as possible. Everyone that stepped in the house was nice and did great work,” said Chris. They thought Advance’s carpenter was phenomenal and were impressed when he took a conceptual idea from a photograph and worked with designer Michelle to create a one of a kind range/hood that has become the topic of conversation with friends and family who visit the new kitchen. “He was in our house literally every day for several weeks. He was easy to work with and good at what he did,” Meghan and Chris said. The focal point of the kitchen; a hand-crafted, custom-built ventilation hood was clad with handpicked reclaimed barnwood. Advance Design’s carpenter built the framework and the cladding to create a one-of-a-kind design element that the couple loves. “I think it was especially fun for him to create something unique from scratch, showcasing his talent in this area,” Meghan said. “I love that my kitchen is not like everyone else’s. I got to pick out the wood on my hood and watch it being built and was able to choose what pieces of wood went where on it. It’s totally unique.” Red Oak flooring was toothed-in throughout the kitchen and the rest of the first floor anywhere changes were made. Then the whole floor was refinished to tone down the orange undertones in the existing floor stain, ultimately changing the color complexion of the entire first floor. The result is a completely new feeling to the entire home. Renovating the laundry room was extremely important to Meghan and Chris, but they had trouble visualizing what the possibilities were for the seemingly small space. Michelle produced beautiful 3D illustrations that helped them envision the space in a whole new way. “I must have told Michelle 100 times that I am a visual person, seeing the designs in 3D made it so easy to make decisions and see what we could really do with our space,” Meghan said. A dividing wall and doorway were removed between the existing laundry room and hallway formerly containing a coat closet, providing space to design specialized graphite colored cabinetry matching the kitchen island to house custom storage cubbies for each family member. Adding the tall utility cabinetry in the new laundry area helped solve the storage issue, tucking away cleaning supplies, household items, and even the cat got its own cubby. “I love how everything is now hidden in its own space. I can’t tell you how much I hated coming home and seeing everything sitting around on counters,” Chris said. Electrical outlets were planned for the inside of utility cabinets, so devices could charge in hidden locations. Stacking the washer and dryer allowed for wider countertop space to provide a folding area and a special space for clothes to hang. “The way I do laundry has been completely transformed! I can actually fold clothes and hang them now right out of the washer and dryer,” Meghan said. “The end result in the kitchen and the laundry/mud room was an updated light and bright space, with a smarter work flow that better meets the needs of this family,” Michelle said. “I would totally recommend Advance Design,” Meghan said. “Sometimes I sit and just look at my kitchen and laundry room and think ‘Wow, I can’t believe I get to live here!’ It’s an understatement to say we love our new space.”

An entry area to the home, this family laundry room became a catch-all for coats, bags and shoes. It also served as the laundry hub with a collection of portable drying racks, storage shelves and furniture that did not optimize the available space and layout. The new design made the most of the unique space and delivered an organized and attractive mud and laundry room with bench seating, hooks for hanging jackets and laundry needs, integrated wall drying racks, and lots of convenient storage.

This is an example of a mid-sized transitional galley utility room in Milwaukee with a farmhouse sink, recessed-panel cabinets, white cabinets, grey walls, ceramic floors, a concealed washer and dryer, brown floor and grey benchtop.

AV Architects + Builders Location: Falls Church, VA, USA Our clients were a newly-wed couple looking to start a new life together. With a love for the outdoors and theirs dogs and cats, we wanted to create a design that wouldn’t make them sacrifice any of their hobbies or interests. We designed a floor plan to allow for comfortability relaxation, any day of the year. We added a mudroom complete with a dog bath at the entrance of the home to help take care of their pets and track all the mess from outside. We added multiple access points to outdoor covered porches and decks so they can always enjoy the outdoors, not matter the time of year. The second floor comes complete with the master suite, two bedrooms for the kids with a shared bath, and a guest room for when they have family over. The lower level offers all the entertainment whether it’s a large family room for movie nights or an exercise room. Additionally, the home has 4 garages for cars – 3 are attached to the home and one is detached and serves as a workshop for him. The look and feel of the home is informal, casual and earthy as the clients wanted to feel relaxed at home. The materials used are stone, wood, iron and glass and the home has ample natural light. Clean lines, natural materials and simple details for relaxed casual living. Stacy Zarin Photography

Handmade in-frame kitchen, boot and utility room featuring a two colour scheme, Caesarstone Eternal Statuario main countertops, Sensa premium Glacial Blue island countertop. Bora vented induction hob, Miele oven quad and appliances, Fisher and Paykel fridge freezer and caple wine coolers.

Our dark green boot room and utility has been designed for all seasons, incorporating open and closed storage for muddy boots, bags, various outdoor items and cleaning products. No boot room is complete without bespoke bench seating. In this instance, we've introduced a warm and contrasting walnut seat, offering a cosy perch and additional storage below. To add a heritage feel, we've embraced darker tones, walnut details and burnished brass Antrim handles, bringing beauty to this practical room.

Inspiration for a large transitional u-shaped dedicated laundry room in Chicago with an undermount sink, shaker cabinets, blue cabinets, wood benchtops, blue splashback, shiplap splashback, white walls, dark hardwood floors, a side-by-side washer and dryer, brown floor, brown benchtop and wallpaper.

A large laundry room that is combined with a craft space designed to inspire young minds and to make laundry time fun with the vibrant teal glass tiles. Lots of counterspace for sorting and folding laundry and a deep sink that is great for hand washing. Ample cabinet space for all the laundry supplies and for all of the arts and craft supplies. On the floor is a wood looking porcelain tile that is used throughout most of the home.

This well-appointed laundry room features an undermount sink and full-sized washer and dryer as well as loads of storage.
Design ideas for a large arts and crafts dedicated laundry room in San Francisco with an undermount sink, raised-panel cabinets, white cabinets, quartz benchtops, multi-coloured splashback, stone tile splashback, grey walls, porcelain floors, a side-by-side washer and dryer, brown floor and grey benchtop.

Laundry with concealed washer and dryer behind doors one could think this was a butlers pantry instead. Open shelving to give a lived in personal look.

Large traditional laundry cupboard in New York with a farmhouse sink, white splashback, shiplap splashback, grey walls, medium hardwood floors, a stacked washer and dryer, brown floor and planked wall panelling.

Custom Built home designed to fit on an undesirable lot provided a great opportunity to think outside of the box with creating a large open concept living space with a kitchen, dining room, living room, and sitting area. This space has extra high ceilings with concrete radiant heat flooring and custom IKEA cabinetry throughout. The master suite sits tucked away on one side of the house while the other bedrooms are upstairs with a large flex space, great for a kids play area!

The compact and functional ground floor utility room and WC has been positioned where the original staircase used to be in the centre of the house. We kept to a paired down utilitarian style and palette when designing this practical space. A run of bespoke birch plywood full height cupboards for coats and shoes and a laundry cupboard with a stacked washing machine and tumble dryer. Tucked at the end is an enamel bucket sink and lots of open shelving storage. A simple white grid of tiles and the natural finish cork flooring which runs through out the house.

Inspiration for a transitional laundry room in San Francisco with recessed-panel cabinets, white cabinets, black walls, a stacked washer and dryer, brown floor and white benchtop.

Elegant, yet functional laundry room off the kitchen. Hidden away behind sliding doors, this laundry space opens to double as a butler's pantry during preparations and service for entertaining guests.

The stacked washer and dryer are a compact solution for a tight space. The heat pump dryer us ductless, saving energy and money.
This is an example of a small transitional single-wall utility room in San Francisco with flat-panel cabinets, white cabinets, quartz benchtops, grey splashback, porcelain splashback, grey walls, vinyl floors, a stacked washer and dryer, brown floor and yellow benchtop.

Design ideas for a small transitional single-wall laundry cupboard in Seattle with grey walls, vinyl floors, a side-by-side washer and dryer and brown floor.

Large transitional single-wall laundry cupboard in Houston with raised-panel cabinets, blue cabinets, grey walls, a side-by-side washer and dryer, brown floor and grey benchtop.