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Some rooms scream, others whisper. The best utility rooms move in silence. Laundry rooms are about absorbing the chaos of everyday life so that the rest of your home can breathe.
Utility rooms are often forgotten when it comes to design. As far as functionality goes, these spaces are the glue of the home. Yes, it’s where you keep your cleaning supplies, but it’s also where you do chores multiple times a week, and it often doubles as a mudroom.
Everyone has that drawer of things they’re not sure what to do with. Sometimes that takes form in a room. When a mudroom and laundry room are combined, it’s a recipe for overwhelm – a small space now trying to wear many hats.
In the Bent Pine renovation, we began with a cluttered and inefficient back entry that was functioning not as a garage, storage area, mudroom, or laundry room, but all 4 wrapped in one. We needed a space that worked as hard as it looks. By reworking the floor plan and refining how each square foot was used, we were able to reconfigure the space in a way that was more catered to how our client uses it. The space now feels calming, elevated, and thoughtfully connected, despite housing multiple functions that don’t traditionally coexist.
One priority for use was creating custom built in storage solutions with doors to keep daily necessities organized and out of sight. Using consistent cabinetry, door hardware, and color drenching the room helped to create an expansive view that your eye moves across, instead of dividing each area into compartmented zones.
The original walk-in pantry was removed to save space, and pantry functionality was preserved through thoughtfully planned cabinet placement.
Because this room was also functioning as a back entry, we knew this space would occasionally be welcoming guests. With that in mind, we added dedicated hanging areas for laundry delicates to keep laundry out of sight. We also included a wet bar with dedicated wine storage, both practical and unexpected to elevate this room.
No renovation unfolds exactly as planned. At Bent Pine, unexpected structural soffits and hidden plumbing were revealed during construction. The part of interior design that you don’t always see on Instagram is the problem solving and project management that goes on behind the scenes. We were able to coordinate with the contractor early on in construction to resolve these issues and make sure the final plan was not compromised.
We also created a custom half-door gate that pockets and hides easily into the doorway. This solved the concern of dogs running out without blocking off this room from the rest of the home.
This project serves as reminder that the rooms we often overlook have so much to give. If you’d like to transform your home, let’s connect.
At TEW Design Studio, we believe interior design should make your life easier—not something you postpone until conditions are “perfect.” The small spaces in your home often make the biggest impact in its functionality and ultimately impact your mental health when they aren’t working well.
Whether you’re searching for interior designers near me, luxury interior designers in Raleigh, or full-service interior design services, the goal isn’t perfection. It’s longevity, comfort, and spaces that work as hard as you do. Thoughtful design isn’t about waiting for later. It’s about building a home that supports the life you’re living now.
TEW Design Studio is a full-service interior design firm serving Raleigh, Durham, and surrounding North Carolina communities, specializing in residential, commercial, and hospitality interiors.
Our work blends durability, beauty, and livability because great design should last.
Check out our latest blogs to see what’s new at TEW!
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Some rooms scream, others whisper. The best laundry rooms move in silence. A well-designed laundry room does more than house your washer and dryer. It absorbs the chaos of everyday life so the rest of your home can breathe. And when it doubles as a mudroom, the stakes become even higher. These small, hardworking spaces […]
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