Back in February, I was invited to be apart of Real Simple Magazine’s 7th annual Real Simple Home showhouse! *insert excited scream here* This year’s home was a historic brownstone in Crown Heights, Brooklyn, and I couldn’t be more excited about the opportunity!

What comes to mind when you think about a laundry room? As someone who loves doing laundry and folding clothes, I know many don’t feel the same and see it more as a necessary yet loathing chore. Well, all the more reason for the space to be fun! I wanted to design a space that felt whimsical, inspirational, and energetic yet soothing! I’d paint the cabinetry and walls with bold and bright colors, then layer in pattern with the tile, wallpaper, rug, and artwork. Here’s what I had in mind…

For the color palette, I selected calm colors that would help one relax, but also be bold and unique. The artwork and rug would also provide pops of color to draw the eye in. One of my favorite aspects of the space is the wallpaper I added the ceiling - MY wallpaper from my collection that launched last year with Mitchell Black. The Gentle Giraffe print in grape and chartreuse provided a touch a playfulness around the beautiful skylight. Lastly, I was excited to add a custom gold foil decal to the original glass door leading into the room. I named the space, “The Laundry Lounge” because I wanted to put a relaxing twist on an everyday space, one that would make anyone that enters want to stay a while.

After viewing the house in April and returning throughout the summer for the install and final photography, I began to fall more and more in love with Brooklyn! It was important to add intentional touches in the styling that was an ode to the brownstone’s location. From Jay-Z and Spike Lee t-shirts hanging above the sink, to the cocktail glassware and books that complemented Black art and historic restaurants and laundromats across New York City, I’m very proud of what I was able to create in this renovated home. Take a look!

I’m so grateful to the entire Real Simple team, developer, architect, and contractors, generous sponsors and vendors, and everyone that made the 2024 Real Simple Home possible! To see more behind the scenes, check out #RSHome2024 and #ProjectLaundryLounge on Instagram. And to see the entire home, check out the tour on realsimple.com or pick up the October issue of Real Simple, available on newsstands NOW!

Be Blessed!

ACG

Design Deets:

Wall Paint - Renew Blue by Valspar

Cabinet Paint - Purple Fury by Valspar

Ceiling Wallpaper - Gentle Giraffe by Blessed Little Bungalow x Mitchell Black

Tile - Fireclay Tile

Cabinet Hardware - Nest Studio

Rug - Anthropologie

Sink - Delta

Faucet - Delta

Laundry Supplies - The Laundress

Table Lamp - Visual Comfort

Vases - Currey & Company

Laundry Basket - Pottery Barn

Artwork - At the Luandromat, Bubblegum Giraffe, Rainboy of Laundry, and Festooned by Minted

Glass Canisters - The Container Store

Towels - Jungalow for Target

Custom Decal - JS Typography

Professional Photography: Kelly Marshall, Hoshi Joell