Remodelista

Interior designer Lynne Rutter created a true vintage laundry room in the 2007 San Francisco Decorator Showcase House. While we may not have a mansion-sized laundry room (or even a laundry room at all), we love the idea of outfitting a work space with essentials that bring functional design to a mundane task.

Below: Made with untreated ashwood, the Side-by-Side Ironing Board is good looking enough to leave out rather than hide in the closet. Based in Germany, Side by Side is a nonprofit mentoring program matching craftspeople with mentally or physically disabled apprentices. All profits go directly to the cause, which makes the steep $280 price tag easier to bear; available at Design Within Reach.

Below: Short on shelving or drawer space for your laundry supplies?  The Shaker Onion Basket is a space-saving alternative for spray bottles, clothes pins, and other essentials; $45 at Kiosk.

Below: Replace the plastic laundry basket with these Handwoven Willow Baskets lined with linen/cotton fabric; $65 to $180, depending on size, at Basic French Online.

Below:  The Shaker Drying Rack offers an impressive amount of drying space and folds flat for storage; $120 at Kiosk.

Below: Seletti's Underwear Dryer can be used for many purposes (creating a hanging photo mobile, for instance); $24 at Conran.

Below:  Great for mounting in a laundry space, the Five Rod Towel Drier by one of our favorite companies, Iris Hantverk, is available for $110 at Design Within Reach.

Below: Glass storage jars are useful in the laundry room; the Weck Glass Storage Jars, made in Oflingen, Germany, are sealed with metal clips. The mini is $2, the small is $4.50, and the large is $6 at Heath Ceramics.

Below: West Elm’s Clear Glass Jugs are $19 to $49, depending on size.