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The garden-inspired oasis is somewhere the homeowner loves spending time.

What words come to mind when you envision a utility room? For Philadelphia-based interior designer Lucy O’Brien of Tartan & Toile, utility translates to function, yes, but can also evoke a “whimsical oasis.” Well, at least in the case of this laundry room renovation in a 1960 historic home in the Main Line neighborhood.

Before O’Brien came on board, the dark and dingy space featured exposed HVAC, plumbing, pipes, and electrical wires—and not in the chic, industrial-style sense. O’Brien thus dubbed the project a blank slate and embarked on a mission to not just fix up the space but to “overhaul the essence of the room,” she says.

That meant creating designated zones of activity, including a full-height pantry for storage, a stacked washer/dryer to maximize space, a wall-mounted pull-down ironing board, a countertop for folding laundry with extra storage above and below, a spacious dog shower and sink, and open shelving.

Here, details matter. O’Brien paired an ornately patterned marble floor tile with a marble-like countertop slab for layers of pattern. In the dog shower, a petite brass railing, porcelain threshold, and decorative showerhead feel “magical,” says O’Brien. Consistent color on the built-ins, molding, and door lends cohesion and also ensures the Pierre Frey wallpaper pops. A contrasting cooler tone on the ceiling tricks the eye into assuming the walls are higher, while a vintage lampshade sourced from Etsy crowns the room.

“Our client said she now wants to hang out here, which not many of us can say about our laundry room,” laughs O’Brien. “She was open to color and having fun and, today, the space feels cheery and beautiful. It adds a little magic to the mundane tasks of life.”

O’Brien made simple plywood shelves look high-end by adding custom-cut brass gallery rails by Vintage Hardware & Fittings. The stone is a Calacatta Paonazzo porcelain slab from Elegantly Set in Stone. A French garden-inspired Pierre Frey wallpaper adds whimsy. to this colorful utility room. Paint: Haven, Wavecrest, and Billiard Green, Sherwin-Williams.

At the start of the project, one of the client’s two dogs had an injured ACL that made it challenging for him to bathe in the upstairs tub. O’Brien created this multifunctional dog shower as a solution, and it doubles as a spot to clean muddy boots, water plants, and wash dirty feet. Tile: TileBar. Fixtures: Kingston Brass.

O’Brien spruced up this workspace by adding luxe detergent and cleaning supplies from The Laundress and a dog painting she sourced from an estate sale.

A small corner with odd cut-outs called for a custom built-in. “The cutouts were actually perfectly sized to store items like vacuums, mops and brooms,” says O’Brien. She used a thin metal roll of mesh versus a thick and ornate metal mesh for the doors to keep costs down. Door hardware: CB2.

House Beautiful: What was the space like before?

Lucy O'Brien: The house is 4,000-square-feet. The ‘before’ of the space consisted of exposed construction rough-in and old linoleum flooring over a concrete slab with some drywall here and there. With expert space planning and vision, we maximized every inch of the space, adding more zones of activity while making it feel larger. This was a full gut renovation and a complete overhaul of the various functions and locations. We had custom built-ins and millwork made as well. It’s really clean and organized now.

HB: Where did you find inspiration?

LO: With this project, our client gave us complete design freedom. We broke down all of the various nooks and activities and noted places that were useless, making sure to make them the most functional. For example, there was a cinder block beam sticking out of one side of the room. Instead of having an eyesore and drywall bump out, we added millwork and a hidden pull-down ironing board to have absolute functionality. After that, we channeled color and English and French influences.

HB: What’s your favorite part of the space?

LO: It is so hard to pick just one. I will say I love the dog shower area a lot. The multifunctional use in this feature blows my mind. It works for boots, flowers, dogs, dirty paws, as a full bath, fun kids’ entertainment, and the list goes on.

HB: Where did the majority of the budget go?

LO: The majority of the budget for the space went to construction labor and the fabrication of the cabinetry.

HB: How’d you save money?

LO: We utilized basic base materials so we could invest in the functionality of the space with built-ins and decorative pieces, such as fixtures and wallpaper. We chose a solid basic tile for both the floor and shower. We also were thoughtful about getting cost-effective hardware for the built-in pieces.

HB: Were there any challenges along the way?

LO: One hiccup that occurred during the project was related to the fabrication of the custom sink. The cutout in the marble did not match the drainage valve, so the flow was never perfect with the flat sink base. We modified this by putting in a more pitched sink base so the water would drain correctly.

Pantry Built-in: Salvage Works Co.

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