Collections in a Hard-Working Laundry Room

Rita C. - Panoply
by Rita C. - Panoply
Collections can be part of your decor as little accents, or amassed, however it suits your style. They can be for their originally intended purpose, or be totally repurposed for something else. They can be placed to provoke conversation, or just simply fill a void. For me, these collections just made sense in this room, massed together, and with a purpose, if needed. They are more than just something to look at (which makes me happy and fills my most basic desire); but, because they're mostly utilitarian objects, they can be used today, just as they were years ago.
Here's a look at my hard-working laundry room / mudroom / powder room....with more in blog link below.
I like to mass collections for impact, just like my flowers in the garden. If you have to be in a room working anyway, why not put some things in there that are fun to look at? If company uses the room - all the more reason to display some things.
One of the collections I keep in this room is part of my brown transferware and undecorated ironstone (they count as one collection in my book). On the shelf above my utility cabinets in the laundry area, I have several pieces of the transferware (ironstone with patterns applied in decal fashion) and undecorated ironstone.
What's there is kept out of the way, though, because I primarily need the space to sort, soak, hang and fold laundry.
I use these pieces for anything from cut flowers to dried arrangements, rolled towels, etc. Few, if any, of the pieces are perfect, but they're perfectly imperfect to me. None are of any particular pedigree, I just like them.
All the other vintage and antique transferware and ironstone pieces have been bought at various estate sales, auctions and antique shops over the years. The old wooden boxes (used as risers) have advertising graphics on them - whiskey, I think.
On the wall with the loo, I have a small stepladder/stool under the lightswitch plate (photo below). I use it mostly for displays of a couple other collections. The bottom step folds in/out, and it's pretty handy when I do use it to reach the tops of those shelves. The French wire basket on the top of the stool holds extra hand towels, while the bottom step holds a mix of crocks that I sourced from an English chap.
The orchard ladder in the corner of the laundry/mudroom/bathroom (Amish country) holds a few of my vintage linens and grain sacks, mostly decorative, but can also be used.
Grain sacks, hand towels on orchard ladder
Do you spend time thinking through placement of your collections? Do you scatter, group them, or do a little of both?
Rita C. - Panoply
Want more details about this and other DIY projects? Check out my blog post!
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 4 comments
  • Marlene Wilson Marlene Wilson on Jun 06, 2015
    You have done a wonderful job on your laundry,mudroom,bathroom.I especially like the ladder! It is multi-useful! I have a grain sack in my office that belonged to an old man that used to give us milk from his cow,I love it! Love your Iron stone too.
    • Rita C. - Panoply Rita C. - Panoply on Jun 06, 2015
      @Marlene Wilson, thank you so much! I somehow keep accumulating the ironstone....just like laundry accumulates. ;)
  • Miriam Illions Miriam Illions on Aug 11, 2015
    Your laundry room is lovely, Rita!
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