Small Detail, Big Difference: A Laundry Room Designed for Real Life
By Butterfly Yao Design · May 13, 2026
A fun and functional laundry room we recently designed for a family of six.
We wanted to make everyday routines just a little easier — and more enjoyable. So instead of a typical cabinet, we created a custom tall unit with four built-in openings, each one leading directly to a laundry basket inside.
No doors. No hassle. Just toss and go.
The Challenge: Designing for a Busy Household
When you have six people sharing a home, laundry is a constant. Clothes pile up fast, and without a system, even a beautiful room can quickly feel chaotic.
Our goal was simple: design a space that works as hard as the family living in it. That meant thinking beyond aesthetics and focusing on the habits and rhythms of daily life.
The Solution: A Custom Unit Built Around the Basket
Rather than designing around a standard cabinet with doors, we flipped the brief. We built a tall custom unit with four dedicated openings — one for each laundry category — each sized to hold a basket directly inside.
The result: you walk in, toss the item in the right opening, and walk out. No opening doors, no sorting later, no visual clutter.
It’s a small detail, but it makes a big difference in keeping things organized for a busy household.
See It in Action
Design Is How It Works for Your Life
This project is a good reminder that thoughtful design isn’t always about grand gestures. Sometimes the most impactful decisions are the quietest ones — a built-in detail that saves you thirty seconds every morning, multiplied across a family of six, across every single day.
Design is not just about how it looks — it’s about how it works for your life.
— Butterfly Yao Design
Photography by @stefbrownphoto
If you’re planning a renovation and want a space that’s both beautiful and genuinely functional, book a free consultation with our NKBA-certified designer. We’ll help you find the details that make everyday life feel a little easier.
View our full portfolio to see more projects across the GTA.