Before & After

This Brooklyn Bathroom Features a Hidden Laundry Room

It’s the stuff New York City dreams are made of

A patchwork of patterned tile—triangle mosaic on the upper walls, porcelain herringbone on the floor, and a Carrara marble wainscot—adds interest to the room without overwhelming the eye.

Alexey Gold Dvoryadkin

According to Jennifer Morris, the plans for her clients’ soon-to-be renovated guest bathroom originated in a somewhat unexpected place: the kitchen. “My client was moving forward with a kitchen renovation when I was called in for a consultation,” the designer says. “I saw that there was a washer and dryer in the room at the time, and that ended up being the catalyst for the bathroom project. I asked, ‘Wouldn’t it be better if you had a dedicated space for laundry somewhere—anywhere—else?’”

Before: With its large bathtub and obtrusive shower wall, the original space felt dark and cramped.

Enter the small but mighty guest bath. A maid’s quarters when the prewar apartment was built, the space was dark and cramped, having previously been renovated to include a shower and a full-size bathtub. Still, Jennifer saw potential for something bigger, brighter, and ultimately more practical. “In a guest situation, it’s rare that someone is going to take a bath,” she says. “My first thought was to remove that element completely. As soon as we did, we got back three feet of space.”

“There’s a lot more breathing room,” Jennifer says of the dedicated laundry space, which has allowed her clients to take garment care out of the chaos of the kitchen.

Alexey Gold Dvoryadkin

Thanks to a freestanding glass shower and walls tiled in gleaming gray and white marble, the room gained an influx of light as well. But it was the extra square footage that gave way to its greatest luxury. “I said, ‘How amazing would it be to make this the world’s loveliest little laundry room, so you’re no longer washing clothes in the kitchen?’” says the designer, who ensured that the utilitarian addition did little to detract from the bathroom’s elegant aesthetic. Positioned behind a sliding resin door—chosen for its ability to further maximize the flow of natural light—the area is easily accessible when needed, but can be closed off when guests come to stay. It’s as functional a touch as any—but as space-starved New Yorkers will attest, as alluring a secret as they come.

A sliding door made of translucent resin keeps household items hidden when the bathroom is in use by guests.

Alexey Gold Dvoryadkin

Materials and sourcing:

Floor tile: Stone Source Mews Small Chevron Matte Ink

Lower wall tile: Akdo Carrara 3 x 6

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Tile Liner: Akdo Carrara Pure Liner

Upper Wall Tile: Artistic Tile Doge

Sink: Wetstyle Sink

Sliding Doors: 3 Form

Light: Allied Maker Arc Vanity Sconce in Bleached Walnut and Nickel

Faucet and Shower Body and Bath Accessories: Brizo

Contractor: Venezia Interiors

“This Allied Maker light fixture is clean and bright, but it adds personality and a sense of craft and scale,” the designer says. “It embodies all the things I was trying to achieve in this space.”

Alexey Gold Dvoryadkin