Traditional Laundry Room with a Red Persian-Style Runner

A runner is what makes a laundry room feel like part of the house rather than an afterthought. A traditional Persian-style pattern in red and beige is forgiving: it hides lint, drips and the odd dropped sock between cleanings. Choose a low-pile or flatweave version so the machine doors swing over it, and keep it a few inches short of the cabinets at each end. Put a non-slip pad underneath on a hard floor. Look for a machine-washable version so it can be cleaned in the very room it lives in. Lidded wicker hampers and cream linen keep everything else warm and quiet.