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__DEGRADED__ In most homes, the laundry room is a purely functional place: where you toss dirty clothes, hide cleaning supplies, and close the door as quickly as possible. But for this year’s Pasadena Showcase House of Design, Barrett Cooke, principal of Arterberry Cooke, wanted to completely rethink that equation. Set inside a historic shingle-style home once owned by Clara Baldwin Stocker (the daughter of a California pioneer, also known as “The Diamond Princess”), the reimagined space trades utilitarian finishes for layered color, stained glass, geometric tile, and epic mountain views. Instead of disguising the room’s practical purpose, the designer leaned into the idea that everyday rituals deserve beautiful surroundings, too. The result is a richly detailed retreat that feels equal parts workspace, artist’s studio, and jewel box. The project came together on an especially compressed timeline. After first viewing the house in October, the team had roughly eight weeks to complete construction before opening date. “The deadline on this was not flexible,” Cooke explained, tipping his hat to the tradespeople who worked tirelessly. Below, see how they brought the vision to life in time. Rather than beginning with cabinetry or appliances, Cooke centered the entire scheme around the room’s existing bank of windows and sweeping views of the San Gabriel Mountains. To accomplish that, the trim was painted in Dunn-Edwards’ Midnight Garden, the brand’s most recent Color of the Year. The deep green tone allows the windows to visually recede while drawing attention outward to the surrounding landscape. Rose Mauve cabinetry, selected by designer Emily Carlin, balances the darker trim and subtly mirrors the tones of the mountains in the distance. One of the project’s biggest transformations came through the custom cabinetry, which was designed in-house by the Arterberry Cooke team and fabricated by J and J Custom Cabinets. Designer Heather O’Donnell led the millwork detailing, incorporating venting solutions, a skirted machine alcove, and hidden countertop drawers. Decorative cutouts throughout the cabinetry nod to the home’s 1920s history while elevating the bespoke room far beyond a standard laundry space. The thoughtful storage solutions also allow the room to function beyond wash-and-fold duties. Generous counter space and a built-in desk transformed the area into a flexible creative zone where someone could paint, craft, or simply work while looking out at the mountains. Among the team’s favorite details are the stained-glass panels created by local artist Molly Miller. Installed in the upper cabinetry, the inserts bring in texture, color, and a playful sense of lightness. The detail also subtly reinforces the project’s overall philosophy: even the most functional rooms in a home can still feel joyful and expressive. To ground the softer tones and handcrafted details, the designers introduced a custom geometric tile pattern for the flooring. Additional accents include a custom faucet with ceramic handles and semiprecious stone cabinet hardware. Kelly Wearstler light fixtures blur the line between sculpture and lighting, finishing the space like jewelry. Thanks to its layered materials and ornate detailing, the room succeeds in its most important task: making daily routines feel better. “The space is so bright and joyful,” Cooke shared, “that it really acts as a nice moment of relief in the shingle-style home.” The post Before & After: This Whimsical Laundry Room is Equal Parts Workspace and Artist’s Studio appeared first on domino.
__DEGRADED__ Sleeper sofas aren’t what they used to be—and that’s a good thing. You can happily forget whatever lumpy pull-out mattress you crashed on years ago in your friend’s parents’ basement. “With advances in design and technology, sleeper sofas now look like actual sofas and perform like actual beds,” says Mary Beth Christopher of MBC Interior Design. “This means you can truly get dual function not just out of the sofa but out of rooms as well. It’s a form and function success story!” With the addition of a design-forward sleeper sofa (or is it a couch bed?), offices can double as guest bedrooms. Playrooms can become a spot for cousin sleepovers. Living rooms can act as an overflow sleeping area. “When square footage is limited, it’s not practical to devote an entire room for the occasional guest,” says interior designer Sarah Cole. “However, a sleeper sofa allows a space to be multifunctional for those once-in-a-blue-moon guest stays.” Now thanks to improved folding mechanisms, brands have been able to design higher-end sleepers that you and your overnight guests will love to both sit and snooze on. Think: intriguing silhouettes, slim arms, and less bulky cushions. We combed through our favorites and narrowed them down to the 7 best sleeper sofas, with plenty more options to choose from, depending on your space and style. Read on for our top picks. - Best slipcovered: Crate & Barrel Willow II Slipcovered Sleeper Sofa - Best square arm: West Elm Harmony Modular Sleeper Sofa - Best sloped arm: American Leather Alora Today Sleeper Sofa - Best sleeper chair: Joybird Brooks Twin Sleeper Sofa - Best flip-out: Sabai Eclipse Sleeper Sofa - Best small space-friendly: Sundays Sleepover Sofa Bed - Best sectional: Sixpenny Neva Sleeper Chaise Sectional When you want a little bit of everything, a slipcovered sleeper sofa delivers. Effortlessly elegant, it’s also low-maintenance. Simply remove the cover and wash as needed. We stand by a classic crisp white version (like this clean-lined style in performance cotton canvas)—while other designs get points for flared arms highlighting the linen’s easy drape or a charming kick-pleat peeking out along the bottom. Get ready to transport to a Parisian flat or Swedish farmhouse. A tailored track-arm style brings visual structure to a room, but you still want that boxy silhouette to feel like a cloud. Our pick: a modern sleeper sofa with gel foam mattress and feather-wrapped back cushions that give you (and guests) comfort from day into night. Apartment dwellers: this sleek design converts without having to stow away any extra cushions. There’s something comforting about letting your arm hug the length of a sloping sofa arm. Ergonomic, but make it chic. This gently curved style is a classic for a reason, whether sweet and small footprint-approved, or long and lean with a bench seat. The winner in function meets form is this versatile design that allows you to choose between pulling out a single or double bed. Talk about going with the flow. Maximize your overnight guest count with a chair that offers extra sleep space. An architectural lounger with lift-up storage lets you stash bedding, and a vintage-coded electric orange seat brightens up the playroom when not folded out for sleepovers. We love the look of this plush reading chair, which comes in dozens of fabric options. At only 36 inches deep, you’d never know it was a bed. Think of flip-out sleeper sofas as the ultimate crash pads. Perfect for stretching out on movie nights, they create a bonus lounge space even when you don’t have guests. Plus, these stylish designs don’t need to be relegated to the basement rec room. How chic is this piped velvet number, or this long and low-slung silhouette? An armless alternative is also great for creating a streamlined sitting area. When space is at a premium, these sofas act as a design swiss army knife. One converts to two twin beds, others magically pull out without leaving extra cushions to wrangle, and all feature slim profiles that fit into tighter square footage (like a queen-sized mattress snuck into an under-70-inch frame). A sectional sleeper sofa might conjure up images of bulky, outdated pieces that take over an entire room. If you’re making the investment, we say lean into quality materials and timeless shapes. One of our editors recommends this compact and customizable sectional. The polished stainless steel legs (and built-in storage) of this understated option also caught our eye. And we were won over by this minimalist design, which features feather-down filling, linen upholstery, a smooth tri-fold gliding frame, and a cotton-quilted foam mattress. The definition of dreamy. Whether you’re shopping for a sleeper sofa to sneak into a tiny office space or one that will be the centerpiece of a grand living room, you have many choices. We shopped for a variety of sleeper sofas in a variety of sizes.
The author is looking forward to a fun weekend, with plans to attend a 50th birthday party being thrown by a friend. The party will take place in a garden, which sounds like a lovely setting for a celebration. The author is still deciding what to wear to the party, and is considering two different dress options. One is a floral dress, which would be a fitting choice for a garden party, and the other is a striped dress. The party is a significant milestone for the friend, marking a major birthday, and the author is likely excited to help celebrate this special occasion. The author's plans for the weekend are focused on socializing and having a good time, rather than on work or other responsibilities. Overall, it sounds like the author is in for a fun and relaxing weekend. The garden party setting and the author's consideration of what to wear suggest a casual and enjoyable atmosphere, which is perfect for a celebratory event like a 50th birthday party.
__DEGRADED__ We may earn revenue from the products available on this page and participate in affiliate programs. IKEA does nostalgia better than anyone. The Swedish brand’s 10th rendition of the IKEA PS collection is now live, and it features a remake of an early-2000s classic: the inflatable chair. To be clear, IKEA’s version is nothing like the uncomfortable, plastic designs of our youth. In fact, it’s almost impossible to tell that the chair is filled with air at first glance. The cylindrical seat is the culmination of three decades of working to crack the code on chic inflatable furniture. The last time we saw this kind of thing on the shelves at IKEA (the Innerlig sofa and Rolig easy chair, both launched in 1997), the reviews were lackluster. To put a really wonderful visual in your head, customers were instructed to use a hair dryer to fill the Innerlig and Rolig way back when. And did you know IKEA gave the construction method another go with its niche gaming chair a few years back? This time around, the PS 2026 chair arrives flat-packed alongside a handy little foot pump. In-house designer Mikael Axelsson put together 20 prototypes before nailing the final design, which features two separate air chambers housed in a chrome frame. The emerald fabric wrapping the oversized cushions is something special, too, as it puts the chair in statement-making territory and cuts down on squeaks and groans when you move. The armchair isn’t the only thing to look forward to. The PS 2026 line, which spans 35 new pieces, also includes a genius pivoting floor lamp—you can rotate the lamp head into three different positions, changing a room’s mood instantly—and an innovative rocking bench. Instead of moving front to back on the latter, you sway side to side, which somehow feels so much more fun.
__DEGRADED__ We may earn revenue from the products available on this page and participate in affiliate programs. We’ve waxed poetic about melamine plates before—the hard-to-break, dishwasher-safe material makes them practically fool-proof when it comes to alfresco dinners or poolside snacks. New styles hit the market all the time, so we went sleuthing for this year’s latest and greatest across different price points. Studio McGee’s summer line at Target includes a chic option for a mere $4, Anthropologie’s Farm Rio collab offers a tropical take, and Pottery Barn even introduced a melamine version of its popular Puebla dinnerware. If you’re in the market for a fresh set, shop the latest collections we’re feeling as warm weather arrives. Anthropologie Farm Rio x Anthropologie Melamine Dinner Plates, Set of 4 $40 Shop Now Anthropologie’s collaboration with Brazilian fashion brand Farm Rio is the textbook definition of dopamine decor. The colorful melamine dinnerware makes eating outside that much more enjoyable—and why not bring a set of waterproof playing cards along for post-meal games? Pottery Barn Puebla Melamine Dinner Plates, Set of 4 $58 Shop Now The melamine version of this Pottery Barn favorite comes in blue, pink, and yellow. A full 12-piece set goes for $158. Crate & Barrel Seaside Melamine Dinner Plate $10 Shop Now Crate & Barrel Seaside Melamine Salad Plates, Set of 4 $35 Shop Now This line from Crate & Barrel is inspired by the Great Barrier Reef—the dinner plates are adorned with painterly, wave-adjacent stripes and salad plates carry sweet illustrations of underwater residents like lobsters, fish, and crabs. McGee & Co. Americana Melamine Dinner Plates, Set of 4 $58 Shop Now A nice twist on the traditional red, white, and blue scheme: McGee & Co.’s floral motifs, accentuated by a paper plate–esque crinkle. Quince 18-Piece Outdoor Melamine Dinnerware Set $130 Shop Now This Quince set’s matte finish and imperfect edges read ceramic, and it comes in heron blue and cream as well as this soothing green. Target Threshold x Studio McGee Melamine Braided Edge Dinner Plate $4 Shop Now At just $4 per plate, this country-chic collection from Target’s Studio McGee line is serious steal. Pick up a set of rattan seashell placemats to go with them. The Ark Elements Quilted Kansas Melamine Dinner Plates, Set of 4 $70 Shop Now The Ark Elements Quilted Dakota Melamine Dinner Plates, Set of 4 $70 Shop Now These patchwork melamine plates are an ode to the American Midwest and the various quilted patterns seen across the region. West Elm Sardine Melamine Outdoor Dinner Plates, Set of 4 $48 Shop Now A sunny and sweet pattern that extends across soft goods, too—and just take a look at these little salt and pepper shakers. The post The Secret to No-Stress Summer Entertaining: $4 Melamine Plates appeared first on domino.
