Image via Complex Original
Following an accumulation of dark and damp experiences in local laundromats, we decided to investigate the possibility that people out there are not dreading doing their laundry. It turns out that we were right; a trip to the laundromat can be more than pleasant. Recently, there has been a rise in "boutique laundromats," also known as establishments catering to your laundry needs but doing so without overlooking the importance of design. Ranging from futuristic and sleek laundromats to combined laundromat-cafes, these places transform the traditional location of where you wash your clothes. Here is our list of 15 Awesome Laundromats from around the world.
Le Cafe Laverie
Le Cafe Laverie
Location: Rennes, France
A combined cafe, bar, and laundromat, Le Cafe Laverie promises to keep you entertained while you wait for your cycle to finish. An outdoor patio allows you to enjoy a nice day outside, rather than in the dimly lit, humid laundromat that many of us are accustomed to. With a funky decor, this is not the sleekest of laundromats, but the variety of costume parties hosted there make it seem like a good place to chill.
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DashLocker
DashLocker
Location: New York
DashLocker is an innovative concept catering to the hectic lives of New Yorkers. The concept is easy—drop off your dirty laundry or shoes in need of a shine in an empty locker, and then you come back for pick-up upon receiving a text notification. This is your chance to live out your dream of having invisible elves doing your chores for you (though really it will be a dude in a truck hauling your laundry to and from a cleaning facility).
Wash & Coffee
Wash & Coffee
Location: Munich, Germany
In the vain of the sleeker, lounge-like laundromats on this list, Wash & Coffee in Munich is the first location in a chain of laundrettes operated in a partnership between Bosch and Persil, one supplying the machines and the other the detergent. Offering free wi-fi, plenty of seating, and a respectable menu of snacks and drinks, Wash & Coffee makes the laundry experience a chill and comfortable experience in a stunning setting.
BrainWash
BrainWash
Location: San Francisco
A chill laundromat-cafe in San Francisco that also serves as a performance venue, this large, bright location entices its customers with an extensive food menu and a laidback vibe.
Cafe Laundromat
Cafe Laundromat
Location: Oslo, Norway
A sprawling, sophisticated cafe in Oslo, Cafe Laundromat might have you doing your laundry more than you ever expected. With a large variety of beers on tap, an enticing menu, and plush seating, you might stay in this cafe for a few hours after your laundry cycle is completed.
Cleanicum
Cleanicum
Location: Cologne, Germany
This spot is one of Germany's three "Cleanicum: Laundromat, Salon, Lounge" locations. During the day, Cleanicum is a laundromat serving food and coffee in a colorful space, and at night it becomes a lounge. The architects definitely knew how to get the most from the space.
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Laundromat Cafe
Laundromat Cafe
Location: Gammel Kongevej, Copenhagen, Denmark
This is one of four Laundromat Cafe locations, which is a chain spread out across Copenhagen, Denmark and Iceland. The Gammel Kongevej location in the Laundromat Cafe chain follows the trademark design of their cafes, with a bookshelf-lined counter and a bright color scheme. With maps adorning the walls of the cafe, you are sure to leave it with clean laundry, having consumed lots of caffeine, and with a brushed-up knowledge of European geography.
Laundromat Cafe
Laundromat Cafe
Location: Austurstræti, Reykjavik, Iceland
Perhaps the most intricate of the Laundromat Cafe chain, the Austurstræti location in Reykjavik has a front area with large, storefront windows and an intricately designed back area. The color scheme is red: red lamps, red upholstery, and red tabletops. The back area has niches lined with children's books and toys sprawled throughout, accommodating the parents who have to suffer doing their laundry along with taking care of their kids. With a treasure chest and a bright mural, we're positive that no kid would mind spending a few hours in this cafe.
Laundromat Cafe
Laundromat Cafe
Location: Århusgade, Copenhagen, Denmark
Another part of the Laundromat Cafe chain, the Århusgade location features a green color scheme; the upholstery of the furniture is green, but it has the trademark cool, library-esque vibe of all the other locations. Another key design element that remains throughout their locations is the bookshelf lining the counter, which gives the cafe an elevated feel.
Laundromat Cafe
Laundromat Cafe
Location: Elmegade, Copenhagen, Denmark
The Elmegade Laundromat Cafe features a red color scheme and a cool atmosphere. Large book shelves are integrated into the design of the cafe, creating an overall pleasant way to spend a few hours while waiting for the end of your laundry cycle.
LG Laundry Lounge
LG Laundry Lounge
Location: Harlem, New York City
Opened in West Harlem in 2011, LG Laundry Lounge follows a trend of large companies opening laundromats outfitted with their own machines. All the LG machines are eco-friendly, and customers are provided with wi-fi and HD television. All of this is within a sleek red and white interior, inspired by the color scheme of the LG logo. Perhaps the nicest laundromat in New York City, LG Laundry Lounge does follow its name—placing laundry in a lounge-like setting.
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Wash & Coffee
Wash & Coffee
Location: Amsterdam, Holland
A product of collaboration between companies Bosch and Persil, Wash & Coffee was built with the goal of making an inviting, eco-friendly laundrette. At Wash & Coffee, as the name implies, you can have a coffee while waiting for your load to finish. Designed by architecture firm Firmhofer + Günther Architects, Wash & Coffee features bright white walls with graphics of Amsterdam buildings in pale blue.
Suds Laundrette
Suds Laundrette
Location: Melbourne, Australia
Designed by the architecture firm Plus Architecture, Suds aims to make laundry more pleasant through the power of design. Large circular cut-outs mirror bubbles while providing seating for the customers. The contrast of the steel machines, white cutouts, wood, and fabricated grass creates a modern, sleek vibe for the space.
Wasbar
Wasbar
Location: Ghent, Belgium
A fusion hair salon, cafe, and laundrette, Wasbar tries to solve the problem of laundry by making it as pleasant as possible. The design team at Pinkeye strove to make a solid, marketable identity for Wasbar in order to accommodate future expansion. The resulting image is a bright space with modern and vintage furniture, branded with a graphic peg and bottle opener logo. A chain of stores around Belgium might be in the works, but we imagine laundromat customers around the world are simply waiting for a location to open near them.
Splash Laundrette
Splash Laundrette
Location: Barcelona, Spain
Designed by interior designer Frederic Perers, Splash Laundrette pops with color from a variety of neon lights that are reflected from white tiles and steel. A sleek and modern laundromat, Splash does not offer a cafe or extensive seating. Nonetheless, it would feel good stepping into the future to do the laundry.