When we were young, “laundry hamper” might have referred to the floor under the bed. A little later, it may have meant a mesh sack kept by the front door, with a pouch full of quarters for the laundromat.
But we are grown-ups now. An attractive receptacle for the day’s castoffs is one of the small civilized gifts we give ourselves. It’s generally a modest investment that banishes the chaos, and brings in the calm that is the hallmark of a well-kept home.
For contemporary bath or bedroom suites, consider Bed, Bath & Beyond’s sophisticated black faux leather hamper with removable basket, or West Elm’s sleek white lacquered cylindrical hamper. (www.bedbathandbeyond.com – $79.99; http://www.westelm.com – $99)
If you have a luxe bath, you may want to outfit with the Blomus Slice stainless steel hamper, with a sharp black lid; the Vipp receptacle in black or white enamel; or Zack Quadro’s Drumpolish, a shiny cylinder that could probably double as an end table. (www.everythingmodern.com – Blomus, $193.04; Vipp, $599; Zack Quadro, $241.80)
Hampton Bay has a beautiful tilt-door double hamper that’s really a piece of furniture; it would work as a vanity as well, and comes in white or hazel wood finish. (www.homedecorators.com – $209)
Get daily National news
A nice willow hamper from Seville has a hinged lid, and comes in white or natural. (www.bedbathandbeyond.com – $39.99)
Seville also makes a professional-looking three-bag rack on a sturdy metal frame, complete with telescoping hanging rack and locking wheels. (www.sevilleclassics.com – $59.99)
Ikea has the Lillangen tall-boy cabinet with portholes for laundry, perfect for a tight narrow space. The Fyllen basket in fire-engine red turns laundry gathering into a colourful exercise. (www.ikea.com – Lillangen, $119-$134; Fyllen, $7.99)
For the nursery, Southern California designer Nina Selby has a sweet aqua-and-lemon-striped hamper for her Cotton Tale label. (www.justforbabies.net – $54.95)
Redmon’s Stars and Moon vinyl hamper in white, pink or blue is charming. (www.everythingmodern.com – $29.99)
Trend Lab’s Chibi Zoo hamper has a cute, friendly, zoo-animal print in a trendy blue, green and brown colour combo. (www.babybeddingzone.com – $40)
Jo Jo Designs has several baby-friendly cotton prints for their nursery hamper, including a graphic circle motif, an animal print, a brown and pink damask, and a sweet blue-toned argyle. (www.bedbathstore.com – $44.99) Or choose Jo Jo’S chic black and ivory French toile hamper, suitable for both the baby’s room and the boudoir. (www.babybeddingzone.com – $37.99)
Comments