Kitchen & Bathroom Design Blog

Laundry is a necessary chore that most of us find tedious. However, with a little planning and some clever tricks, you can double your laundry room’s efficiency and make it a more enjoyable place to be. It also might lure other family members in and get them involved in washing and ironing. Result!

1. GO MULTIPURPOSE

Think about what you’d like to use your laundry room for.  Good design means planning from the beginning to sort out all your requirements. Could you incorporate a mud room? Would you like to cater for pets or store chemicals or sports equipment? Countertop space is vital for all sorts of activities, from folding laundry to studying or crafting between loads. Tilted hampers underneath these counters are perfect for sorting laundry.  Install a deep sink in a durable material for dirty jobs like cleaning shoes, pets and paintbrushes and for soaking stained clothes. This allows you to perform these jobs in one place and will keep your kitchen sink as good as new. 

2. TRY OUT A NEW STYLE
A small space like a laundry room lends itself to experimentation. Choose colors and patterns you love on walls, floors and cabinets. Just make sure everything is waterproof and easily cleaned. Include warm lighting but ensure your ceiling light is strong enough to check for stains, especially in a basement. If your machine is noisy, try vibration pads. With the right noise reduction, a basement laundry room could be transformed into a private sanctuary!  Add a comfortable chair or cushioned bench and you can catch up on a good book while waiting for your load of wash to finish.

3. STATEMENT STORAGE

As in kitchen design, open and closed storage is a key element of laundry room design. Household supplies can be stored in closed cabinets with frequently used items on open shelving. Go for interesting, rustic containers like baskets or pails or try wire or glass for a contemporary feel. If you have a black and white checkerboard floor, incorporate pastel or cherry red accessories for a retro transformation. Keep detergents and pegs in jars and don’t forget plenty of hooks to hang up cleaning implements.

4. IRONING OUT PROBLEMS

Once clothes are washed, they’ll need to be dried and ironed. Some clothes require line drying, so allocate space for accordion or collapsible drying racks or look at a custom-built solution such as pull-out racks in your cabinetry or one mounted on a wall. Consider an overhead drying rack if your ceiling is high enough, which will free up wall and floor space.

Ironing is an important part of the laundry process so find a few inches to tuck away a freestanding board or install a drop-down or slide-out board.  If your room is large enough, why not go for an island fitted with an ironing board on top? Then install tension rods or towel bars to hang ironed clothes on.

5. SAFETY FIRST

When designing your laundry room, remember it’s a busy place so must be safe. Store detergents and chemicals away from children and pets. Keep it well ventilated and check for sleeping pets inside your machines before you turn them on! Don’t store anything on top of machines to avoid them falling off, mid-cycle and keep extension cords off the floor in case they get wet.

Your dream laundry room doesn’t have to be large, just perfectly formed! A combination of customized cabinetry and well positioned appliances will ensure your remodel is both stylish and functional. Check the laundry room design ideas in our gallery or contact our design experts today to get started on your transforming this space today.