The laundry room is one of the most commonly used areas of a home but has always been the poor cousin of the other living spaces in the home. It is often tucked into the most unworthy corner of a basement or garage, poorly lit and unwelcoming and you spend more than half of workday every week doing laundry.
But today’s laundry room is a far cry from the cramped basement laundry room. Laundry rooms are finally receiving attention as a room worthy of updating. Laundry room needs to be a place that is both well designed and pleasant to be in.
Photo by The Kingston Group – Remodeling Specialists – Browse laundry room photos
In fact, laundry rooms come in all shapes and sizes and are unique as the people that use them. You need to take in consideration many factors:
– The size of your household;
– The size of your family (family with kids or only a couple);
– Your family is an active family or a sedentary family.
– You fold the cloths in the laundry room or somewhere else;
– You need space to drip-dry clothing or to iron them.
As households grow so do their rooms and larger houses typically require a separate, dedicated laundry room. The size of the room and how it functions depends on the above factors.
However, whether the laundry is simply a closeted space off a hallway (with front loading washer and dryer and a counter top above) or a large multi-functioning room, good design and efficient organization saves time and effort.
Organization:
The primary task in a laundry room include: sorting clothes; washing; drying; folding and hanging and maybe ironing.
– Like any other room, unnecessary clutter can give the space a dirty look.
– Plan your room in terms of a work triangle: there is a flow of movement between the washer/dryer, the storage area/counter, and the ironing station. The path of activity needs to be kept clear and the laundry tools should be easily within reach. This area is the core activity space of the room.
– Efficiency starts by organizing the space using laundry baskets. Storage is essential to a workable laundry space. Open storage can make the most of cramped quarters. If your space is small, try to optimize the function of every last inch.
– Having overhead closed cabinet spaces gives more space and scope for artistic and creative ideas to flow. The cabinets can be painted in creative designs and colors to bring life to the area.
– Keep your detergents, sewing kit, laundry shampoos, starch and other such items needed in the laundry room within cabinets.
– The wall attached ironing board is an ideal option for laundry areas with less space.
– Don’t forget. For cramped spaces light color paints for your walls can be your best ally, and also you can add ambience.
If space permits, a laundry sink is a logical asset. Pretreatment, rinsing and soaking of clothing is a frequent solution to stubborn stains.
Mudroom in conjunction with the laundry room is a high traffic area and has different functions such as: hang keys; shoe storage; pet accessories; mail drop-off. It is a trend today to incorporate the laundry space within the mudroom. This can be a very successful arrangement especially for active folks who can dump their clothing directly into the washer.
Incorporating the laundry area as part of the kitchen is also a popular trend but you need to create some differentiation between the two zones.
Regardless of its size or location, a laundry room needs lots of work surface and lots of storage. The “fitted” furniture of the laundry room not only looks good but provides functional surfaces and storage. A good idea is mixing up laundry room storage with both open and closed storage units utilizing open shelves above the sink and appliances where you can store detergents and fabric softener. A tall cabinet will be great for storing brooms, mops and an ironing board.
Lighting and Painting:
Adding light to a small space can open it up. Light colors can also help to relieve the crowded feeling by making the room feel larger. Lighting up is also critical for seeing and treating stains. If it isn’t possible to have natural light use multiple fixtures to spread the light evenly.
Insulation:
Adding extra insulation to the walls and floor of the laundry room will help reduce noise pollution in other areas of the home. Sound insulation for walls is very important especially if the plumbing wall is shared by a bedroom.
Plumbing:
A consideration is the location of the water valves for the washers. The manual wall valves should be accessible for the shut-off of water. Some additional considerations would be adding a floor drain. It is great for the rest of the house in the event a washer hose breaks.
Appliances:
The washer and dryer typically take up most of the space in a laundry room. They come in a in a large variety of sizes and styles. The latest and the great idea in laundry is the combo because they take about the same space as a typical washer.
Bring the laundry room to life:
Add a radio or a CD player to the space so you can relax while completing the chores. Awaken your senses with aromatic candles.
Fresh flower will make the difference in a laundry room.
Today, laundry room has taken an important role within the modern home. From the tucked basement or garage laundry room to the dedicated room, the laundry room has definitely an essential place in our home. The laundry room should be a well-planned style room.
Laundry Room Organizing | How To Build A House (howtobuildahouseblog.com)