The perfect laundry room: In days gone by your laundry room was the dark, dank space under the stairs where your weekly or even daily penance was to sort, wash and fold all alone, with just the bucket and mop for company.
Nowadays the laundry can be your own personal retreat; somewhere you escape to, not from; a place of calm and serenity, where you feel a sense of achievement and lightness in load.
We’ve called in Interior Designer Emily Magee of Yonder Design Co. to walk us through some easy to implement tricks and tips to maximise your compact laundry space; wash away your laundry lethargy and create an environment that feels more unwind than daily grind.
1. Laundry Room I.Q.
Your laundry deserves more credit than you think – it can be smart, surprising and irresistible.
Smart solutions are all around us and the laundry is no different. No matter how petite the space is, it can have a big personality and take you by surprise.
Space-saving solutions including pull-out in-cupboard laundry baskets, wall-mounted fold-out ironing boards, stackable smart appliances, helpful hanging racks and pull-out mixer taps are all quickfire solutions to a laundry space that over-delivers on functionality.
2. Laundry room Eye candy
It’s not solely about functionality though, we all know the environment around you shapes how you live and feel, and a beautiful laundry really will make those chores a delight.
Be brave with your laundry space; embrace colour in cabinetry, splashback and floor tiles – think sage green or dusky pink joinery paired with interesting shaped, textured or patterned splashback tiles, you can easily create a space that sings.
Play with texture whether it be beautiful, brushed brass tapware; gunmetal sinks, interesting wall panel finishes (V Board or scalloped), mirrors or wallpaper as a feature.
Add depth and interest through natural stone benchtops, timber accents in the form of open shelving, and flora & fauna – real if possible but faux also works.
Shed light on the laundry stage however you can: skylights; light wells, arched windows – let the sun rays and rainbows in. If natural light isn’t abundant then illuminate your laundry with a feature pendant, wall sconces or LED strip lighting on the underside of your upper cabinetry. These features will elevate the space as well as being super handy should you need to put an evening wash on or search for those sports socks that have gone missing in action.
Make features of open shelving, styled with ceramics and other trinkets that bring you joy, and hide those things that aren’t as easy on the eye like the ironing board, mop, cleaning products, vacuum, and wash baskets within floor to ceiling cabinetry; concealed behind beautiful space-saving bi-fold, cavity slider or pocket doors in rattan or timber look finishes.
3. Upgrade your laundry room team. Laundry room design
An appliance is an appliance, right? Well, no, the technology on offer to meet your laundry needs seems limitless however certain brands stand out and the right purchase decision will help you reap rewards.
It’s important to build a high-performance laundry team to help you turn your chores into a dream. In our environmentally conscious world you and your appliance can make a difference; think smart technology such as energy efficiency, smart dosing and wi-fi connectivity.
Front-loaders are space savers, they are compact, can be stacked in very tight spaces or placed side by side under your benchtop, and the Haier 9kg washing machine and heat pump dryer tick all the boxes. The washing machine offers helpful ‘refresh’, ‘sanitize’ and ‘smart dose’ functions and can be controlled via your wi-fi. The dryer offers ‘hybrid boost’ – saving time by drying at a hotter temperature or saving energy with a longer dry time. They look nice too so no need to conceal them.
It really is worth your while to invest in these family members – they’ll be the most helpful by far!
4. Peace and dry-it! Laundry room design…
To ensure your laundry delivers in every way, consider the finer details – consider electrical point locations in order that you can create a dedicated space for a speaker. With this companion always ready for action to share your favourite audiobooks or serenade you with calming music while you fold or iron, you’ll find peace in the mundane.
Also be sure to carefully consider locations of electrical points for your chargeable vacuum within a cupboard, always having it charged and ready for action will provide complete peace of mind for the clean freak within us all.
Save energy and effort by including beautiful timber hanging rails enabling you to hang washing straight out of the machine, and once dry, straight into your wardrobe.
Who would have thought a laundry could have so many layers?
The laundry can be your confidante and your companion. Always there for you. Invest in her and she’ll repay you over and over.
