A practical laundry room

After dishwashing, washing clothes is the most frequent household chore. For some, washing clothes is a real bother. To make the task if not pleasant, at least palatable, it's important to make the laundry room efficient in its layout, storage and décor.
Project guide service
Ceramic calculator
Virtual Walkthroughs
Related Projects
Related Tips
Page 1/1
The layout
Furnishings
Décor

The layout

In most new houses and apartments, the space reserved for the washer and dryer is located near the kitchen or the bathroom. These locations make for efficient household management.

A utility room near the kitchen makes it easier to do other jobs such as cooking, dishwashing, etc., while keeping an eye on the clothes. The kitchen sink can be used to hand wash certain delicate items and the kitchen counter or table can be used to fold the dry clothes.

A utility room in the bathroom reduces trips back and forth, as dirty clothes can be deposited in the clothes hamper.

If the washer and dryer are in a room in the basement, you may increase your trips, but you also significantly reduce noise. A clothes drop on the upper floors is much appreciated. A functional room layout is very useful for storage, sewing and ironing.

Furnishings

java.io.ByteArrayInputStream@457a457a
No matter where the laundry room is located, it is important to plan for cabinet space near or above the washer/dryer to store detergents and other clothes washing products. If there's enough space, excess and/or winter clothing can also be kept in the room.

There are clothes hampers on the market that are divided into three compartments and are very useful for separating white, dark and colored clothing. Even the kids will get the idea! It's a small expense that helps save a lot of time.

In basement utility rooms, it's a good idea to install a laundry sink, which is deeper than an ordinary sink, and which allows hand washing and soaking to remove stains, plus a drying rack to lay out or hang clothes that cannot be put in a dryer. A counter or a table to fold clothes, as well as space for an ironing board and, why not, a sewing nook to mend tears or resew hems can be conveniently fitted into the room.

Décor

The two most important utility room decoration elements to be taken into consideration are lighting and floor covering. Be sure that the room is lit sufficiently to be able to see stains on clothes, even the smallest spots. Fluorescents, usually to be avoided in the rest of the house, are very efficient in the utility room. Flush mounted lighting is also popular. The floor should be covered with waterproof coverings like ceramic tiles or linoleum. Besides being easy to maintain, these coverings are practical in case of spills or leakage from the laundry sink or the washer.

Most publicity slogans for detergent such as "For whiter whites...", don't apply to decoration. Contrary to most rooms, the utility room will never, or almost never, be visited by your guests. This makes it an ideal area to express your personal tastes. Apply a bright color. Be extravagant with stencils or attractive wallpaper strips. You love flowers? why not! Think about window dressings. Be creative: a pretty towel, a tablecloth, a sheet, lace doilies, etc. can be made into a curtain or pelmet. The final touch: a radio. You'll be able sing along with your favorite artists while ironing or folding clothes.
The essential quality of a utility room is that it's pleasant and functional... particularly when there's a big wash load is in the hamper!
Page 1/1