Give your Laundry Room a Fresh Start
The trend of multi-use, beautifully designed laundry rooms has been gaining popularity in the past couple of years. No longer exiled to the dark corner of the basement, laundry rooms are moving
into the mainstream.
If you’re ready to refresh your laundry experience, start with three core questions:
- Location
- Function
- Design
Location
As you consider options for relocating your laundry room, think about where you like to spend time. Do you have a favorite room with a view of your front or backyard? Could you imagine your laundry room in a sun-filled room on your second floor? Maybe you have a small nook off your kitchen that would be perfect for laundry, a second fridge, and extra counter space. Think beyond your current floor plan. Some things to consider:
- Which existing rooms already have plumbing?
- If you removed a wall, which spaces could you combine?
- Do you have a bedroom that is becoming a default storage room?
Function
In the past, laundry rooms were just that: rooms for laundry, and perhaps cleaning supplies. Today, laundry rooms are being combined with home offices, craft or sewing rooms, mud rooms, pantries, kitchens, tucked into hallways, and creatively incorporated into entryways. Think about:
- Expand an existing mud room to include a washer & dryer — and a pet washing station
- Add a stacked washer/dryer to a pantry closet
- Create a hobby room with storage and workspaces, multimedia screens, and washer/dryer
Design
Overhead fluorescent lights and concrete floors sloping toward a floor drain are, thankfully, becoming a design of the past. As homeowners incorporate laundry into main living spaces, they are tying its design to neighboring rooms through cabinetry, color, flooring, and lighting. Some options:
- Install distinctive lighting, like a chandelier
- Add windows, plus mirrors to reflect natural light
- Create pops of color with wall or floor tiles
- Add marble or granite counters
Create a space you love
Laundry is no longer limited to “wash on Monday, iron on Tuesday.” Today, it’s likely that you do laundry as frequently as you cook — maybe more! Make your laundry experience more enjoyable in a beautiful space.