The Laundry

The laundry can seem like a tedious place to be, meant for just putting the washing on and leaving, however, it can be a fun space to design, and maybe even a nice room to enjoy being in!

Things to consider:

Location

The first big decision to make when starting from scratch is, “where will the laundry go?” It helps to think about where it will be in relation to the rest of the house. It is best to place it in an accessible area, possibly with access to outside, so it will be easy to get to the clothesline. The laundry can be a loud room, so it is best to keep it away from the rooms that you will regularly be in, such as bedrooms and the living room. Keeping it near the kitchen or bathrooms is a good option.

Layout

If you’re designing your laundry to suit your needs, you’ll want to consider what you’ll be using it for, besides the washing! How large is the space you have to work with? Perhaps you will need to have the washing machine and drier atop one another as opposed to next to each other. Will you want other appliances in there? Such as the vacuum cleaner or mops and brooms. Everything will need to have its place, so consider what will be used the most and where it will live.

Storage

Keeping in mind that there will most likely be a variety of objects living in the laundry, it will be necessary to have the appropriate storage to home all of them. If you have a smaller space it might be helpful to get custom made shelving, that way you can optimise the space you have by getting everything to fit perfectly.

After these practical decisions are made you can move onto other considerations:

Bench depth

If you are one to have multiple loads of washing at once, the laundry might get a bit cluttered, so having plenty of bench space will come in handy! You may also want a large sink, so having a bench to match will create cohesiveness throughout the room.

Sinks and Taps

If you’re after a large sink, you’ll want a tap to match. It is also important to consider what the sink will actually be used for and to choose one that will suit these needs.No one said the laundry had to be boring, so opt for statement tap-ware to bring some fun into the room.

Lighting

A room designed for cleaning should have the energy to match, so putting in some natural and artificial lighting with a crisp, brightness can make the space a more pleasant place to be in. If you’re wanting to create a feature out of it, why not choose a pendant light, or multiple lights and bring some personality in. Alternatively, if you’re building the room from scratch, place a nice large door or window and allow the natural light to fill the room.

Flooring and Splashback

It’s inevitable to get water on the floor of the laundry, so it is important to take this into consideration when choosing a floor. Make sure that the flooring you choose is slip proof and easy to clean. This is also a factor when choosing a splashback. If you haven’t gotten any character into the room yet, select a splashback with some personality and make a feature out of it!