Tips to renovate your laundry

The laundry is often an afterthought in most renovations. Why is that? it is one of the hardest-working spaces in our homes and it would be impossible not to have one! Plan thoroughly for your laundry, don’t let it be that afterthought ... you don't want to finish your renovation and see that this space just isn't working for you. Invest the time and money into this space as you would with others, you want to love it and for it to be functional. Here are some of our tips in renovating your laundry…

The laundry is a space an extremely busy workflow and it also has work that has a lot of moisture, so obviously, this area is a wet space with a damp atmosphere so a great choice is tiling. Find something easy to clean and smudge-free, we suggest using a feature tile on your splash back; something that will add a design element to a bland room but is also practical.

The size, functionality, and location of your appliances will dictate the design of your cabinetry. If you are using your existing appliances… great! This can easily be designed around but if you are going to buy a new dryer and washer… do it first! You don’t want to make a space work for something it wasn’t designed for and you want to be sure that you are setting a budget to this space that is as accurate as possible. It can take some time but it is such an important part of your home to find appliances that suit your lifestyle, space, and budget.

As mentioned before the laundry has the busiest workflow in your home so it absolutely needs to best ventilation out of any space, the right airflow will help keep it free from dreaded moisture and mold. Make sure the layout of your laundry has direct access to outside, also try and include a window anywhere you can so there be consistent airflow in your laundry.

Any cluttered space can lead to frustration; a cluttered laundry is that much worse. Don’t rush the research process of your laundry, I can understand that you can get wrapped up in the excitement of your kitchen and bathrooms but your laundry has to be just as functional. Consider all the things your laundry has to hold; washer, dryer, a deep sink, counter-top, storage, laundry baskets and you have to have enough room to complete tasks such as ironing. Consider all of these and the amount of foot traffic in this space, look at who uses it and how often. When you evaluate and determine all these elements you are better able to create a space with your designer that above all else is functional!

Sometimes we don’t have the luxuries have to turn a whole space specifically into a laundry and that’s okay! The modern world embraces multitasking and that means multi-functional spaces are new clever designs that use one space to the best of its ability. With some smart planning, your laundry can be doubled with your bathroom or butler’s pantry. This shared ‘wet’ space also makes getting plumbing and ventilation far easier than considering it for a separate space.

It shouldn’t come as a surprise when we say don’t skimp on storage in a laundry, most laundries become home to cleaning products, pet supplies, and the obvious dirty washing; therefore, having practical storage to meet all of these is essential! The laundry should have a combination of drawers, overheads, and cupboards, also don’t forget space for where you store items such as your ironing board, mop, and vacuum; having a spot of them so they are out of sight when not used. Consider installing an open railing also so that you can hang some clothes inside.

The fact of the matter is nobody enjoys doing laundry, we just don’t get excited about it. But, the research you would do for your kitchen and bathroom also deserves to be put into your laundry. A functional and beautifully designed laundry can really lighten the load! Don’t overlook the research phase of this space, look into popular ideas that can be incorporated into this space to build on the functionality.

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