There’s nothing we love more after a long day of hard work than pouring ourselves a glass of wine, putting on our favourite comfy sweats and doing a few loads of laundry…who’s with us?! Anyone? The reality is that laundry day is not the most exciting of days, but if you loved the space where you wash, dry, fold, repeat, then maybe the task would be a little less mundane. (Maybe.) This week, we’re talking laundry room revamp.
If you don’t already have a designated laundry area or you’re unhappy with your current setup, do a turn about your home and take note of any wasted space. Laundry rooms are popping up in unlikely places these days and homeowners are wisely taking advantage of vacant closets, the awkward space under the stairs and unused corners in the basement to create their ultimate laundry oasis. When looking for the ideal space, keep in mind that laundry rooms require plumbing, venting and electrical, so the right space will need to be able to adapt to these modifications.
Once you’ve nailed down the location, it’s time to start thinking about the layout. Laundry rooms should be practical and organized, with everything at your fingertips.
If your laundry room is not the only space going through a reno, you may be able to re-use items that would otherwise be tossed. Old kitchen cabinets are a great addition to a laundry room. Rescue one or two cabinets following a kitchen demo and repurpose them to the laundry room. A fresh coat of paint or new doors may be all that is needed to hold towels, detergent and so much more.
Along with cabinets, there are a few other elements which make a laundry room functional and fabulous:
Task lighting-an under-cabinet strip, for example, will highlight a certain area and illuminate your workspace.
Utility sink-not all laundry rooms hold a utility sink, but if there’s space, it may be a worthwhile addition. Having the sink in the same area as your washer and dryer is convenient for washing hands and soaking deep-set stained clothing.
Hanging racks-not all pieces of clothing can be tossed into the dryer. For those air-dry only items, you’ll need a hanging space. A simple steel bar or a collapsible folding rack are great options.
Baskets and bins-ditch the floor flooded in dirty clothing with an organized storage system. Pull-out hampers which tuck neatly away under countertops will keep the laundry room tidy and keep dirty clothes out of sight.
Retractable ironing board-sometimes laundry and ironing go hand-in-hand. A space saving and convenient solution is to install a retractable board in the laundry room. The board will simply fold up into the wall or can be pushed back into a drawer when not in use.
Paint-liven up your laundry room with a pop of colour. Think light and airy or bright and cheery. The right colour will breathe new life into a drab space.
Liven up laundry day with a fun room revamp! For more inspiration, check out iloverenovations.ca.