While kitchens often receive the most focus in home design, rightfully so as they are the central hub of the home where a significant amount of time is spent, the laundry room is often overlooked despite being a space where a considerable amount of time is also dedicated to laundry and cleaning tasks.
Often, laundry rooms are viewed as oversized closets housing just a washer and dryer, with limited space for movement and work. By prioritizing this area of the home, you can create a highly efficient workspace that minimizes stress through optimized storage, layout, and design. We prefer to consider laundry rooms as utility rooms—a valuable and practical component of the house!
1 / Raise Your Washing Machine and Dryer
Front-loading washers and dryers are typically preferred for their energy efficiency and larger capacity. However, they are often placed too low, causing discomfort when loading and unloading. Consider constructing custom cabinetry to elevate these appliances to a convenient height, making your laundry tasks easier. This setup also provides additional storage for laundry baskets, improving the room's overall functionality.
2 / Install a Lower Folding Table or Island
Typical countertops are set at a height of 36 inches, suitable for the average individual. However, the task of folding laundry involves different body movements compared to activities performed at a standard countertop. The twisting, bending, and leaning required to fold clothes can strain your body. Having a flat surface at a lower height than standard can help reduce stress on your back and shoulders. Since everyone has different shapes and sizes, it's essential to determine the most comfortable height for you.
3 / Personalize Your Cabinets and Shelves
Maximize your storage space with floor-to-ceiling cabinetry. This allows you to efficiently organize cleaning supplies, seasonal decorations, and other items. Open shelving can also provide easy access to laundry essentials, making the room more practical for daily tasks. This idea can also tie into a broader residential remodeling service, where functional design meets aesthetic appeal.
4 / Set Up a Spacious Sink with the Appropriate Faucet
Choose a deep basin or utility sink that offers ample space for soaking and handwashing, enhancing the efficiency of laundry tasks. A deep sink can accommodate large items such as bedding or dirty items like boots and gardening tools. Standard sinks typically have a depth of 8 to 10 inches, but opting for a deeper bowl of 12 inches or more can help minimize splashing and spills. When installing a deep sink, ensure that it is elevated to avoid the need to bend or hunch over. Stainless steel sinks are a popular choice for laundry rooms due to their durability, longevity, and low maintenance requirements.
Consider the functionality you need in the laundry room when choosing a pull-out or pull-down faucet. These faucets feature a retractable spray head that can be easily maneuvered, making them ideal for tasks such as filling buckets, rinsing bulky items, and cleaning the sink and its surroundings.
5 / Consider the Location for Your Ironing Area
Many older homes feature built-in recessed ironing boards in the wall or cupboard, a convenient and space-saving solution. It's puzzling why they fell out of fashion because of their practicality. Integrating an ironing board into a wall-mounted system eliminates the hassle of setting it up from the closet, along with the instability and cord entanglement. If you're planning a laundry room renovation, consider incorporating this system to create additional space for storing your iron, small shelves, or a hanger.
If wall space is limited for a wall-mounted ironing system, opt for a drawer-recessed option. The Ironfix board by Hafele can fit into a 24-inch wide by 14-inch deep space and rotates 180 degrees when extended. The drawback is that the drawer must be located near an outlet, and you'll need to adjust to the standard height (around 35 inches) of the ironing board.
6 / Invest in a Steam Closet
Steam closets are becoming an innovative addition to modern laundry room renovations. They offer a practical way to refresh clothes and remove wrinkles without needing to wash or dry clean them. Placed conveniently near your washer and dryer, a steam closet can enhance your laundry room's functionality and save trips to the dry cleaner, providing a perfect fit for reliable home remodeling services.
7 / Incorporate a Clothes Drying Rack
While it may appear simple, incorporating a drying rack or two is a crucial element in a laundry room. There are various options available, ranging from a basic bar for hanging clothes to a spacious wooden pull-down rack. Hidden racks that can be integrated into the cabinetry are particularly appealing (as mentioned above). If your household requires regular drying of seasonal or sports gear, consider customized additions such as a shoe dryer or hooks.
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