A laundry room is an asset to any home, regardless of its size. It’s a place where you can wash, dry and sort your laundry, making it functional and timesaving. Once you have a suitable space that gels with the rest of your home’s layout, including a custom laundry room definitely adds value to your home.
Buyers have come to expect a laundry room as part of a home’s design as it houses so many appliances and practical elements. If you customize your laundry room, you can make it an aesthetic space that also suits your style. Your custom design also ensures that it will cater for all your individual requirements and eliminates potential problems, such as noise or lack of storage.
Whether you’re planning a new laundry room or remodeling an existing one, here is our guide to what you need in a custom laundry room.
WHAT TO CONSIDER FIRST
If you are embarking on a kitchen or bathroom design, this is the ideal time to add or update your laundry room. Adding a new laundry room to your kitchen design is like adding on a tiny kitchen in terms of the materials and work involved. It needs to be serviced by hot and cold water and electricity, along with storage and countertops that complement your home design.
There are several practical considerations to look at when planning your laundry room design:
- Your plumber can install a floor drain or create an automatic shutoff in the event of a leak.
- Also ensure that you have a strong electricity supply to power these large appliances.
- Plan where you need your power points.
- The minimum size requirement is to take the size of a front-loading washing machine and add two feet to open its door with a few inches’ clearance behind it. Measure the size of your current washing machine and dryer, leaving space for potentially larger models.
- Consider raising a front-loading washing machine or putting a step in front of a top-loading one so you can comfortably reach into either.
- Include at least one exterior wall to facilitate ventilation and try to incorporate a window.
- Do you need a space to iron and hang clothes? Incorporate a bar for hanging delicates and room to accommodate your ironing board.
- Is this a multi-purpose space that will double as extra pantry storage, a utility, or a mudroom? If so, decide what else you need to accommodate, such as an extra fridge, prep sinks, or storage. For utility room usage, you may need a large sink to wash boots, or pets.
- Do you have space for extra functions, such as bike storage?
Once you’ve figured out what you have and what you need, it’s easier to customize your laundry room.
WHERE TO PUT YOUR LAUNDRY ROOM
Where is the best place to install a laundry room? The location should really be driven by your requirements. If you want to have access to your yard, then include an exterior wall in your design. This allows for ventilation, and you can include a window to incorporate as much natural light as possible.
Traditionally, laundry rooms were in the basement but today they can be placed wherever they fit best in your home. If you position your laundry room near your kitchen design it is easier to connect the necessary utilities. Incorporating a laundry room upgrade as part of a wider kitchen design also enhances your home and adds value to your remodeling project.
Another option is to locate it near or even within a very large bathroom. A section of your garage could also be used, or it could be part of a multi-use utility room or mudroom. Laundry rooms can even be found on the same floor as bedrooms. In this instance look for appliances with low decibel ratings, put some rugs down, and install a solid door to keep noise to a minimum.
WHAT TO INCLUDE IN A LAUNDRY ROOM
When planning your layout, keep to a task-based design for maximum efficiency. Think about the tasks involved and arrange the work surfaces and appliances to create a good flow. Keep the washer beside the dryer and add a countertop for folding. An adjacent clothes rod for hanging, overhead shelves for detergents, and a nearby sink for washing delicates or treating stains means you have fewer steps and an effective workflow.
Wet and dry zones keep your design streamlined. Keeping plumbed items like your washing machine and sink together makes your laundry room more efficient and less likely to go over budget. Allocate an area where you can sort your laundry into baskets or tilt-out containers.
For drying delicates it helps to have built in racks or a rod for hanging clothes. A double-tier clothes rack on casters lets you easily move around your drying laundry. A wall-mount clothing valet folds out, providing hanging space, and closes back up when not in use. A ceiling-hung pulley-style drying rack is ideal if wall space is at a premium. Or incorporate a rod with hangers to provide a neat space to hang select clothes to dry.
Underfloor heating also accelerates drying time and minimizes moisture in a laundry room design. Choose a floor material that’s easily wiped clean too. Stacking your dryer on your washing machine saves space in a small design. A place to do ironing and store freshly laundered clothes is an added bonus. Consider fold-out ironing boards or tables, which are ideal for tight spaces.
HOW TO DESIGN A MULTIPURPOSE LAUNDRY ROOM
It’s possible to combine your laundry room with another functional space. By combining a pantry and laundry you can have a large walk-in room that holds both laundry facilities and food storage, plus a food prep area. Keep your countertops clear so you can work on them. Add a sink, dishwasher, extra fridge-freezer, and plenty of pantry storage to your laundry room design. Create zones within this room to separate out cleaning and laundry functions from food prep and storage space.
Alternatively, you can incorporate a mud room into your laundry area. You’ll need to customize storage for shoes, boots, and outdoor clothing along with hooks and an area to dry wet coats. Seating where you can take off your boots is essential. A pet shower for cleaning muddy dogs is an excellent addition to a pet-friendly laundry room design.
THE BEST STORAGE TO HAVE IN A LAUNDRY ROOM
If your laundry room is connected or even adjacent to your kitchen design, then keep the same style of cabinetry for a feeling of continuity and spaciousness. Consider how durable your countertops need to be for the tasks you’ll be doing. If you’ll be mainly folding laundry and keeping essentials to hand, then a granite countertop could unnecessarily eat into your budget. If you’re incorporating a food prep area, then allow for a section of durable countertop for this purpose.
Smooth surfaces prevent snags when folding delicate fabrics, so carefully consider the textures of your chosen design materials. Install task lighting over countertops and under shelves so you can treat spots and stains and check that you’ve emptied your machines properly.
The internal layout of your cabinets is important. Customize your storage units to take items such as vacuum cleaners, brooms, and ironing boards, as well as all your laundry and cleaning supplies. Stagger your shelving heights so they’re accessible for all and combine both open and closed storage. Ensure hazardous products are kept high up, out of children’s and pet’s reach. Integrate your appliances and choose handleless cabinet doors if you want a clean, streamlined look. Our custom closet systems are ideal for laundry and utility rooms, and our design team can help to create a storage system catered to your individual needs.
DECIDING ON YOUR LAUNDRY ROOM LAYOUT
A clever layout makes a huge difference to how your laundry room looks and performs.
The best layout depends on the size and shape of your space, but a galley or single wall layout works for most laundry rooms. Simply place the washer, dryer, sink, and cabinets along one wall to facilitate ease of movement without having to work around obstacles. Keeping your plumbing to one wall is also less expensive and complicated. Keep your laundry baskets on overhead shelving when not in use or incorporate pull out laundry sorting baskets into your custom cabinet design to make the laundry process even easier.
L-shaped layouts let you place the sink around the corner as you put the washer and dryer on the main strip. This is especially good if you’re using your laundry room for another purpose such as washing boots or pets. It also gives you extra counter space and storage potential. A large space gives you the option of choosing an island layout. The central island can serve as a separate workspace and a place to store things outside of your cabinets.
HOW TO STYLE YOUR LAUNDRY ROOM
Laundry rooms are often treated as purely functional spaces or kept as separate entities, but they can be incorporated into the rest of your interior style and complement the area to which they are adjacent. Windows let light in to enhance your laundry room and can be decorated with curtains or blinds that suit your aesthetic.
Rugs are good for sound absorption but also prevent slipping on wet tiles. The right rug can tie in different elements of your design as it picks up other colors, textures, or patterns. Keep some open shelving free for curated items such as pictures, succulents, or vases. Decant laundry supplies into attractive containers, taking care to keep them in a safe place if children are in the house.
Make your laundry room a place that is inviting and stylish. Enliven it with designer wallpaper, unusual cabinet hardware, art, or quirky signs. As with a powder room, a laundry room is a place you can experiment with decor. If you don’t like a color or theme, it’s quick to remedy with a fresh coat of paint or a change of accessories. If you’re ironing a lot, then a vintage style radio or a small wall-hung tv could make that time more enjoyable.
Decorate your laundry room to suit your style and requirements and include it when doing up the rest of your home for the holidays. Whether it’s coastal chic or industrial style, your laundry room can be decorated accordingly.
If you are planning a laundry room remodel, call us today. At McDaniels Kitchen and Bath, we have the experience and products to maximize the potential of your new design. From start to finish, our design experts work with our clients to ensure a smooth process with a stunning result. Schedule an appointment to talk to our design experts and to see our custom closet storage system displays in our Lansing, MI showroom.
