Designing the Perfect Laundry Room

When it comes to the average home, perhaps no room is less loved than the laundry room. While many cooks relish their time in the kitchen, very few homeowners look forward to their next trip to the laundry room.

The laundry room is an important room, however, and probably one that can benefit from a good remodeling project. The most important element to laundry room remodeling is a good design going in. One of the most important trends in laundry room design is moving the location of the room. Many homeowners have grown tired of relegating the washer and dryer to the dank depths of the basement, and they are deciding to relocate those important items to a more accessible, and brighter, part of the home.

Good lighting is an important part of any laundry room design. It is important to be able to properly match socks and other items, and good lighting is important to that effort. One great way to enjoy the laundry room while ensuring plenty of great light is to have a window in the laundry room. For too long, natural light and laundry rooms did not seem to go together, but more and more homeowners, are seeing the light so to speak, and adding natural lighting to their laundry room design.

One of the most useful features of any laundry room, regardless of its location, is a set of sorting bins. Colorful sorting bins in bright colors can add charm and beauty to any laundry room. One simple, and inexpensive, approach is to use simple plastic laundry baskets, arranged in a long shelf above the washer and dryer. Label the baskets, “hand wash”, “whites”, “darks”, “colors” and “permanent press”. Depending on your needs you may want to add a bin for dry cleaning, for clothes that need to be mended, or for clothes to be given to your favorite charity.

The good laundry room design will also incorporate a wide, flat area for folding laundry. This folding area is one of the most important design elements. One of the best locations for the folding area is a flat surface in front of the window. This will provide plenty of natural light and a great view while you are folding the laundry.

It is also a great idea to allow plenty of space for hanging and drying clothes in the laundry room. Many of the most popular clothes require drip drying, and placing some hanging rods near the floor drain will help keep the floor dry while keeping the clothes looking their best.

By Brooke Sikula