In every household the Laundry is a very hard working area. It’s vital that its design is both practical and functional. So where do you start and what are the essentials? We’ve put together a list of top tips for creating the ultimate laundry.
1. LOCATION
Too often the Laundry is crammed into the garage space, and trying to manouvre laundry baskets around cars is never a good idea! Ideally, your laundry should be placed as close to the kitchen or service area as possible. It’s best to position it away from the bedrooms and entertaining spaces so that noise isn’t an issue.
2. LAYOUT
If possible, consider positioning your washing machine between your sink and laundry baskets, allowing you to transfer clothing directly between these areas. Positioning the dryer next to or above the washing machine reduces double handling, and ensures you have bench space close-by so clothing can be folded or sorted directly from your dryer.
3. STORAGE
Ample storage is gold in your laundry. Include a combination of cupboards, overheads, drawers and bench top space for the ultimate storage hub. Overheads are ideal for storing chemicals and cleaners up high out of reach of children and the inclusion of a tall cupboard allows you to store brooms, mops and vacuum cleaners out of sight. We also included a large heated towel rail in our laundry, which is great as a back up to dry clothes in bad weather.
4. INCLUDE AN IRONING CENTRE
I hate ironing! To the point where I won’t buy something if it needs ironing. But then there are the kids uniforms and other things that just need ironing. If possible consider adding an ironing station positioned on the wall. We use the Robinhood IC1300. These are fabulous as they have a built in light and safety timer which switches power off to your iron once the timer is done. The ironing board is height adjustable and folds away effortlessly into its own purpose designed cabinet.
5. PULL OUT LAUNDRY BINS
A pair of large slide out bins will take your laundry to the next level. We use Hideaway Bins, which can be integrated into your cabinetry and allow you to sort whites and darks separately, while hiding all your dirty washing. The strong plastic bins lift out easily so they can be hosed or washed out occasionally if necessary.
6. VENTILATION, EXTERNAL ACCESS AND LIGHTING
Include direct external access to your clothesline where possible, and ensure you have adequate ventilation through a window and/or an exhaust fan. Ensure there is adequate lighting through windows or a skylight and consider installing task strip LED lighting within your cabinetry.
7. FLOORING AND SPLASHBACKS
Make sure your flooring is suitable for a wet area and is non-slip. If your budget allows use a feature splashback above your bench top and sink for ease of cleaning, and to give your laundry that designer look.
Hopefully some of these ideas will be of use to you when you come to design your own laundry. Having enough space is crucial, and making sure that every inch of that space is put to good use will provide you with a well functioning laundry that you will be thankful for every day!
If you would like to talk to us about building your very own ‘Byrne Home’, please get in touch today. Give us a call – we are a friendly bunch! Call 022 320 1954 or flick us an email at michelle@byrnehomes.co.nz
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