Whether you’re planning a new laundry room or updating an existing one, use our helpful design advice and inspiration to create a functional and efficient space.
Choose the Right Spot
The default location for the laundry room in Norway is in the bathroom – which makes sense to me.
Task-Based Design
To design an efficient laundry room that saves you time and effort, think about the tasks involved: sorting clothes, washing, drying, and folding. Arrange the work surfaces and appliances to facilitate that flow. This type of laundry room makes it easy for the laundry to go from the washer to the dryer to the countertop for folding. A clothes rod to the right of the dryer offers space for hanging items. Shelves above the washer and dryer keep laundry products within easy reach. And a laundry sink for hand-washing delicates is within steps of the washer/dryer duo. Minimum steps, maximum efficiency.
Wet & Dry Zones
Try thinking in terms of wet and dry zones to make the laundry room more efficient. Place the laundry sink and washing machine side by side to streamline plumbing lines and keep wet tasks together. Beside the dryer, install a clothing rod to hang items to air-dry. Immediately hang permanent press items to keep them from wrinkling. You might want to reserve space for an ironing board (stand-alone or pullout) close to the clothing rod to facilitate quick touch-ups.
Laundry Organisation
Being organized makes any job easier. Gather all of your laundry and clothing-care supplies into one utility cabinet near the washer and dryer so that everything is at hand when you need it. Store extra supplies here, too, so you’ll know when it’s time to restock. Make sure you store bleach and other dangerous compounds up high enough so young children can’t reach them. If possible, install a childproof lockable cabinet.
Include Good Lighting
Natural light brightens the laundry room and eliminates that consigned-to-the-dungeon feeling. But just as with the kitchen, you need good task lighting over work areas. Use under-cabinet fluorescent tubes or LED under-cabinet fixtures to illuminate the countertop so you can match socks or check clothing for spots and stains that might require pretreatment. Provide lighting that lets you see inside the washer and dryer to make sure nothing is left inside.
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