“Laundry Room”
This bland and poor functioning laundry room gave new meaning to the word household “chore”. Larger and more efficient machines don’t always fit well in some older or original house plans. The laundry room is often overlooked, and even less of a priority in any renovation plans. Yet with the amount of times it’s used it’s a wonder why more attention isn’t paid.
Somewhat of a “catch-all”, with dog food storage bins, an over stuffed closet, clothes drying stations, and a make-shift folding countertop, this room needed to be multi-functional. A room made seemingly more narrow by having the washer and dryer right at the door and only entrance. Loading the washer became an obstacle to walkers by, with the door opening into the hallway. A poor layout making the task unbearable, changes needed to be made. Often commenting; “The home would be perfect if it wasn’t for the Laundry Room”. The room was claustrophobic if it weren’t for the 11 foot high ceilings. Which seemed like such a wasted space but did allow for an overhead patio cushion storage system.
Opening up the existing closet and repositioning the sink allowed for the machines to be pushed back away from the entrance. Utilizing an “L” shaped layout allowed for a better functioning laundry room. A tiered custom wrap-around countertop above the large capacity over height machines now give plenty of space to fold, also allowing for a more conducive working height.
Installing taller upper cabinets and a large corner storage unit to house all those necessities, of which also keeps the dog food bins “out of sight”. This new cabinet arrangement actually increased storage compared to the old bi-fold closet. Above the cabinets, printed canvas storage bins (matching the new decor) secretly now hold extra linen, towels and other items. A Ballard Designs Beadboard Drying rack, a guilty splurge tucked nicely in the sink nook, decorative coat racks concealed behind the door and wall are a more pleasing and practical way to hang drying clothes. Recessed into the wall a cabinet which nicely hides a swiveling ironing board, a great space saver and now makes ironing a breeze.
Who said your laundry room has to be bland, decorative elements consisting of vintage and antique washing memorabilia throughout. Collector’s items adorned a display shelf in between the two upper cabinets, reminders of a pre-era when laundry was an un-imaginable time hung on the walls and placed on the deep countertops give the space a refreshing look and feel, and now keeping up with the decor of the rest if the home. Laundry is no longer a chore but a nice little retreat.
