~ Why Your Laundry Room Doesn’t Have to be a Place of Dread ~

Photo Courtesy: Apartmentherapy & Style Me Pretty

Doing laundry isn’t exactly one of those fun chores we like to perform on the weekends or enjoy whenever we have a spare moment. Those laundry loads can pile up due to procrastination! I can speak from experience. However, having a great laundry room makes it all better. Here are a few tips for creating a fantastic, functional laundry room in your home.

Photo Courtesy: Stories & Apartmentherapy

Let’s start with some basics and talk about color. Often the laundry room is a forgotten space. It usually is located centrally in the home for all to access, but sometimes it is hidden away somewhere down a lonely hallway or a basement, where no one wants to visit. If we think about painting the walls in a whimsical color or wallpapering the space in an interesting pattern or print, you just might think twice about putting the laundry aside and instead jumpstart the effort to get those clothes clean.

We want our laundry room floors to be attractive as well. Porcelain tile floors are what we recommend for durability and ease of cleaning and maintenance. These tiles can be a creative pattern, a solid stone look or have the appearance of wood. There are so many options to choose!

If you have the space, you can also select fun artwork to hang in your laundry room as well. As shown below, we have a client in the Uptown Park area of Houston who had some great art in the laundry room. Quite literally, “may the force be with you” when you are doing your laundry, thanks to the STAR WARSⓇ-inspired art. 😉

Décor by Pamela Hope Designs

Function is another key point to make your laundry room a useful space. Adding a shelf directly above your washer and dryer will help serve as a workstation. Choosing a countertop that is durable and easy-to-clean will be most beneficial. This idea also works best if you have front-loading machines. If you’e able to feature counters with varying heights, the different counters can help you with different tasks. For instance, the higher counter space on top of the washer and dryer provides a nice space for folding. If you have a lower counter space (36 inches is standard), that can be used to tackle some stain removal or maybe some hand washing.

Photo Courtesy: Eighteen25

A beautiful window in the laundry room is always nice, if you can manage it, and welcomes natural light from the outdoors. If you are going to be folding clothes, you may as well have a nice view to help pass time faster! This also introduces the opportunity for a pretty window treatment as well. If you are not able to have a window, task lighting in the way of a stylish table lamp will do the trick.

Storage is a big factor for a well-functioning laundry room. If you have the wall space, additional shelving is always an advantage. Decorative baskets can be used to keep your cleaning supplies organized and serve as a place to store extra towels and items (such as clothes pins, special soaps and fragrances, etc.) that are only needed on occasion. Under cabinet storage is also useful to hide things such as another hamper and a waste basket for lint and used dryer sheets.

Sometimes our laundry room can serve double duty and be combined with office space or even with a mudroom. Answering a few emails in between loads is an efficient way to pass the time. Our Uptown Park client has her office in her laundry room. The soft humming of the washing machine and dryer serves as a great white noise filter while she focuses on her work. Having a mudroom/laundry room combination is also a great idea. This way you can come in from your outdoor fun and leave your dirty laundry right where it will be cleaned. You can hang your coats and jackets and store your boots and shoes in storage cubbies like the ones shown here.

Photo Courtesy: The Spruce & Enchanted Home

Clients are even incorporating dog-washing stations for their four-legged family members in their laundry rooms. The laundry room is the perfect spot to wash Fido and have his eating and drinking station as well as a nice comfy bed to sleep. It is out of the way, and you don’t have to worry about the dog hair clogging the drain in your tub. It’s a win, win!

Photo Courtesy: This Old House & HomeBNC

If your laundry room is a bit cozy and you need to maximize your space, a stackable washer and dryer is always a sound solution. Stacking is also a great suggestion for under used powder rooms or closets that have been converted into laundry rooms. The backs of the closet doors can be equipped with hooks to hang ironing boards, brooms and dusting wands. Shelving can be installed and used with decorative baskets for storage and a hanging rod can be installed right underneath the shelf to hang your shirts and tops to dry. A laundry bin with casters can be tucked under the counter and a few shelves underneath can provide good storage for easy to get to everyday items.

When it comes to everyday chores, why not be a little creative about making the room a bit more appealing? Decorate your laundry room to reflect your personal style and interests. It’s a fun way to add personality to your space.

Until next time, let your creative juices flow!