It’s not an area many of us see as particularly exciting or the first room we consider updating in our homes. However, our laundries are a crucial part of the property and get considerable use. If this zone in your house looks rather drab and doesn’t function well, it’s time to give it a facelift.
This work doesn’t have to cost you a heap of cash, but with a reasonable investment and some time and energy, you can give the laundry a much-needed makeover.
Decide What You’re Trying to Achieve
Before ripping out your current laundry and buying anything new, stop and think about what you’re trying to achieve with your renovation. Do you have some specific goals for how the space will look and feel when it’s finished?
For instance, you might want to extend your laundry by knocking out walls so you have more space to work with, or you might be happy with the current area but want to give it a facelift. You might hope to incorporate more storage space or have to work to a set budget. Getting clear on your needs and the outcomes you’re after will help you make the best decisions possible as you plan, manage, and complete the project.
Choose Appliances Before Making Other Decisions
If you’re keen to update your laundry with new appliances, such as a replacement washing machine and clothes dryer, pick out your preferred machines ASAP. Many people make the mistake of designing their laundry and getting work done before choosing appliances but then get stuck with devices that don’t fit in the desired places.
You need to know how much space each unit takes up and how much area it needs around it to operate effectively and give you access. Consider, too, if the machines will sit side by side or stack on top of each other or if you’re opting for a combination washer-dryer product instead. Plus, if you want to opt for colored goods, since they’re not only available in white or silver anymore, you should know this upfront so you can design the rest of your color palette in the laundry to suit.
Also, factor in things like gas supply lines, drains, and hot and cold water lines. Work out where these are in the room and if you need them moved to suit your new appliances before you order cabinets and contractors begin other work.
Ensure There’s Enough Ventilation
With washing machines and dryers in this part of the home, laundries often get muggy and damp. As such, think about ventilation as you renovate this zone. You don’t want your appliances, clothing, and other supplies and cabinetry, etc., to suffer from mold and mildew because of a lack of airflow.
If the laundry doesn’t have a door you can leave open to the outside or decently-sized windows, address this when remodeling by adding such an opening to let in the fresh air. You might also like to check out some modern ceiling fans and get one installed to help move the air around.
Factor in Adequate Storage and Flat Space
Another laundry renovation tip is to factor in adequate storage space as you do up the room. Allow some flat area to fold clothes, iron, or complete other tasks. Many people find that their clean clothes end up strewn around their kitchen, living room, and other parts of the home because they don’t have the proper place to finish up with their freshly washed items before putting them away.
Adding a spot where you can sit down in the laundry to take care of folding and ironing can make life easier and your house tidier since you can keep everything tucked out of sight.
Design the Room Based on Other Practicalities
As you plan out and work on your upgraded laundry, consider some other practicalities. For example, design the room based on the tasks you’ll complete there and the order in which you’ll do them. It pays to add a built-in ironing board and dirty clothes hamper, and you may want to incorporate a laundry chute, too.
Make sure there’s an internal laundry door so you can close off the room to make it quieter when needed and add appropriate lighting to the space. Choose quality materials that will wear well and last a long time, too, and install childproof, lockable cabinets for any dangerous chemicals you store in your laundry if you have young children or enterprising pets in the home.
While modernizing a laundry isn’t as full-on as renovating bathrooms or kitchens, there’s often more to it than meets the eye. If you consider each of the above elements and make smart decisions as you go, though, you’ll soon have the laundry of your dreams.
