There is one room in every home that gets used every day and often doesn’t get the attention it deserves - the laundry room. Here are 7 things to consider when designing your laundry room.
When you start dreaming about designing a new home or cottage, it’s easy to get caught up in the details of the kitchen, the primary bedroom, the ensuite, or the entertainment areas. But there is one room in every home that gets used almost every day, and often doesn’t get the attention it deserves - the laundry room.
In many homes, the laundry room is just that - a room to do laundry in. It’s one of the rooms you don’t want others to see. But a well designed laundry room not only makes the task of doing laundry more manageable and enjoyable, it can be a room you don’t mind others having a peek at.
One of the first things to consider is where your laundry room is situated within the layout of your home. Laundry often piles up in bedroom closets, so it might make sense to have your laundry room near your bedrooms, so you are not having to carry laundry from one end of your home to the other.
Consider whether or not you’d like an exterior entrance in your laundry room. Perhaps you’d like a separate family entrance so shoes and coats don’t pile up at your front door. Perhaps you’d like a door that leads out to a fenced-in area for your dogs, or a door to the garage. There are all kinds of reasons you may want an exterior entrance to your laundry room. It can be very convenient.
If you like the idea of having a separate family entrance, you may want to add the functionality of a mudroom - making it a laundry and mudroom all in one. Having a bench with cubbies and coat hooks is the perfect place for both adults and kids to leave their bags, coats and shoes.
Having a walk-in shower in your laundry/mudroom can be very convenient if you have pets. On a rainy day, you can rinse mud away without tracking dirt throughout the house.
While you’ll want to ensure you have plenty of counter space for folding and organizing laundry, you’ll also want to ensure you have plenty of storage space.
Laundry rooms are often home to cleaning products and accessories, such as a vacuum, brooms, buckets and mops, soaps, etc. Consider both under-counter and wall-mount cabinets and a closet or two to help organize some of these items. Closets can also be very handy for storing coats and footwear as seasons change.
If your laundry room is located on an exterior wall, consider adding windows for natural light. Having a window or two can make your laundry room a much more enjoyable space to work in.
Consider putting a sink in front of a window so you can enjoy the view while you work. Perhaps you’d prefer counter space so you can use it as a folding station. Whatever your preference, account for any natural light in your laundry room plans.
If you have pets, you’ve probably wished you had a convenient, out of the way spot to put their food and bowls. A laundry/mudroom can be a great place for pets and their stuff.
Not only can you have an exterior entrance to a fenced in pet run, a walk-in shower to keep them clean, but you can have a dedicated feeding area, storage for their food and even a secure area while you have guests over. With a little planning, your laundry/mudroom can easily double as a space for your pets.
The above are just a few of the items you’ll want to consider when planning and designing your laundry room. Your options are limited only by your imagination.
If you’ve started to imagine some of the above options, you may have realized that your new laundry room may require more space than you initially thought. If you are used to working in a small and cluttered laundry room, it's time to start dreaming a little bigger.
Make your laundry room a priority when planning your new home or cottage. Once you move in, you’ll be glad you did.
If you are planning to design and build a new home or cottage in Peterborough, Ontario or the surrounding areas, contact us for a consultation. We’ll not only help you plan your laundry room, we’ll help you plan and build your entire home.
