Since February tends to be the coldest and snowiest month…wearing many layers of clothing is essential, which means loads of laundry to clean. Doing laundry isn’t simply a matter of sorting, washing, rinsing, drying, ironing and folding. It’s been elevated to an art form, so adding the right features to your room can make this task more enjoyable and elevate the look of your space.
SKÖNA can design and build premiere cabinetry for this often-neglected room. Here’s some must-haves for a well-organized and efficient laundry room.
1. Ample space…especially in a busy family home with children. A minimum of 80 square feet provides enough space for a single row of cabinets, a recess for machines, a sink, a hamper and a sufficient walkway. More space would be necessary if you include storage areas (ex., a linen/broom closet or a side-by-side washer and dryer rather than stacked).
2. Deep Countertops to fold and sort clothes. Countertops should be at least 24-25.5” deep to fit a decent-sized sink as well as space for baskets. Placing the machines and hampers under the countertop creates more counter surface area (or consider a 2-in-1 washer/dryer to free up more room).
3. Hampers will avoiddirty clothes being stored elsewhere. A pull-out hamper with dividers is ideal for separating colours, darks and whites. This will make sorting easier and keep it hidden. Sturdy plastic tubs can be integrated into cabinetry, then removed and cleaned as needed. A simpler (and less expensive option) is to include a recessed space for a basket.
4. Drying racks or a built-in drying cabinet eliminates those freestanding/foldable drying racks scattered throughout the house.
5. Smart storage tailored to your needs.
- A fold-away ironing board in a drawer is great if you only iron sporadically.
- If pets are fed or toileted in the laundry, drawers for food bowls or litter boxes can be added.
- Incorporate areas to store the vacuum cleaner, brooms, ironing board, mops and baskets.
- Include electrical outlets in the cupboards so you can charge a hand-held vacuum cleaner while it’s tucked away.
6. Hanging rods or rails makes drying clothes easy and reduce the amount of ironing. Install them above the countertops, underneath the overhead cabinets, or make them a feature by installing them to hang from the ceiling.
7. Forgiving finishes are best for flooring. Tiles with a patina, a pattern or a stone look are great for minimizing scuffs and smudges that occur in a hardworking area. Adding fancy tiles to the backsplash injects some fun into this utilitarian room.
