A Happy Hamper

HOW TO CREATE THE BEST LAUNDRY ROOM

BY KIM ARMSTRONG

A laundry room isn’t just a place to wash clothes — it’s a task zone. And, like any workspace, smart design can significantly improve how the room functions. Making it pretty is a bonus that shouldn’t be overlooked. Let’s break down the core elements I consider when planning a laundry room that functions well in the long term.

GIVE EVERYTHING A PLACE TO LIVE

If things don’t have a home, they’ll end up in a pile. So, we plan storage as if it’s part of the architecture:

Smart ideas:

• Hidden bins for lights vs. darks

• Roll-out hampers

• Cabinets dedicated to cleaning tools

• Pull-out shelves for detergents + supplies

• Utilize ALL your space - for instance, the laundry room below backed up to a staircase, so we were able to create tons of hidden storage space and a drying rack. Look for those unexpected places to add storage.

Designer tip: Add at least one tall storage cabinet with an electrical outlet. Brooms, mops, Swiffers, cordless vacuums, etc. can live in that cabinet.

DON’T BE AFRAID TO MAKE IT PRETTY

Laundry is repetitive and usually not

everyone’s favorite chore, so you might as

well have a beautiful place to work.

Consider:

• a great wallpaper moment

• playful cabinet colors

• patterned tile that hides dirt

(trust us, it works)

• a great light fixture and hardware

• a beautiful sink skirt

I absolutely love a dramatic or unexpected design detail in a laundry room, and wallpaper is your best friend. Easy to wipe down, brings lots of color and pattern, and creates a ton of interest, even in a small space.

CREATE ZONES

A designated landing spot for clean clothes means you have a place to fold them and won’t be tempted to throw them back into a laundry basket unfolded.

This can be:

• A long countertop, or, if you don’t have room for one, purchase a countertop to place over your washer and dryer (front-loading only). Amazon sells a countertop for above your machines for under $150 — just search “washer dryer countertop”.

• A wall-mounted drop-down shelf if you have space issues and can’t have the shelf in your space all the time.

• A designated sorting area to easily sort darks from lights or stinking football uniforms from the rest of the laundry.

A few ideas are a rolling cart with sections, shelving that fits laundry baskets you can sort into, or raise your washer dryer and make room under them for various storage or sorting needs.

• A drying area for your clothes that need air-drying means clothing lasts longer, won’t shrink, and you aren’t hanging wet clothes all over the house. This can be a rod, or you can purchase a wall- mounted fold-out rack — look on Amazon or at The Container Store and search for “expandable wall mounted drying rack”.

FINAL THOUGHT: TREAT IT LIKE A REAL ROOM

A laundry room deserves the same love as the living room. Give it color, personality, storage that supports your habits, and good lighting — and suddenly, it becomes a space you don’t dread stepping into.