Laundry rooms can blend style, convenience

As part of a first-floor renovation of her Roswell home, Rhonda Ross wanted to put a fresh spin on her laundry area.

Slightly enlarged, the updated laundry area combines architectural elements of the adjacent kitchen, including the same Shaker-style cabinetry with contemporary pulls and custom-colored, wide plank oak flooring. The backsplash, with its opaque, gray-green glass tiles, adds a classic touch.

Like some of the big and small appliances in her kitchen, Ross also wanted her washer and dryer hidden behind cabinet doors. The gray-green limestone countertop over the appliances provides an area to fold clothes. As an extension of the kitchen, the stylish and functional space looks like a butler’s or serving pantry.

“The area offers more storage, more light (thanks to a French door in the back) and is easier to use,” Ross said. “Using similar materials throughout helped unify the look.”

Like Ross, today’s homeowners want a laundry area that blends style and convenience and looks as nice as any other room. But they want it to be a planned space, where everything has a function and purpose, said Jenny Parker, a kitchen and bath designer at Dunwoody-based Insidesign.

“A great laundry room is becoming more important to homeowners and more popular in remodels,” Parker said.

A 2013 survey of homebuyers’ preferences by the National Association of Realtors backs up Parker. In the survey, 63 percent of buyers ages 35 to 54 who bought a home between 2010 and 2013 also said they would be willing to spend more (about $1,590) for a home with a laundry room.

Some people want a dog-washing space in their laundry area, Parker said. Others want to incorporate a drop zone for book bags, coats and mail.

“Everyone’s needs are a little different when designing an updated laundry space,” Parker said. “The main consideration is how you want to use your space.”

Ready to take your laundry area from bleak to chic? Consider these tips from Kohler, BHG.com and Parker of Insidesign.

WHAT TO CONSIDER

Before you start

• Location. Laundry areas used to be in the basement, garage or a forgotten corner. Now they are more often on the first floor near the back door and kitchen or upstairs near the bedrooms.

• Multipurpose room. Laundry areas can be part of a shared space, such as a home office, sewing room or an indoor potting area.

• Hookups. Make sure your washer and dryer duo has what it needs to function properly. Washers require drains and hot and cold water lines. Gas dryers need a gas supply line and venting to the outside. Electric dryers require 120-volt circuits.

• Appliance size and space. Measure before you buy or build. Washers and dryers measure from 24 to 33 inches wide. For loading and unloading, allow 36 inches in front of a washer and 42 inches for a dryer. That way, you'll have room to walk around them without bumping into them. Measurements for front-loading models differ. If you need a small-space solution, install stacked units, which occupy less floor space.

Features and tasks

Arrange work surfaces, storage areas and appliances to make laundry tasks, such as sorting, washing, drying and folding, easier. Here are some tricked-out features to consider:

• Counters. Install a counter or a free-standing table so you have a place to fold clothes. With front-loaders, install a counter on top of the machines to save space. Countertops made of laminate, stone, quartz-surfacing, or solid-surfacing make it easy to clean up spilled detergents or fabric softeners. Plus, their smooth surfaces prevent snags when folding delicate lingerie or blouses.

• Island. If you have a large laundry room, add a center island. It can accommodate laundry tasks and provide a wrapping station or a kid's crafting zone.

• Sinks. A sink near the washing machine is handy for hand-washing delicate items and treating stains. Since the laundry area is often located near a first-floor entryway that leads to the yard or garage, the sink works as a first-stop, hand-washing spot. Shallow, in-floor sinks offer a place to rinse feet or muddy shoes, wash the dog or spot-clean large items, like throw rugs.

• Hang it. Install sturdy clothing rods to hang items just out of the washer or dryer. A double-tier clothes rack on wheels or casters also would work. If you don't have room for a clothes rack, purchase a flip-down wall-mount clothing valet.

• Press on. Reserve a space for an ironing board: standup or pullout for touchups. A built-in ironing board saves space and makes the job seem less of a chore. Just flip out the board and plug in the iron.

• Storage. Place your laundry and clothing-care supplies in customized cabinets near the washer and dryer so that everything is handy when you need it. Store bleach and other dangerous compounds up high enough so young children can't reach them. Also consider installing a lock for added safety.

• Lighting. Laundry areas don't often have windows, which can be a source of natural light. But even if they do, other lighting, such as recessed lights and under-cabinet lighting, is a work-area must. If it is a multipurpose room, additional light sources should be in the design.

Trends

• One machine that washes and dries.