GOLDEN RULES OF GREAT LAUNDRIES How to design your space

GOLDEN RULES OF GREAT LAUNDRIES

The BuildHer team share their tried-and-tested tips for wash spaces that perform well in form and function

EURO STYLE Melbourne-based Alison Lewis Interiors designed this stylish cleaning station behind bifold doors.

BuildHer Collective co-founders Rebeka Morgan (left) and Kribashini Hannon can be found at buildhercollective.com.au DOUBLE DUTY Installing efficient yet chic hanging rails in laundries can be the ultimate cheat to reduce ironing time.

The once-forgotten laundry is back, and with a bang. Today, we see it being a space that is super functional and beautiful. This important room is now receiving its share of the buzz and increasingly fitted with ‘jewellery’ to match. We work with BuildHers to get the location and flow of their laundries right, and want to share some of our top tips:

1DIG DEEP The ideal depth for benchtops in a laundry is usually between 600mm and 700mm. One of the key factors that will determine this is the appliances. If you have an underbench washing machine and dryer, they will need to fit neatly under the bench, with enough room to form the tap connections.

Another factor to consider is the sink or laundry trough that integrates with the bench depth. If you use a ceramic farmhouse sink, often the tap will sit behind the bowl, so you need enough space for this. Plus, don’t forget to allow for clearance on either side of the appliances and sometimes above. Most of the time you’ll need 30–50mm on either side, but check the whiteware specs and installation guides during the design phase.

2MEASURE TWICE If you are building new, the location and size of the laundry are super important. Generally, these spaces are between 1800mm and 2400mm wide – this gives you enough space for the appliances and sinks on one wall, while the other wall can be for shelving or hanging storage and circulation space. With that said, if you are renovating, you may need to compromise on the size and depth of the room, based on the existing space you must work within. Either way, measure twice to be sure!

3ALLOW SPACE TO WORK A walkway of between 900mm and 1200mm will usually be sufficient to help with the use of integrated items such as ironing boards or drying cabinets. Also, think about the workflow in the laundry in terms of space and laundry hampers. Rebeka has four in her laundry – one for clean laundry to be folded and put away, one for general washing, one for whites, and one for towels and bedding.

HAMPER HEAVEN If space permits, opt for built-in laundry hampers to avoid washing piling up.

LONG VIEW If possible, locate your laundry in a spot with good access and a pleasant outlook to enjoy while you’re folding clothes.

Storage is so important! Write a list of all the things you keep in your laundry as this will inform what is best for overhead storage and elsewhere

4THINK ABOUT STORAGE This is so important! How much storage do you need? Write a list of all the things you keep in your laundry as this will inform what is best for overhead storage and elsewhere. The list will probably be bigger that you imagine. Think about the overhead storage of chemicals, to keep them away from children, and whether these are things you want to see on open shelves or in overhead cabinets. Overhead hanging rods work well – for storing or drying items.

5WHERE TO SAVE You can save on the level of finish here. Rather than a full laminate on the insides of cabinets, use standard melamine.

Save on tiling by not tiling the walls to full height – just the floor and a small skirting. Buy wire storage systems if you can’t afford new joinery, although Ikea has affordable cabinetry.

6WHAT TO SPLURGE ON I [Kribashini] think you should splurge on the quality of your washing machine and dryer, your iron and your storage solutions. But also consider your individual needs. I have a fantastic iron with a water base, but it is large and bulky and I won’t use it if I have to get the board out. I’m always rushing around, so having the iron out is important for convenience. But honestly, it’s unsightly and takes up so much space! Other items to splurge on are a great sink and storage, which will add useability and functionality.

If you are building, you’ll have the potential to resolve all your laundry issues with the new design. If you’re renovating, you may need to compromise features to suit the space you have.

Think about high-end touches, such as gorgeous cabinet handles (you only need a few in a laundry space). You could also add an expensive tile or stone you love for the splashback – if it’s a small quantity, you may be able to buy a cheap offcut.

7OTHER ASPECTS A laundry can be considered a wet area, so make sure that the new plasterboard behind your appliances and at tap penetrations is fully waterproofed.

You may also like to consider storage for pet food and other related items. And if the trough or sink will be large enough to wash your pet, or sporting gear and other muddy items.

For obvious reasons, families really value full-scale laundries, and often look for this when buying a house. In apartments, however, having a compact laundry off the hallway, as in a lot of European homes, is perfectly acceptable.

MUST-HAVES

Ticking off these factors will create a laundry that’s super fit for purpose

+ Sufficient ventilation + Enough circulation space + Natural light (if possible) + External door for access (if possible) + Durable floor surfaces + Ample storage + Bench space for folding + Good-quality appliances, with high ratings for energy consumption and water usage + Dryers vented to the outside if required (based on model and type) + Full-height cupboard for brooms, mops and vacuum cleaner + Doors to conceal the laundry if it is in a bathroom, garage or hallway.

EQUAL MEASURES Incorporating elements used elsewhere in your home will give the space more design cred.