How to Design a Functional Laundry Room

Even though the laundry room is often the smallest room in the house, it has high demands for productivity. We look at some key design features that you can employ to ensure your laundry is as functional as possible.

Cabinets & Storage

When you think about storage in your laundry, don’t just consider a broom cupboard and leave it at that. The key to functional design is ensuring that everything has a place including; dirty clothes, ironing board, laundry liquid/soap, clothes steamer and more.

Think laterally about your storage needs and consider how you like to divide up your washing. If you can create a space to store bins or integrate drawers for each of your washing categories your productivity will be improved immediately.

Also, think about how you like to access tools like the iron and ironing board and consider integrating these into a cupboard or onto the wall for easy access.

Hanging Space

Having a dedicated space to hang clothes for steaming or to dry can be a game changer. It may mean that you no longer need to keep a portable clothes horse cluttering up precious space. You could choose an air dryer that extends from the wall and contracts when not in use, or perhaps install a rail that you can easily hang coat hangers on.

Bench Space

Photo by barlow reid design - Look for laundry room design inspiration

If you’re putting your best Konmari folding efforts to the test, or just folding the regular old way, functional bench space is a must. Choosing a front-loading washer and dryer will hopefully mean that you have ample space for a bench top right over the top of your washer.

Drying Cupboard

If you have the space available, you might also consider including a drying cupboard. This cupboard might draw in the excess heat of your hot water service or heating system to push to help it dry clothes, or you can install a specialised drying unit to achieve the same effect. This is especially useful in inclement weather when it’s difficult to try delicate clothes without using a tumble dryer.

Laundry Trough

You’ll need a sink that is ample for soaking and washing delicates. Consider a trough that is large enough for washing the family dog, or perhaps that can double as a baby bath. Think about choosing a mixer with a pullout feature for extra versatility.

Cook & Bathe have a great range of laundry troughs, taps and mixers available for your functional laundry renovation.