The laundry room is often tucked into a poorly lit corner of the basement, which makes the entire experience of doing laundry dreary. Dim lighting, cold floors and unfinished walls make a basement laundry room a place you'd rather not spend any time in, yet each week we must. Thankfully, laundry rooms are finally receiving consideration as a room worthy of updating. Decorative storage, shelving, organizing systems, stylish, colourful appliances and functional laundry aids can turn this space from awful to awesome.
Organizing for function
Having a space that is functional is your first hurdle. Just as kitchens are designed using the working triangle, the laundry room needs a little preplanning to make light of what can be heavy work. Taking your wash from the washer to the dryer and to the ironing board or folding table should be a smooth operation; saving you time and energy. If you can, try to plan your room in terms of the working triangle. The path of activity needs to be kept clear and the laundry supplies should be within easy reach. If you have to stick with a less-than-perfect layout due to the plumbing and electrical layout of the space then buy yourself a rolling laundry basket so you can wheel heavy, wet laundry to the dryer and so forth which will save your back in the end.
Brighten and freshen
Now that you've got your layout determined you can plan to finish (or freshen) the walls, floor and ceiling. A little drywall and paint can make a huge difference to an unfinished basement room. If drywall is too daunting of a task for you to do yourself, perhaps a light-coloured panelling could be installed instead. You may have to hire someone to finish the walls and ceiling but it is worth a few dollars to have a cheery space. If your walls are finished but could use some brightening up, a little paint or wallpaper can go a long way to bring a dank space into the light. Use a cheery colour like yellow to make the space feel sunny and cheerful. If you don't have the budget for either of these options, even hanging some cheerful fabric over the walls or creating decorative screens can make the space a little more fun to be in.
If it's in your budget to purchase a new washer and dryer, try to co-ordinate your room with one of the many stylish new appliances available. Deep red or navy blue washers and dryers can be the basis for a stunning space. Basic white is fine too so don't despair if you're working with what you have. Paint comes in thousands of colours so your walls need not be boring just because your appliances are plain.
Storage is important
There usually isn't a need for tons of storage in the laundry room but it's nice to have a place where laundry supplies and tools are accessible yet out of sight. Luckily, functional storage can be beautiful. Invest in cabinets with furniture styling or storage units that will unify the look of the room as well as serve their purpose. You may all ready have something in the home that can be used for storage. Take a look around your home before you start shopping. A baker's rack, a wicker ©tag ®re or even a plain bookcase might work in the right setting.
Choose a theme
If you don't know where to begin with the decor of your space you might want to stick to a theme. An outdoor garden theme is a look that will make the laundry room bright and cheery. Use paint colours like light yellow, green or light blue to ward off any gloom. Botanical prints on wallpaper will help bring the outdoor theme into this space. A potting stand might make a great folding and storage area. Storage options using this theme are inexpensive and fun. Wicker baskets and clay pots can be used to hold utilitarian items in a decorative manner. You can paint the pots with botanical designs to further support the garden theme. Store your laundry soap in a large, decorative tin or a garden pot with a lid instead of leaving it in its original container. To finish off the garden look, use houseplants to soften up the space and give it some colour. Tending to them while waiting for the wash to finish will make your time there more enjoyable.
Industrial decor
Stainless steel appliances, wire shelving and storage units can give your laundry room an industrial flavour. A rolling laundry basket on large casters will make tasks easier to manage while supporting the industrial theme. Bold wall colour like red or orange will make this tiny room vibrant and energized. Stainless steel appliances, accessories, hooks and containers will finish off this modern space and provide a clean, sleek look. A stainless steel tabletop would be a good choice for a workspace in this style of decor. Use modern halogen lighting to support the look and give much needed light to the space.
Collector's decor
If you have no proper space to display your collection, the laundry room might fit the bill. Collectors of advertising memorabilia, decorative tins, china (like tea pots or salt and pepper shakers) and so on can turn a mundane space into a place of interest. Imagine enjoying your collection while waiting for your laundry. Now you have a reason to spend an hour or two with your vintage toy cars, spoon collection or coin collection!
Vintage laundry decor
Laundry paraphernalia from days past can make for great decorative items in a modern laundry room. Vintage boxes of laundry soap, tins, washing guides and magazines can turn your room into a mini-museum. Old washboards, washstands, sinks and laundry buckets make for great accessories and sometimes, might also be used for storage. Look for vintage laundry advertisements, pamphlets or photographs to frame as art. A hand braided rag rug would be a fun vintage way to keep your feet toasty.
Warm toes
If the basement floor is cold or damp buy a decorative mat that can "breathe" while keep your feet off of the concrete. Wicker or natural fibre rugs work well. I use yoga matting that comes in connectable pieces (almost like large puzzle pieces) in my laundry room. They are rubber based and are spongy to walk on yet easy to move, reconfigure and rinse off in needed. You may also want to paint the concrete floor with a good quality concrete paint in a uplifting colour then place your mat on top. If not a real throw rug then paint a faux rug just for fun.
More room-brightening ideas
Mirrors will add dimension and reflect light into the space. This is helpful if your laundry room is in the basement where windows are small and natural light scarce.
Add task lighting to light up work surfaces and accent the art in your space.
Add a CD player or a radio to the room so you can relax while completing your chores. Bring in a small television on a wall-mounted stand to catch up on your favourite
Shows while you fold laundry. Catch up with friends by purchasing a hands-free portable phone with a headset so that you can de-stress while you press!
Indulge in the tradition of using linen water to freshen the bedding in the dryer or while ironing and folding.
Fresh flowers, or even a single fragrant blossom, will brighten up the space. Head out to the garden while the clothes are washing and pick yourself a beautiful bouquet.
A spa in the laundry room?
Why not? Draw a foot bath and soak your feet while you fold clothes. You already have a water hook up and a drain so why not make good use of it? You deserve it! Add a day bed or futon to a cozy corner and grab yourself 20 winks while the dryer's monotonous humming puts you to sleep. It will wake you when it's done -- don't worry.
Who knows -- if you make it nice enough, you just might get some help with the laundry!
