The Top Laundry Room Must-Haves for Tuscaloosa Homes
Let's face it—laundry is a part of life. But if it feels like a major drag, it could be your laundry room that's the problem.
But it doesn't have to be this way.
With a little thought and some smart design choices, you can transform your laundry room into a high-functioning and beautiful space. Keep reading to learn the top laundry room must-haves that can transform your dreadful laundry room into an enjoyable place. With a little help from the experts at Toulmin Kitchen & Bath, you’ll soon have a fantastic space to complete your least favorite chore.
Key Takeaways
Top Laundry Room Must Haves
Prioritize Form and Function: Consider whether you want to improve the functionality or aesthetic appeal of your laundry room. This decision will guide your budget and design choices, ensuring the space meets your needs and preferences.
Utilize Multi-Functionality: Consider how you will use the space beyond just laundry tasks. Incorporate features like additional storage, work zones, and utility areas to maximize the room's functionality, allowing it to serve multiple purposes such as a mudroom, home office, or craft area.
Consider Remodeling Timing: Evaluate whether it makes sense to remodel your laundry room in conjunction with other home projects. This can be more cost-effective and less disruptive to your daily routine, allowing for a comprehensive and cohesive home improvement strategy.
Imagine walking into a laundry room that's bright, organized, and thoughtfully designed. Instead of dreading laundry day, you might actually enjoy it. In the next section, we'll share practical tips and creative ideas to help you transform your laundry room. With a blend of functionality and style, you'll find that laundry day becomes a lot less daunting and much more enjoyable.
From clever storage solutions to stylish decor, we'll show you how to blend functionality with aesthetics. With these changes, you'll find that laundry day becomes a lot more enjoyable. So, let's dive in and discover how to make your laundry room work for you.
How To Create a High-Functioning Laundry Room
Creating a more functional laundry room is much less painful and less expensive than remodeling other areas of your home. Often, the washer and dryer are already installed, meaning that the water supply and drainage lines are already in place. When it comes to materials, they can be low-cost and basic, or you can upgrade and make a statement; it all depends on your budget and aesthetic needs. And, because the laundry room isn't as essential as the kitchen or bathroom, remodeling it won't significantly impact your lifestyle.
If you’re in the early stages of planning a laundry room renovation, here are three things to consider:
Think About Form and Function
You want to begin the process by answering a few questions that will affect your decisions and budget. The first question to ask is, are you merely looking for more functionality, or are you hoping to make the space fit into your home's design aesthetic?
Consider How You’ll Use The Space
Next, consider the mechanics. Do you plan on working with the space you already have, or are you considering relocating your laundry room to another area of the house? Buying some new appliances and adding a little paint or wallpaper is one thing; taking down walls, rerouting plumbing, and building an entirely new space is another.
Should You Remodel Multiple Rooms?
Another good question to ask yourself is, "Why now?" It's a good idea to consider why it might be the right time to remodel or redecorate the laundry room. If you're planning a larger project, such as a kitchen or bathroom remodel, it might be more cost-effective to do everything at once.
A Laundry Room Is For More Than Washing Clothes
Ultimately, how you remodel the laundry room should depend on how you intend to use the space. Many homeowners make their laundry room function as mudrooms, storage space for brooms, vacuums, and cleaning supplies, a drop-off for the kid's sports gear, a butler's pantry, a home office, a craft room, a pet room, and more!
Before you get started, consider how you’ll use the room. Will it be used for other functions besides washing and drying clothes? Do you need storage space for 50-pound bags of dog food? If so, you’ll want to incorporate the features needed to accomplish those tasks.
Must-Have Laundry Room Features to Consider
Once you've answered these questions and determined how you'll use the space, it's time to consider functionality, aesthetics, and the features you'd love to have. Today, there are many options in terms of appliances, materials, décor, and design. Here are some must-have features that can turn laundry day from a chore to something you look forward to!
Comfortable Flooring
An unfinished bare floor, whether it's concrete in the basement or an uncovered subfloor, is not fun to walk on and can be uncomfortable to spend any amount of time standing on. Unfinished flooring is a pretty good indicator that your laundry room was an afterthought. If your home's flooring doesn't include the laundry room, consider covering the floor with a good, waterproof floor covering. Options include luxury vinyl plank or tile flooring, ceramic, or porcelain tile. All will stand up well to water, even small amounts of pooled water. If you have a smaller laundry room, it's a great space to experiment with that attractive tile you love that might not work elsewhere in your house.
Upgraded Lighting
If your laundry room has nothing but a hanging bulb or fluorescent fixture, you need an upgrade! Bad lighting makes doing laundry difficult. Why not convert that hanging light into a series of well-placed recessed lighting, or lose the fluorescent fixture and replace it with an attractive flush-mount ceiling light? If you have wall cabinets, under-cabinet lighting can create the perfect workspace.
Laundry Work Zones
Get your laundry folded before you leave the laundry room. For the ultimate convenience, consider creating multiple work zones. If you have front-loading machines, adding a countertop can give you the perfect place to fold your laundry as soon as it comes out of the dryer. If you have a larger space, you can designate an area for ironing. If not, consider an ironing board that folds down from the wall. Make sure to include a hanging rack for freshly ironed clothing.
Built-in Laundry Storage and Organizers
Most homeowners with dedicated laundry rooms report that one of the first changes they would make is to add more storage and organizing capabilities to the space. Having adequate storage can make a big difference in the functionality and aesthetics of any room, but especially your laundry room.
Consider incorporating some of the following features into your laundry room design:
Wall cabinets installed at shoulder height
Small floating shelves for lightweight items
Glass-front cabinets
Wheeled laundry baskets that can be used to sort laundry. You can store them under a countertop to conserve space.
Large barn doors that roll across the front of the washer-dryer or open storage cubbies to hide messy areas.
Open wall cabinets for easy access to detergents, spray starch, and stain sticks
Additional storage is especially important if you plan on using the space for more than laundry. For example, if your laundry room will double as a mudroom, including a place to hang coats and store wet boots is a great addition.
Fantastic & Functional:
The Laundry Room of your Dreams!
The right appliances can make laundry day less of a chore and more of a streamlined process. Check out this blog post on some must-have laundry room appliances to consider
The Two Laundry Room Splurges You'll Love
If you have the room and the budget, here are some unique features you can include in your laundry room that will boost its functionality and up the cool factor!
A Utility Sink In The Laundry Room
You might not think you need a utility sink in the laundry room, but you'll wonder how you could have lived without one for so long as soon as you have one. A utility sink has several uses in the laundry room. You can use it to wash out the kid's muddy football uniform before throwing it in the wash. You can use it to pre-treat or soak items, and of course, there's a range of non-laundry uses, from washing out paintbrushes to potting plants. If you have the budget, consider the Jentle Jet® Laundry Sink. It's a deep utility sink that uses the power of micro-jets to launder delicate washables. It features clean, modern lines, is available in drop-in or under-mount versions, and comes in two sizes. While it's a little pricier than a standard utility sink, it's well worth the price!
A Smart LG Styler Clothing Steamer
The LG Styler is a smart/wi-fi-enabled steam clothing care system that will keep you looking your best. If you spend a lot on dry cleaning, the Styler can lower your dry cleaning bills and keep your clothes looking fresh. It's an asthma and allergy-friendly certified sanitizer that can reduce odor and help to reduce allergens up to 99% from clothes, pillows, blankets, and more, creating a healthier home for you and your family. The Styler will also quickly dry delicates, like lingerie and sweaters, without shrinking or damage. Just plug it into any standard outlet, fill the water container, and you're ready to go! Control the device with your smartphone or tablet using the SmartThinQ app. You can check the remaining cycle time, download cycles, and much more!
Let’s Create Your Dream Laundry Room or Utility Room!
At Toulmin Kitchen & Bath, our experienced interior designers work with homeowners across Tuscaloosa and Birmingham. We can’t wait to meet you and discuss how we can turn your vision into a reality!
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