Laundry room – wish list items, you can make reality

Entry #62, April 12, 2009

In the past few weeks, I’ve received numerous questions and searches about laundry rooms.  I already knew that laundry rooms are an obsession of mine, but I wonder why do you like them? What makes them a hard place to design and/or research?  I, for one think it’s an under-designed space in most households, and unless you have a high-end home, it’s usually a small space tucked in the corner of the house.

Today I was looking at HGTV’s Dream Houses – Dream Home 2010, and Green Home 2010, laundry rooms.  What attracts me is the attention to detail of a person actually using the

space.  Sure, pretty colors and finishes.  Go a step further, and items like tankless hot water heaters and multifunctional faucets make these truly remarkable.

1.) Island counter and sink: 4-foot work island is wide enough for laundry, and farm house sink has sliding cutting

board.  This laundry room also serves as a mudroom. Projects such as arts and crafts, gardening, and cleaning off muddy boots would do great in this space.

2.) Tankless water heater: Have you heard of tankless water heaters? If you haven’t, visit Rinnai to learn more. They save energy, provide instant and endless hot water, and they last twice as long as traditional hot water tanks.  HGTV utilized one in the Dream Home 2010. Skip how great

the room looks, if your energy bill is lower, and all family members get a hot shower every time… this is a no brainer. Oh yeah, did I mention it saves space? A wall is it, no more planning around the large, circular water heater.

3.) Cabinetry: Ever thought cabinets could look this great in a laundry room?  How about this – hinges mounted on the top, so cabinet doors flip-up, as opposed to right or left? Very useful when trying to get in an out of the washer or dryer. This mission style maple cabinetry serves the second (yes, I said second) laundry room of the HGTV Dream Home 2010.

Once again, I’m in awe over laundry rooms.