Home laundries (or laundry rooms) are no longer a luxury in the West, but here they are appearing more and more often. And not only in private houses, but also in apartments, corners are separated in hallways, corridors, or they abandon the second bathroom in favor of decorating a room with a washing and drying machine and all the necessary accessories. For inspiration, take a look at the different sized laundry room interiors we found from Western designers, bloggers and furniture makers.
Beach style on the patio
This mini laundry room, located right next to the side entrance of the house, is designed for washing swimsuits and beach towels. Keeping your washer and dryer near your exterior door helps prevent sand from getting into your home. The countertop and open shelving above the appliances provide additional storage space for linens and laundry supplies.
What it is?
In colloquial form, the word “laundry” is familiar to everyone, but few people know the name “laundry room”. However, this is the name of a room equipped in a house or apartment. If you dig deep into history, you can find information that laundry rooms were installed in houses back in ancient times. However, they have become widespread since the development of the industrial revolution.
Around the 30s of the last century, when the first electric washing machines appeared, owners of houses and apartments with a laundry room needed to install additional water supply, conduct electricity and make a sewer drain. In general, only kitchens met these criteria. That is why the laundry room was most often equipped in pantries located near the kitchen area. Naturally, they had a small area; accordingly, only a washing machine was placed inside, and a shelf was hung above it for storing detergents.
On the one hand, this design appealed to many owners of their own apartments and houses, but on the other hand, the strong noise and powerful vibration produced by the washing machine during operation interfered with the peaceful rest of the household. That is why people began to look for alternative options for the location of laundry rooms. And first of all, they began to consider the ground floor, basements, and, of course, the garages of private houses.
Gradually, washing machine manufacturers introduced new technologies, which is why these units became almost silent during the washing process. Accordingly, for this reason they returned to the storage rooms of the apartments.
Modern variations of the laundry room involve placing a washing machine, dryer, ironing board, storage space for detergents, cabinets for storing clean linen and a basket for storing dirty laundry. A mandatory safety condition is the presence of a special podium on which the washing machine is installed. The drainage system is installed directly in the floor. With its help, water spilled from a faulty washing machine will go down the drain. Rooms with a large area can accommodate a lot of additional equipment.
Well, pet owners are required to install trays in which dogs and cats can be bathed. Many people use home laundry rooms as additional storage space for various utensils, such as a broom, mop, vacuum cleaner, broom, and cleaning rags. Some even manage to equip a place for animals to sleep in the laundry room. In fact, a home laundry should be located in any house or apartment.
Some people think that this is not necessary, but in fact there are a number of reasons that make it clear that today it is difficult to do without a home laundry:
- Firstly, having your own laundry room brings with it maximum convenience. This room will contain everything necessary for washing and subsequent care of clean linen.
- Secondly, aesthetics. Once you have a laundry room, there is no longer a need to place drying racks throughout the house or install an ironing board in the middle of the room.
- And the most important thing is saving space. Even if the laundry room takes up a closet or space under the stairs, there will be a lot of additional free space in the living space of the apartment.
It’s worth noting that this is not a complete list of the benefits of having your own mini laundry. And the washing room, in principle, can be a place for privacy. There you can do household chores without worrying that children, running past, will drop a hot iron on themselves or climb into a basin of water.
Traditional
The short hallway in this small home is the perfect place to place the washer and dryer. An inexpensive plywood tabletop can be used for sorting and storing things. The location of the washing corner near the terrace and backyard will allow you to dry your clothes with fresh air from the street.
This multifunctional space doubles as an entryway, living room, office and laundry room. A built-in sofa, table and cabinet help keep things neat and tidy without cluttering the space.
Choosing a washing machine
When setting up a laundry room, many are interested in the question of how to choose a washing machine so that it is most useful. Here, as always, you need to build on the needs of your family and the size of the room.
Since there is usually enough space in the basement for a machine, top-loading models are chosen. But if you like the front, no problem. It is advisable to choose a machine with a drying mode. This is very convenient for the basement, since there is no need to additionally dry the laundry.
Modern washing machines are usually characterized by low energy consumption and noise, so they are chosen depending on price, number of functions and brand reputation.
Disguised
The designer of this small bathroom decided to optimize its space by placing a washing machine on top of a dryer. Frosted glass in the doors, installed “for privacy,” reflects light.
If the bathroom area is too small, try placing the washer and dryer inside built-in cabinets in the kitchen. The cabinet itself can be shallow, but reach the height of the ceiling - in order to organically fit into the design.
Set up a laundry section in your kitchen by placing the necessary appliances and fixtures behind doors that mimic a pantry. At the same time, the design of the facades must be in the same style as the set.
Arrangement of a large laundry room
This separate room can have different designs. It is planned initially during the construction of the house. Although if there is free space in it, then you can equip it later. The room can have the following forms:
- square;
- rectangular.
A square-shaped room is considered more functional. It can accommodate all the necessary equipment rationally and at the same time preserve free space. You should immediately determine:
- the exact amount of equipment and its size;
An example of placing equipment in a laundry room - supply electricity to each connection point;
- arrange the floor surface.
Important. If the floor in the laundry room is uneven and slippery, then it is quite possible that the equipment will not stay in place during operation and will begin to jump and move. And all this negatively affects the duration of its use.
Pipes for supplying and draining water are connected to the equipment. Moreover, this must be done for each equipment separately.
If the main source of water in the house is a well or well, then it is necessary to install additional pumping and filtering equipment for the normal functioning of the laundry. Mount it on the main water supply pipe to the room.
After this, the wiring is already done. It is more rational to use plastic pipes with a diameter of 5-6 mm for water supply, and 10-15 cm for drainage.
Ventilation passages must be made. They will help get rid of moldy and humid air, which quite often causes mold to appear on the walls and ceiling.
You need to have several ventilation holes. To allow air masses to enter, the ends of the pipes are placed at the bottom of the wall. The tubes are laid inside the wall and secured with concrete mortar. For the exit - at the top and are mounted in the same way.
In some cases, additional equipment is installed:
- fans;
- hoods and much more.
Next, you need to think about the heating system. It can be different:
- on gas;
- using convectors;
- on the water.
The modern heating system “warm floor” is very popular today.
Installation diagram for heated floors in a laundry room
It can function using:
- water;
- electricity.
Special infrared heaters or pipes for supplying hot water are laid on the floor surface. The outer lining of such a system can only be non-flammable and well-heated material:
- ceramic tile;
- porcelain stoneware;
- a natural stone.
It is for this reason that it is worth thinking through the design of the room in advance so that everything in it is in harmony. You also need to install drains on the floor surface. But this is only if the laundry also functions as a dryer. This will prevent water from accumulating on the floor surface, which will cause the finish to deteriorate over time.
If a “warm floor” system is used in the room, it is not recommended to install water drainage pipes on the floor surface.
Ordinary
This laundry room is not only beautiful, but also functional. The machines are installed on a podium with compartments for laundry baskets, designed according to an individual project.
Give free rein to your imagination. Freestanding laundry rooms are places that allow for bold design experiments. Brightly colored walls, funky wallpaper, and tiles with playful patterns are just some of the decor options that might not look out of place in any other part of your home.
Ventilation
Exhaust fans must be installed. This will definitely keep your room odor-free and you won't have to worry. Now they are creating innovative products with an exhaust fan that prevents the appearance of unpleasant odors. Advanced technology is used to operate with less power. This offers energy saving benefits. Mounting brackets provide quick installation. In fact, it allows you to position the fan according to your requirements. Silent exhaust fans can produce a maximum airflow of 110cc.
Utilitarian area in eclectic style
A ladder suspended from the ceiling, oddly enough, becomes a smart device for drying things. You can find one in an antique store or even in your own backyard shed.
A sink is a great addition to a laundry room. It makes cleaning the room easier and generally improves its functionality.
Unusual design solutions
Home laundry can be organized in absolutely any room of the house or apartment, observing the following basic rules:
- The laundry room must be supplied with cold and hot water, as well as sewerage.
- A drain hole in the floor is a must.
- The home laundry room should have good ventilation; you can additionally install an exhaust fan.
Electrolux US designers placed a small compact laundry room right in the dressing room, combining washing machines with shelves and hangers for clothes!
Do you want to decorate your living room in green tones? Then read about the combination of green color in the interior and see detailed photographs.
You can find out everything about the interior of children's rooms in neutral gray tones here.
Laundry room in dressing room.
It is also important to remember that a home laundry room consists of several important elements:
- Washing machine.
- Clothes dryer.
- Baskets, containers for storing dirty linen.
- Small shelves, tabletops.
- Ironing board.
The shelves and countertops of the laundry room can be used to store household chemicals, as well as place freshly washed laundry.
Functional laundry room with ironing board.
Lee Kimball designers combined a home laundry room with a private home bathroom.
Home laundry combined with a bathroom.
In the interior of a home laundry room, the emphasis should be on color. Laundry rooms are usually not very large, so the right design decision would be to decorate the rooms in light colors and shades that visually expand the free space of the laundry rooms. Light colors and shades will also make your home laundry room feel fresh and clean.
Home laundry room in light colors and shades.
Small compact laundry room of a private house.
The designers of Artistic Renovations of Ohio placed a small laundry room in the owner's dog's room.
Pet room with home laundry.
A successful combination of a laundry room and a home storage room.
Laundry room in a small stylish kitchen.
Walker Woodworking designers have successfully combined a spacious walk-in closet and a functional home laundry room.
Small laundry room in the dressing room of the house.
The laundry room in the following photo from the designers of College City Design Build is located directly in the hallway of a small apartment.
Compact laundry room in the hallway of the apartment.
Aspergillus fungus
Excessively humidified air creates favorable conditions for the proliferation of aspergillus (aspergillus) - a genus of higher aaeobic (that is, oxygen-requiring) mold fungi. There are hundreds of its varieties, but in homes it is more often found in the form of yellow-green mold or mold in the form of a white fluff with a black or gray core.
The fungus is especially partial to:
- leaking batteries in old houses;
- heating pipes hidden in the walls;
- rooms with poor ventilation.
There are several hundred species of the mold Aspergillus
What is the danger
If there are disturbances in the functioning of the body's systems, too humid air can lead to serious consequences. Drying wet laundry in an apartment is especially dangerous for those who have a history of:
- pulmonary diseases (spores released by mold to reproduce are a powerful allergen that can cause coughing, runny nose and even asthma);
- allergies (in addition to the above-mentioned complications, during the drying process the laundry evaporates the remaining detergent and conditioner - impurities that can also cause allergies);
- weakened immunity caused by chronic cancer, as well as AIDS (such patients may develop aspergillosis, a disease that affects the oral cavity, respiratory system, nervous system and can lead to death).
People with strong immune systems can be carriers of aspergillosis. In other words, mold colonizes on them, provoking the appearance of aspergilloma - a pea-shaped fungus located on the surface of the mucosa. Aspergilloma is removed promptly.
Mold spores are dangerous for children, especially newborns who have not yet developed immunity.
Weak immunity makes a person vulnerable to aspergillosis
Symptoms of spore infestation
There is a whole range of signs that can be used to suggest that a person is infected with Aspergillus.
- Runny nose.
- Heat.
- Shortness of breath, chest pain.
- Permanent fatigue.
- Stinging in the eyes.
- Constant cough, sometimes with blood clots.
- Sore throat.
- Migraine.
- Nausea.
- Skin irritations.
The final diagnosis, after a thorough examination of the anamnesis and tests, can only be made by a specialist of a suitable profile: a pulmonologist, otolaryngologist, ophthalmologist or mycologist (a doctor who treats skin diseases caused by yeast or mold fungi).
Drying clothes in the air not only gives clothes a unique freshness, but also does not have a negative effect on the level of humidity in the house
Hanging dryer with ventilation
Electric ceiling-mounted clothes dryer with built-in light and fan. The device can be controlled using a remote control. Built-in fans automatically turn off after two hours of continuous operation, and lamps provide additional illumination. Now you don’t have to pull ropes and cables for drying clothes, and drying clothes won’t interfere with the free passage. The dryer can hold up to 30 kg of clothes, suitable for a large family. You can dry quilts, sheets and bedspreads on it, and it is also perfect for families with small children, because... A lot of things are washed every day.
Putting things in order
Before you start developing the design of a pantry, laundry room or utility room, you need to conduct an audit in this wonderful corner and get rid of unnecessary trash. Of course, if the apartment was not purchased in a new building. We bring to your attention several useful recommendations that will help you transform your utility room on a budget:
- Spring-cleaning. It has already been mentioned earlier. Without cleaning, it will not be possible to rationally plan the space.
- Redecorating. Usually there are no window openings in the pantry, so the room especially needs antifungal and antibacterial treatment. The most suitable material for furnishing the interior of a pantry is ceramic tiles, which cover both the walls and the floor.
- Providing a ventilation system. To maintain a normal level of ventilation in the room, install a modern ventilation system.
- Lighting. A windowless room needs good lighting. An ideal option for a pantry is a luminescent module.
