Remodeling Your Laundry Room
The importance and functionality of a Laundry Room has commanded attention and become the command center in your home. Over the past decade the concept of a Laundry Room has transformed from being a dull and dreary corner of the garage into a beautiful and organized room of its own. Before remodeling your space into the dream room your home deserves, check out this expert advice.
Location
While some homeowners prefer keeping this space separate and in the basement, convenience is a factor that you want to keep in mind. Having your Laundry Room located upstairs nearby to your bedrooms where clothes are shed will help lessen the distance you will have to carry your hamper and laundered clothing. Tip: laundry can pile up so make sure that yours will not interfere in high traffic walking areas.
Storage
The Laundry Room has become one of the best multi-purpose rooms in the house. Be sure to include storage options for such items as detergents, stain sticks, towels and cleaning rags, cleaners, sheets and linens, sewing kits, wrapping supplies, hand wash delicates, trash, ironing board and iron, room for line drying clothing, recycling, pet food and necessities, bags, hooks for hanging coats and backpacks up, candles, etc.
Appliances
Front load washers and dryers are gaining attention with their added efficiencies and design flexibility. When placed side by side you can add a countertop over them for work space and sorting, or stack for a space saving design. For comfort and added storage spaces consider splurging for the pedestals to elevate appliances. Save yourself the trouble of having to bend over when switching laundry.
Gas or electric? Your existing hook-ups will most likely dictate this decision for you but if you are one of the lucky homeowners that have both connections we suggest spending the extra money for gas appliances. They will save you more money over the long haul.
What do energy star ratings actually mean? HE stands for high-efficiency. They are rated by their MEF, which is Modified Energy Factor and their WF, Water Factor. The MEF measures the energy used to operate the appliance. The higher the MEF rating, the more energy efficient the unit is. The WF is the number of gallons of water consumed per cubic foot of capacity.
Ventilation
Make sure that your Laundry Room has proper ventilation. If a pet station or shower is on your checklist, then you may consider adding a bathroom-type vent fan to help manage moisture. Make sure that your venting runs outdoors in the shortest route requiring the least amount of bends to maximize airflow.
Utility Sink
The days of the plastic laundry tubs are dismal. Now a days homeowners are electing for more of a kitchen or bar style sink that is stainless steel with easy to clean corners. They won’t stain as easily as the plastic ones and will provide under sink storage space. Be sure to add a pull out faucet to your checklist for easy access to fill buckets and large items that do not fit within the sink.
Countertops
Steer clear of natural stone for this room in your home. A nonporous solid material such as Corian, engineered stone or laminate is a better choice.
These pointers just begin to scratch the surface on things that you should think about before remodeling your Laundry Room. Other items such as lighting, flooring and extra luxuries should still be researched and discussed with your general contractor before you start your project. Contact the team at TWD to begin the design process. Their team of design build professionals will work with you to make sure your new Laundry Room is designed with your needs in mind and within your budget. You can find them at www.twdaz.com