How to become a black belt in laundry design
Australia certainly has no shortage of laundromats. However, a large number of Aussies simply loathe visiting the laundromat. Indeed, it is a cumbersome and time-consuming process, and you’ll need to maintain a schedule to visit your laundromat.
One alternative to visiting the laundromat is to invest in a home laundry. While not every home has the space for a standalone laundry, it is possible for just about anyone to design and create a laundry nook.
Moreover, according to The Simple Dollar, a laundry is wiser investment as opposed to visiting a laundromat, with the cost savings paying off after a few years of doing your own laundry. So really, there is no excuse not to have a functional laundry in your home.
As the owner of Ross’s Discount Home Centre, this is something that I always tell my customers. And, as I mentioned earlier, anyone can design a laundry – even if your home doesn’t have one!
So, how exactly do you go about designing a laundry? Today, we’ll take a look at this.
Continue reading this post as I offer some expert advice on how you can design your laundry like a pro. Even if you don’t have the space for a standalone laundry, this article still applies as I’ll shed light on how to design a laundry nook. And these tips come to you from someone with years of experience dealing with laundry appliances. So, listen up!
1. Positioning your laundry
The first and foremost thing to consider when designing your laundry is where you will position it in your home. You can consider installing your laundry in your kitchen or bathroom. Alternatively, you can create a nook or install it in a standalone zone (a.k.a, a laundry!). Choosing the position of your laundry totally depends on the amount of space available in your home.
Most homes today have the luxury of having a standalone laundry; however, older homes and apartments often don’t have such a luxury. In this case, you can also consider positioning your laundry appliances in your kitchen. This layout is quite advantageous as you can hide your appliances behind kitchen cabinets – allowing a neat and seamless appearance.
If you lack space in your kitchen, you can also consider placing your laundry appliances in your bathroom. Adopting this layout means you’ll have no problems with plumbing or drainage.
If you cannot fit laundry appliances in your kitchen or bathroom, you should opt for a laundry nook. In such a layout, you can place your appliances in hallways, nooks and any in-between areas. You can even hide your appliances out of sight with the help of curtains. However, do note that you’ll need to arrange for plumbing and drainage if you choose this layout.
2. Use laundry cabinets
With the positioning decided, the second most important element of any laundry design is the laundry cabinets. To design a fully functional laundry, you need both laundry appliances as well as storage space. And when it comes to storage, laundry cabinets are an excellent solution. While this might not be an option for laundry nooks, you’ll be surprised to see how compact some of these cabinets can be.
Laundry cabinets allow you to organise your space while also offering an ample amount of storage. These cabinets also look visually appealing, and they can help create consistency in your home. Moreover, by investing in a laundry cabinet, you can work efficiently and effectively while maximising every inch of available space.
Apart from the storage factor, cabinets also work great in hiding an unkempt laundry. While you can certainly use folding doors or curtains to hide your laundry, cabinets are a better option.
Look no further than our store at Ross’s Discount Home Centre for quality laundry cabinets in Perth. We offer extensive laundry cabinets, including mini, single, and double cabinets. Our cabinets are stylish and functional and are designed to offer easy installation. Moreover, our laundry cabinets are incredibly affordable, so you needn’t worry about blowing your budget when you buy from us.
In addition to our cabinets, we also offer a wide range of laundry sinks and troughs, including PVC cabinets, poly cabinets and stainless-steel cabinets. I recommend you consider our PVC Double Laundry Cabinet and our Storm Round Bowl 30L Laundry Cabinet and sink. These cabinets are bestsellers at our store, and you certainly won’t go wrong in choosing any of them for your home.
Storm Round Bowl 30L Laundry Cabinet & Sink – $475 inc.GST
3. Invest in quality appliances
No laundry can be complete without laundry appliances. At the very least, your laundry must include a washing machine and a dryer. Now, you have several options when it comes to choosing a washing machine and a dryer.
Washing machines are typically available in two variants – front loading machines and top loading machines. While top loading machines are cheaper than front loading machines, front loaders are much more water and energy efficient. Front loading machines offer shorter spin cycles and they can dry clothes quicker than top loaders. However, top loaders vibrate less and are easier to operate.
Whether you choose a front or a top loader depends on your needs and preferences. Remember – front loaders can be stacked on top of each other, making them ideal for tight spaces and laundry nooks. If you’re unsure which machine is right, read our post, Front Loader vs. Top Loader. Which Washing Machine Is for You?
Other things to consider when choosing a washer and dryer are the star rating and capacity of a unit. Machines with higher stars are more energy efficient than those with lower star ratings.
And, if you’re looking for quality washing machines and dryers in Perth, consider our range at Ross’s Discount Home Centre. Our laundry appliances are reliable, efficient and also incredibly stylish. Moreover, they feature modern technology and state-of-the-art designs, making your housework a breeze!
Take a look at our 10KG Top Load Washer and our 12Kg Top Load Washer. These appliances are incredibly popular with our customers, and they are both highly energy efficient.
4. Adhere to building requirements
Now that you know which laundry appliances to get and where to position your laundry, I’m sure you’re ready to design your space. But before you do so, let me tell you that you’ll need to make a few technical considerations first.
Firstly, understand that a laundry is classified as a wet area. This means that the construction of walls and floors in your laundry space should adhere to the AS3740-201. This is the Australian standard for waterproofing wet areas in a home. This standard also requires you to build a water-resistant surface material above your laundry trough at a height of at least 150mm.
Moreover, all electrical outlets in your laundry space must be positioned according to the AS/NZS 3000:2007. This is the Australian/New Zealand standard for wiring electricals.
Another thing you need to consider is that your laundry space is well-ventilated. Your dryer unit should be directly vented, preferably out of your home. You can also consider installing an exhaust fan in your laundry area to prevent humidity build-up.
5. Consider adaptability and special needs
Finally, your laundry design should also consider to the recommendations made in the design guidelines offered by Liveable Housing Australia. While this is not an absolute requirement, these design guidelines help for the sake of comfort and safety.
By conforming to these guidelines, you’ll ensure adaptability and ease of movement, especially for people with mobility issues.
You can either choose to go with a Silver Level or Platinum Level installation as recommended by these guidelines. The Silver Level requires you to provide at least 1,200mm of clearance in front of your benches and laundry appliances. With the Platinum Level, you’ll need to provide 1,500mm of clearance.
Also, both these levels require you to install slip-resistant flooring which extends under your cabinetry. The Platinum Level also requires you to install task lighting above your workspaces.
That’s it! Follow these tips and you’ll have designed your laundry space like a pro! You can thank me by buying your laundry appliances and other related products from us at Ross’s Discount Home Centre.
Conclusion:
When it comes to designing a laundry like a pro, you need to follow some basic tips. First of all, consider where you will position your laundry space. Next, consider using laundry cabinets to make your space visually appealing and practical. Purchase laundry appliances such as washers and dryers according to your needs. And finally, you’ll need to make some technical considerations and consider adaptability and special needs requirements before starting your installation.
These tips will certainly allow you to design the laundry space of your dreams!
And when it comes to affordable yet high-quality laundry appliances in Perth, look nowhere else but Ross’s Discount Home Centre. We are a one-stop-shop for all your laundry products. Moreover, we also offer tiles and other homewares that you may need in installing your laundry space.
Drop by our showroom in Guildford and our helpful sales experts will assist you with your purchase decisions. Alternatively, you can also choose to buy our products online if you have a good idea of what you need.
