Planning a laundry as part of your whole home renovation is essential. From the outset, you must consider it as an important functional space and allow enough room for carrying out your washing, ironing, folding and drying efficiently so overflowing baskets and drying blankets don’t take over your life.
But efficiency can be beautiful too. Just like a kitchen or bathroom – two of the other hardest working rooms in the house – you can add decoration and design to the space to make it both beautiful and effective.
We know that bringing your laundry inside your home will change your life. Once thought of as simply a working space, new laundry trends are seeing it incorporated into spaces shared by kitchens, bathrooms, mud rooms and even butler’s pantries. Wish-listed laundry renovations are finally being realised by homeowners - integrating them into benchtops and cabinetry as part of the overall home design.
We spoke to the experts to see what they’re adding to their wish lists – get yours ready!
What’s trending in laundry renovations?
With more and more laundries becoming a style statement in the home, there are new innovations and cutting edge designs hitting the market all the time. “The laundry has become a beautiful extension of Australian homes, and is no longer the messy room that’s always hidden,” says Senior Category Manager for Winning Appliances Jordan Rogers.
“We are seeing laundries become design statements in homes.”
Jordan Rogers
Cohesive joinery
Bespoke joinery which mimics that of the kitchen will create a sleek and unified look throughout your entire home. “We are seeing more Australians create seamless laundry areas with their washing machine and dryer combination matching perfectly in their design and dimensional footprint, aesthetically pleasing cupboards, sinks, countertops etc. which function just as well as they look.”
“A luxe tile turns a laundry splashback into a lust-worthy space”
Katrina O’Brien HB acting editor
Wishlist
More than the essentials, why not make life even more streamlined when tackling the weekly wash? “Clean lines in terms of benchtop and cabinetry with seamless design elements, such as push-to-close cupboards,” would be on Jordan’s wishlist for a dream laundry. “I would also want a dedicated cupboard for an ironing centre, such as the Miele FashionMaster Steam Iron, and the V- Zug Refresh Butler for my nice jackets (or my wife’s items which would probably take priority).”
Heat pump dryers & drying cabinets
Depending on where you live and how the seasons unfold, the latest wishlist item must be a heat pump dryer to perfectly match your washer. Like the all-in-one machines, they are super-efficient and require no venting so can be a dream addition to a laundry that handles several large loads per week. For everyday items, a drying cabinet takes an idea used for decades in the northern hemisphere and cooler climes into Australian homes to gently and efficiently dry your washing.
New technology
Intelligent washers use SmartDrive™ technology to adjust and optimise the wash cycle for better clothes care and optimum energy efficiency. Condensing dryers are quick and efficient and those with heat pump technology dry clothes gently at lower temperatures, which makes for better results and use less energy than condenser or vented dryers.
Time saver options
Do your research before you decide on your appliances. New designs allow a larger drum size within the same external profile to take more washing in a load, which could save you an entire washing day. New technology enables impressive efficiency that goes far beyond basic run times. Cycles can take less than an hour to complete with innovations such as the Fisher & Paykel Vortex Wash, and the Time Saver option activates a special temperature profile and unique tumble sequence to speed things up even more, whilst still taking care with your clothes.
New colours
In terms of colours, “White has traditionally been the colour of choice, however, we are seeing more products being released in stainless steel,” says Jordan. “Brands such as ASKO, are launching a stainless steel range in 2019.”
Above all, do your research before you take the leap in any direction - whether it's design or the purchase of a major appliance and nudge your laundry a little higher up your wishlist.
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