John Downs
The laundry used to the most underrated room in the home, but the latest laundry room ideas indicate that homeowners and designers alike are starting to prioritise practical and pretty design.
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“They are no longer the forgotten room of the house,” says interior designer Sally Rhys-Jones, founder of Rhys/Jones Interior Architecture. “People are making laundries just as beautiful as their kitchens, using the same materials and thoughtfulness.”
If a room is going to soak up our time with repetitive chores, it may as well be done in comfort and style. Here, we speak to the experts for and divine laundry inspiration.
Before you begin
Think ahead – space is hard to come by in a laundry, so clever planning is the key to making the most of small layouts and storage solutions. For storage in laundry renovations, Sally recommends installing pull-out drawers underneath the sink to stash washing powders and liquids. Hanging racks look glamorous beneath floating shelves and cabinets as pictured above in this space designed by Home By Belle.
Make it multi-functional
Laundries are a prime area for multi-tasking. “It’s about how people live and how they can utilise the space really well,” says interior designer Dominique McAdam, whose laundry renovation ideas come from everywhere. “I incorporated a bar fridge into a laundry connected to a backyard, for easy access to drinks at barbecues.”
Looking to squeeze in a mudroom? Take flooring into account when making the laundry work double time – natural finish travertine tiles (above) are perfect for high-traffic areas.
Touch of luxury
Interior designers Lysandra and Alisa Fraser of The Design Duo prove that it’s all in the details when creating a truly alluring laundry. “You should look at styling it the same way you style a bathroom,” says Lysandra. “Don’t be afraid to put up artwork or mirrors that reflect light.” In this renovated laundry in Melbourne designed by the two sisters (below), a dark tinted mirror adorns the wall, bringing a sense of moody glamour to this modern space – try Life Interiors for similar. On ground level, marble skirting takes the luxe appeal to a whole new level.
Steal kitchen style
“Bringing in cohesive joinery from the kitchen into the laundry is the biggest trend we will see this year,” says Lysandra. Top of the style cohesion list? Brushed metallic tapware and large sinks that work as well in the laundry as they do in the kitchen. Sally Ryhs-Jones prefers AFA ‘Flow’ kitchen sinks in place of tubs, for their affordability, generous size and smart appearance. Splash out with Smartstone Carrara benchtops and beautiful feature tile splashbacks to beautifully blend your kitchen and laundry design aesthetic. This Darren James Interiors designed space (below) shows exactly how it’s done.
