Come clean with desires for modern laundry room

For most of us, the laundry room is probably the least interesting and least glamorous room in our home. Traditionally, little, if any, thought has been given to its design or appearance. Just put in a washer and dryer and maybe some shelves and call it a day. That has been the attitude. And now that is changing.

Generally viewed (and rightly so) as a utilitarian space and often hidden away from the rest of the house, sometimes even in the garage, laundry rooms are being seen in a fresh, new light by architects, homeowners and designers alike, who are now giving actual laundry room design more than just a second look. A likely reason for this new-found interest is because of the fact that today's homeowners are focused on the areas of their home where small changes can make big differences so the importance of laundry room features is now high on that list.

As with kitchen and bath design, much thought is now being given to the function, efficiency, lighting and storage when it comes to this space. In a word, believe it or not, one of the latest trends in home design is the creation of customized laundry rooms. When designing one of your own there are a number of key points to keep in mind.

Location: Consider putting the laundry room somewhere convenient for heaven's sake, not tucked away at the end of some dark corridor. Upstairs laundry rooms are becoming increasingly popular, which provides a great convenience for many people. But, more traditionally, it's found on the first floor, often near the kitchen. And I've seen a few homes where there's a laundry room on both floors. What a great idea and what a convenience.

Countertops and cabinetry: Countertops for folding clothes are a must, along with a built-in-ironing board; there are models that will hide behind the door or fold up on the wall when not in use. A small soaking sink (free standing ones being the most cost effective) is another great addition, as well as space for clothes hampers that separate the whites and the colors, and, if you like, these can match your cabinetry adding to your room's overall look and design.

Another good idea is to have the cabinetry go up to the ceiling for additional storage and far less dust. Cabinets over the washer and dryer are great for storage or cleaning supplies, but make sure the wall space will accommodate a standard cabinet size because a semicustom or stock cabinet is a lot less expensive than something custom-built for the space.

Washers and dryers: Design and furnish the space to carry on the theme and colors of your home. Washers and dryers are now available in a host of bold colors such as Pacific blue, black diamond, wild cherry, emerald green, titanium, ocean blue, Tuscan chestnut and champagne that can help add style and elegance to any laundry room.

Most machines today are Energy Star rated and brands like Miele are extremely green using very little detergent, water or energy. In fact, it's been said that the right washing machine can actually save enough clean drinking water for 10 people for life. And most of the new washers and dryers now come with matching pedestals that raise the equipment above the floor, maybe 12-15 inches, for easier loading and unloading of clothes.

Note: Be sure not to position these wonderful machines behind doors or in an awkward corner.

Paint colors and lighting: To enhance the look of the laundry space white walls are now being replaced by bright colors to match the new and stylish washers and dryers. An idea might be to paint one wall a color and leave the others in a neutral since deep shades of colors will reflect on clothing making it difficult to see spots. And if you're using fluorescent lighting, which has a blue cast, neutral wall colors with yellow undertones can surely help.

Lighting: Being able to look out at some pleasant scene or have natural light is a great bonus when doing laundry. Nothing beats having a window in a work space. Nevertheless, be sure to install great task lighting so that you'll always be able to see what you're doing.

Today's fixtures keep style and function a major consideration. Additionally, motion-detector lighting so that the lights operate automatically as you come and go (which I have in my own laundry room) is a great convenience when your arms are full.

Flooring: Flooring should be easy to clean and water resistant. One of the latest trends is to use cork flooring, which is comfortable to stand on, sustainable, naturally water resistant but usually more expensive than most standard types of flooring, such as ceramic tile and vinyl. However, the average laundry room is so small, usually 6 feet 8 inches by 8 feet 10 inches, it may prove to be more affordable than you think.

The average person is said to spend six hours a week in the laundry room, which is certainly reason enough to want an attractive and well-organized space. Decorate it in a style or theme that you like and that feels comfortable, add a TV and/or audio system and you may actually come to love your laundry room.

Stephen Leon is a licensed interior designer and president of Soleil Design; he has been designing and manufacturing custom furniture and cabinetry for more than 25 years. He has served on the board of directors of the Central California/Nevada Chapter of the American Society of Interior Designers and is a certified professional in green residential design. Questions can be sent to soleildesign@cox.net