Laundry requires space and light

Press, 13 February 1986, Page 25

Laundry requires space and light

The humble laundry, wash-house or utility room is often the real work centre in today’s home, yet in terms of design and decoration it may be the most neglected.

As well as housing the washing-machine, tubs and perhaps a dryer, the laundry is usually expected to cope with the vacuum cleaner, muddy footwear, the dog’s basket and whatever else cannot find a home elsewhere. Older houses often contained a general utility rooms which combined both laundry and storage functions with ease. Modem homes, in the interests of design and cost efficiency, tend to skimp on laundry area, allowing only the room for washer, dryer and tub.

New home builders have the option, when planning room sizes, to include a generous area for the laundry, perhaps allowing for plenty of cupboard space, as well as room for the ironing board. For those faced with an existing laundry which is cramped and cheerless, redecoration and remodelling will achieve marked improvements. Colour may be used on the walls of the laundry to great effect: this counterpoints the white and stainless steel of the appliances. Add curtains to the windows, re-cover the floor in vinyl or cork tiles, and you have a fresh, cheerful room in which to work. Stained timber also looks effective in the laundry, especially if

carried over from the adjoining kitchen. If more extensive remo--delling is planned, consider where additional storage cupboards and bench space may be added. The removal of a full-length wall cupboard and its replacement with overhead shelves and storage units would increase workable floor space. Use wall space to the utmost to free the floor of your laundry from the clutter of carboard boxes, cleaning materials and wet-weather gear. Kitchen wall cupboards, new or from a secondhand dealer, can be fixed over the washingmachine, over the tub or wherever there is room. Screw cup-hooks under these cupboards or