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Other Room Design has been soaring in popularity. When the Kitchen became more than just the center of the home and launched into being a status symbol many people jumped on the remodeling bandwagon. 10 years later when most people have completed renovating their kitchen and master bathroom they are looking for the next project to make their home the best in the neighborhood. The Laundry Room has become a favorite starting point for people into the other room remodeling craze.

Laundry rooms have come a long way from the traditional basement and mudroom. In the mid 1990s people decided they no longer wanted to cart their dirty clothes all over the house and washers and dryers started moving closer to the kitchen and bedroom, With the emergence of popularity in energy efficient front-loaders in the early 2000s washers and dryers were thrust out into plain sight in their own room. According to a GE survey in 1992 17% of homes had separate laundry rooms compared to 56.7% today.

Laundry rooms are standard in most new homes with many designed as all-in-one spaces for crafting, children’s activities and bill paying. Laundry remodels are often done as part of a larger remodeling project but on occasion they are done as stand-alone projects.

Design considerations for laundry rooms vary depending on room size, and how much laundry is done each week. The average home does 7-8 loads each week or roughly 400 loads per year. If you do more than 3 loads of laundry a week then you will want to put some thought into the design of the laundry room. If you are working with an architect or a design build firm you will want to plan for easy access to the laundry room. Another thing to consider is the view. Rooms with natural daylight are more enjoyable to work in than rooms solely dependent upon artificial light. Many homeowners prefer a view of the backyard or children’s play area.

Continued in next post.