Even though this is where most of the dull jobs are done, proper planning of the laundry room with focus on functionality is very important. Laundry room should also have appealing aesthetics to make it fun to work in.

There are many factors to consider when planning and making a laundry.

 Task-based design and the layout plan.

What available space is there for the laundry?

The layout is also determined by the type and the number of machines to be placed in the room.

They should be arranged in a manner that maximizes the use of available space.

The design should be efficient and saves time and effort.

Arrange the work surface and appliances for sorting clothes, washing, drying and folding in that order.

It should have wet and dry zone.

• Wet zone: Laundry sink and washing machine should be side by side to keep wet tasks together.
• Dry zone: Cloth line and drier should be placed next to each other. It is also necessary to have space for ironing board; stand alone.

Provide a counter top above dryer to fold clothes that come from the dryer.

 There are different types of laundry design.

When designing, the general layout is determined by the shape of the space for the laundry.

There is:

• The galley-style laundry room. Laundry placed in a corridor like space, with appliances arranged in a linear form. This makes practical and efficient use of the room because plumbing and drainage fittings can be placed on the same side thereby saving on plumbing materials. Sorting of clothes is also easier.

• The L-shaped laundry room. There is possibility of more storage space in the lower and upper cabinets
• The Large Laundry room. This is a laundry in a big space and is regular in shape. If there is enough space for laundry, there can be the island center  which can help in folding of laundry, and other tasks

Choose the right location.

If renovating, space can be created for a separate laundry. If it is possible, position the laundry with the family bathroom or link it with a door to bathroom so that well-trained children can transfer dirty clothes straight to laundry room after bathing.

Laundry can also open into the backyard as is in most cases.

In most apartments, the backyard acts as laundry area which can also have lines for airing clothes the old school way which  is still widely used and accepted especially in areas where natural sun and light are readily available.

 Get the right amount of storage.

There is always a need for more storage space in the laundry room. There should be space for storing cleaning liquids, powders and clothes; vacuum cleaner. Brooms, mops, buckets should be concealed.

There should be enough built-in cupboards to keep everything from the floor and bench nicely.

All laundry and clothing care supplies should be stored in one built-in cabinet ideally above the washer.

Bleach and other chemical compounds should be stored high above in the cabinet; away from children’s reach.

Racks can be provided to take care of drying or ironing clothes and bins or baskets to take care of dirty clothes.

 Include Good lighting.

Place enough windows to allow as much natural light as possible. If it is not possible to put windows, installing skylight can be considered.

Put fluorescent tube under cabinet fixtures to illuminate counter tops.

Strip lights can be provided above iron boards to make work easy at night.

 Good ventilation is crucial in a Laundry.

Allow natural fresh air to flow in and out of the room to avoid dampness in the room. Accumulated moisture may damage cabinets and painted surfaces.

Since laundry is a wet area, cabinets should be made of moisture resistant material.

 Select Durable Surface.

These are the counter tops, floor and ceiling finish.

Counter tops can be made of solid surface materials that are easy to clean like concrete, terrazzo, or granite stone.

The material chosen should be resistant to water or moisture and cannot be damaged by bleaches.

For the floor, the finish should have the same properties as the counter top, ceramic, granito tiles, natural stones work well on floor.

The floor finish should not be slippery as laundry is a wet room.

Ceiling finish chosen should be resistant to moisture. Plastic T and G works well so is treated and vanished wood.

 Electrical and plumbing points.

Advance planning for electrical and power points is very important.

Exposed electrical cables and exposed plumbing pipes are not pleasant to look at; they should be concealed in the wall.

The location of washing machine should have plumbing and drainage pipes concealed in the wall, power points should be factored in too.

Plumbing and drainage pipes for dhobi sinks should also be concealed in the wall.

 What’s your style?

Laundry room should reflect ones style.

The paintings on the wall should blend well with the general theme of the room. Include stylish and unique cabinet materials.