Kitchen and bathroom redesigns generally come to mind when people think of making home improvements. However, one important space that is used weekly, if not daily, is sometimes overlooked and often in need of dire attention….the laundry area. If you’re on a tight budget, keep improvements simple. Skip major projects such as relocating the washer and dryer. Those appliances necessitate access to electricity and a water source and ventilation; thus, they can be expensive to move. Rather, be practical and find creative ways to enhance your space on a budget. Here are three examples.
- Introduce cabinetry or shelves with storage bins or baskets to hold lose items. Adding storage to your laundry room is not only a simple way to get organized, but it is a wise investment. With so many different styles and colors of cabinetry and shelving available at various price-points, the choices are endless. Closed cabinets are ideal for laundry rooms as they hide the mess and provide a place for detergents, spot cleaners, bleach, dryer sheets and other laundry products. Cabinets can be installed beside or above washer and dryer units to provide a professional built-in look. Smaller laundry rooms can benefit from open shelving as they offer great storage at a reasonable price and are ideal in spaces with tight square footage.
- Laundry rooms are often neglected areas that lack color and appeal. To add wow power to your space, consider adding a pop of color by painting the walls a cheerful hue or by installing decorative wallpaper. Choose an interesting main theme for your design, such as nature, and then narrow down your subject. Think outside the box, perhaps choosing wallpaper featuring elegant birds against a stylized landscape. Cranes, flying sparrows, or colorful peacocks are just a few of the many bird-themed patterns available. The whole goal is to make the space cheerful, refreshing, and inviting, so that you feel happy in your environment.
- Accessories are pieces that are added to spaces and can be useful, versatile, or attractive. Some items are practical while others serve decorative purposes. The term “home accessories” is broad and thus includes small pieces of furniture that you can move easily. Well thought out accessories can work magic in laundry rooms. For example, a cloth laundry sorter basket for colored, light, and dark laundry keeps dirty clothes off the floor. A small tray or table can double as a folding station. Whereas a hanging basket can serve as a place to collect lost socks. Additionally, hooks are an effective accessory for hanging clothes. Adequate lighting can also turn a dark laundry room into a bright and welcoming space.
Whether you have a designated room for laundry or a closet dedicated to washing and drying clothes, this space is a vital part of your home. Not only is it important to create a neat and organized area to make ordinary tasks such as folding and sorting easier, but it should look appealing so that you enjoy being in that space. Should you decide to sell your home, a functional and attractive laundry area can make your home look great and positively impact your sale.