Best layout for Laundry?

7 years ago

Hello there,

We are changing one of our bedrooms upstairs into a laundry & would like some advice on the best layout! Here is the plan of the room:

Things I want / need:

Sink
at least one tall cupboard for vacuum cleaner etc
a good amount of storage
some worktop space for folding etc
a place to hang wet washing during winter
space for ironing board & hanging rail for clothes waiting to be ironed.

Also would like to have the washer & dryer raised - as in this photo.

High end Utility Room · More Info

I will be very glad to hear from you!

Featured Answer

PRO

Feature Radiators

7 years ago

Re needing an radiator as well as underfloor heating, then this will depend on a couple of things. Firstly, if you ceilings are above 2.4m, then the underfloor might struggle to do all the heat output. Secondly, underfloor is slow to react, so its great if you have it on all the time, but if you want it on and off, it would be preferable to go with a radiator. It might be advisable to have the underfloor on all the time through the winter, but on low, and then have a radiator that that reacts to fluctuations in heat with a thermostatic radiator valve.

I would also recommend getting a ceiling suspended clothes hanging rail or creel as we call them in Yorkshire. These are a cheap and quick way to dry clothes, but make sure you have good ventilation so the room doesn't get damp.

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Comments (18)

kikiamack
7 years ago
Do you know where the water pipes are going to come from, and where they will drain out to? This might have a bearing on where you can site the washing machine and the sink. I would also add to your must haves an electric ventilatation fan on an external wall. Also, a decent stretch of worktop for sorting and folding clothes. One of the things I have really appreciated about having a laundry room is having folding space at a proper height.
wey_hey
Original Author
7 years ago
last modified: 7 years ago
Thank you, kikiamack. There is a sink in the corner between the two windows, and the house bathroom is right next to this room (to the top right on the plan above). So where pipes can/can't go shouldn't be an issue. Thanks for the tip about the ventilation fan, will include that in our plans

Another question I have is, if we fit underfloor heating, would we need a radiator too, for drying clothes?
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Our daughter recently had a small cupboard converted into a utility/cloakroom and it’s much smaller than yours. They have stacked their washing machine and tumble drier, using a special stacking device. It works very well and means they have two spare spaces in their kitchen now. Their builder fitted cupboards in the remaining space on the same wall which take all the laundry products plus vacuum cleaner. Not the ironing board, but that could have been done if they’d needed. We don’t have an airing cupboard, but recently bought a shallow IKEA wardrobe, 75cm wide, and about 30cm deep. We bought plenty of shelves and have all our towels and bed linen stored there. It’s proved to be a very efficient use of space. I wonder whether you could fit something similar backing onto the cylinder cupboard? Or maybe opposite stacked appliances, assuming they would go where the water point is. For a sink, how about fitting that partly under the window, in the corner where the soil stack is? It looks as though there should be room for the washing machine to open and get a sink in. For hanging space, is their sufficient ceiling height for a hanging rail to hoist up and down as needed?
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wey_hey
Original Author
7 years ago
last modified: 7 years ago
Here is an idea I am working on ... please note I am no pro with regards to drawings and this is very much a draft!!

Ideally I would like space for 3 machines (2 washers & 1 dryer), but the space where these 2 machines are shown (from edge of work top to wall on the left) is 184cm which is not quite enough! Please help!
kikiamack
7 years ago
Hi, I think your drawing is good, my comments would be:
1) Where are you going to put the hanging rail? The one above the radiator seems very small. I have a small laundry room where all my units etc are in about 2500mm of space. I have about 1500mm of hanging rail above the worktop which is a good length to hang both damp washing on hangers at one end and shirts waiting for ironing at the other. If you want 2 washing machines do you have a big family or run a B&B or something? ie will you need more hanging space than me? You presumably won't want a rail in front of the windows. If you have high ceilings you could get an old fashioned drying rack that hangs from the ceiling.
2) It looks nice having the sink central to the window, but is it going to give you enough of a run of dry surface for folding?
3) I have a small radiator in our laundry room, no underfloor heating. Washing, even t-shirts or sweatshirts will dry by the next day, particularly if I have run the dryer. Your room is a bit bigger though. (You asked about heating in a previous post). My machine has a spin speed of 1400rpm so nothing comes out particularly wet anyway.
4) I would get someone professional to look at your measurements / drawing as quite often little fillers need to be put beside cupboards where they meet a wall so that the door will open properly, and also at internal corners.
5) Is there a particular reason that you want the machines raised? I think you could potentially get three machines in the room if they went under a work surface on the long wall.

Good luck with this, there's a lot to think about but as it is a working room, make sure you put practicality first!
wey_hey thanked kikiamack
wey_hey
Original Author
7 years ago
Many thanks for your comments!

kikiamack, to answer your questions:

1. I have been deliberating over this one and have been looking at creels as Feature Radiators has mentioned, and yes I don't want a rail in front of the window. I have 1 washer at the moment, but would like 2, has I have a large extended family, and they come to stay (fairly) often :-) Ceiling height is 2.3m, so probably too low for a creel? Don't want washing hanging around my ears ;-) also don't want it to get in the way of top cupboards. Latest drawing:

You will see I have drawn the 3 machines - the actual width there is 184cm... is it crazy to try & squeeze them in one line there!?

2. I definitely want a good run of folding space (at the moment i sit on the floor with clothes all around me (which I don't really like doing) I don't really need a large sink, as boots etc will be cleaned downstairs.

3. Thinking about getting a 1.8m radiator for the wall behind the door.

4. Thanks - aware I haven't accounted for the details like spacers etc, will show this to a pro before proceeding with works

5. This is mainly that I am 6' ! So less bending = happier back :-)

This latest drawing loses a tall cupboard, but my vac will fit under the counter & I could get broom clips for the back of the door?

More comments / ideas will be appreciated, ...my brain is getting kinda fuzzy!
wey_hey
Original Author
7 years ago
From another angle:
PRO
Lacy-Hulbert Interiors Ltd
7 years ago
Hi Wey_hey, great utility room and I love the fact that you are taking time to do research!

If you minus 60cm away from 2.44, then you are left precisely with 1.84. In real life even freshly plastered walls will likely have some variation and not be completely straight and level, so you would need to allow for that. It is a risky gamble to try and ram these machines in like that, especially that they would need some separation between them. Why don't you stack two and raise one off the floor? This will also give you more storage at your eye level. Currently most of your storage is going to be quite high. Is this convenient? Or another way would be that, depending what sink and tap you install, you may not need the 60cm depth for your unit run under the window, so you could compromise that depth in order to achieve the three machines as in your picture? Or you could only reduce the unit depth going from the sink towards the left side. You would only need another 8cm or so, and keep the sink and units to the right of it deeper?

Best of luck.
wey_hey thanked Lacy-Hulbert Interiors Ltd
kikiamack
7 years ago
Just another quick thought as it's a bit late. What about if you have the 3 machines and storage where you have them and put the sink and base units on the opposite wall? You could then fit everything in you want. Potential for a freestanding piece of furniture for folding / stacking under the window on the long wall.
wey_hey thanked kikiamack
wey_hey
Original Author
7 years ago
Thanks so much - what do you all think of these options??

With a cupboard pushed back 8cm:

Taking away a cupboard (don't really like this as it loses some counter space):

Or I am sort of liking this layout... thanks kikiamack!

Also need to think about a hanging rail - have been looking at the Algot system from Ikea... http://www.ikea.com/gb/en/search/?k=algot

Look forward to hearing from fellow Houzz-ers!!
PRO
Sussex Kitchen and Bedrooms
7 years ago
Hi wey_hey. Have you thought about your clever storage solutions? Look at this utility we did for some inspiration. Kessebohmer have a great range of storage solutions which you can find on PWS.co.uk.
Feel free to get in touch if you need any design or installation advice, La Medida.
wey_hey thanked Sussex Kitchen and Bedrooms
minnie101
7 years ago
Hi. I do quite like the last design. Personally I'd lose the extra washing machine. It's very easy to do 4 or more wash loads a day but impossible to dry. I know you mentioned you wanted them raised as you're tall but if they were on the floor you could then have a hanging rail going all the way across. I just think it takes a second to shove stuff in and pull out the machines but ages to hang up. There are drying cabinet solutions too, will see if I can find any reasonable ones. Do you have separate hoovers up and downstairs?
wey_hey thanked minnie101
wey_hey
Original Author
7 years ago
Thanks for your comments minnie101! That's true, hanging stuff does take longer than loading the machine! Sometimes you get an idea in your head, and it kinda sticks!

What does everyone think of this layout?? I think I may be getting somewhere.

If I go with this, I would prefer it if I could close off the hanging rail section (for when we entertain:) ), any ideas? Not too sure I want std doors as they'll get in the way when open - what about a roller door? Any ideas?

As to a clothes airer, I have found a few options - do you have any pros or cons? It would go on the wall to the left of the machines, above a towel radiator.
Laundry Ladder · More Info
Extending Clothes Dryer Made from Birch · More Info

Otherwise there is this option, tho I'm not sure about this as the ceiling height is 2.3m, so could be too low ...
Ceiling Clothes Dryer · More Info
kikiamack
7 years ago
I would lose the middle cupboard on the left to give maximum hanging rail. You also need to make sure that the hanging rail is of a usable height so that clothes don't hang on the worktop. The picture below is of mostly men's shirts hanging in my laundry room. That's a standard height larder cabinet for reference. I'm not as tall as you so you could easily go a bit higher. I'm not sure that you really need to close off the rail when entertaining, just shut the door to the whole room. I think doors will add an extra expense and get in the way. Ultimately, the room is what it is, and if there are clothes hanging in there, then that is what the laundry is there for. Also, I would consider the point about having 1 washing machine. Modern washing machines can do a load in about an hour, so maybe a cupboard would be more useful to you. Also the noise might be a bit too much. I think you're getting there, though.
kikiamack
7 years ago
Meant to add that, of course if you decide to go for the machines undercounter, you could mirror image the last picture and have a long rail on the left and tall units either side of the window on the right. You wouldn't need anything on the ceiling then, just dry everything on hangers or the dryer.
wey_hey thanked kikiamack
J
7 years ago
Those big 10kg matching washers and dryers (pictured above) are great for large loads. And they are taller than the regular smaller machines, so you might find it easier to load and unload...and repeat. They would fit well into your space, and then you can get your original design.
I had a 10kg washer and I could wash king sized wool filled duvets. It was great!
On the other hand my sis in law had 2 washers, 1 dryer. She loved it as she could wash her family of 6 laundry all at the one time. no waiting for a load to finish before adding the next one. She only needed one dryer as we lived in Australia and generally not to big a problem to line dry most of the year round.
wey_hey thanked J
obobble
7 years ago
Are you sure you need a radiator? We have UFL in our 2.8 by 3.6m laundry but I haven't ever switched it on yet because the boiler and hot water tank are also in the room and so it is always warm in there even though it's in an old part of the house and the exterior wall is well below modern standards of insulation. I just have a small dehumidifier in there instead of an extractor and wet clothes dry just fine. It is really nice to be able to look out of the window whilst ironing, but I know some people like to watch tv instead. If you have a lot of laundry to do don't forget about whatever entertainment you prefer to have whilst working in there.
wey_hey thanked obobble
wey_hey
Original Author
7 years ago
Thanks everyone, a great amount of help here! I have a good idea of the layout now, will be showing it to a pro and getting on with some shopping..... :-)