Design Notes
The laundry room. Most would agree that this is among the essentials in a home; after all, who wants to haul their clothes to a laundromat? Many things should be considered before new construction or even a remodel, including:
- Will the laundry room be upstairs or downstairs?
- Planning for more than one laundry room?
- Will it be used as an additional storage area?
- Will it double as a mudroom?
- What kind of flooring works best?
We will answer these and a few other things you should consider before starting your laundry room project.
Laundry Room Upstairs vs Downstairs
This is a common question and a valid one. With most bedrooms upstairs, it makes sense to have the laundry room nearby for convenience. No more lugging the loads up and down; it eliminates the need for hampers in each room, freeing up closet space. No laundry room on the first floor adds more square footage, perhaps a mudroom, for other areas.
There are, however, some advantages of having the laundry room on the main floor. If there is ever a plumbing issue or major leak, this could lead to significant water damage or flooring issues later. Also, if laundry day is the same day you do all your other household chores, it might be more efficient to have it downstairs because it saves time running up and down to check on a load. There are several other areas in the home where a laundry room can be placed, including near the kitchen, a hallway closet, or even the garage. It is always best to consider your lifestyle to determine which location will work best for you. In some homes, we see more than one laundry room, one upstairs and one downstairs. This option is great for families with more children or even multi-generational homes.
What To Store In The Laundry Room
The laundry room is not only an essential space, but also a versatile one. Detergent, dryer sheets, stain removers, and bleach are among the top items stored inside this room, but that is not the limit. This area is a great place to store extra towels, paper products, bags (shopping, trash, or plastic), and even those appliance manuals. Cubbies, decorative storage baskets or bins, and rolling carts are several ways to maximize storage in your laundry room.
Laundry Room Combo
Design trends are shifting, and people are looking to maximize space by combining rooms, so the laundry room has been built to meet this demand. A mudroom combined with a laundry room can be a great area. As the family enters the home, they can drop off any dirty clothing, eliminating any major messes. This is also a logical spot to have the dog feeding area or even the litter box, both of which prevent your guests from seeing the dirty side of your pets. A small pet bathing area can be added, making it convenient to wash the dog and then dry it with the towel in the washer. There are a few other combinations, including a pantry or bathroom. Be sure to consider what matters most to you and your family’s needs.
Greenbrook DesignYou have just waved goodbye to your last child as they head out to college. While you adjust to not having kids in the house, you also begin to realize that you now have more space, but you’re not sure what to do with it. There are many ways to reuse the space, expand existing spaces, or make room for something new. Let’s take a look at the design possibilities available to you.
In the second of our three-part series on selection tips, we want to focus on tile. Backsplash, shower walls, and flooring are just a few of the many uses for tile since it is beautiful, durable, and timeless. Sometimes considered a small part of the design, it has the potential to make a big impact on the design. Here are some helpful tips when choosing tile.
While cabinets tend to be the focal point of the main spaces, such as kitchens and bathrooms, it is the details that add the final touch to the design. The selection process can be one of the highlights of the design phase, but it can also be overwhelming with multiple styles, colors, and options. In this three-part series, we want to give our best tips for the top three categories of selections and help make this as enjoyable and simple as possible. Our focus today is hardware.
In our final part of the selection tips series, we want to focus our attention on lighting. Good lighting can make a difference in the room; no one enjoys struggling to see around the shadows cast by insufficient light or the glare of one placed too low. Here’s what should be on your list of things to look for when selecting your lighting.
There’s no denying the appeal of HGTV’s popular renovation shows such as Fixer Upper, Love It or List It, and Property Brothers. These programs consistently deliver impressive home transformations, turning outdated properties into stylish, modern living spaces—all within the span of a neatly packaged, one-hour episode.
While unexpected challenges and budget concerns occasionally arise, the hosts reliably navigate these obstacles, keeping projects on track and showcasing the kind of resilience and problem-solving that resonates with homeowners and renovation professionals alike.
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Greenbrook Design