Have a laundry room awash in color
Do you like to do laundry? For most of us, it’s a necessary evil, but with a little bit of organization, you can make your laundry room a fun-looking place, and help yourself accomplish your chores more easily.
Let’s explore:
Ÿ Organization is always a good thing, and getting the laundry organized is no exception. One simple solution is to have individual bins so your family can automatically sort clothes to whites, darks, lights and any other categories you want. Simple? Yes. Helpful? Absolutely. Plus it teaches the kids a little about doing laundry. You wouldn’t want them going off to college thinking that loading the washing machine with the darks on the bottom and the lights on top is the way to separate the laundry. (Don’t laugh. My son’s roommate did that!)
Ÿ The layout of the room is important, too. Most of the time you really don’t have a choice because the plumbing and the electricity are set, and the room is small. But if, for instance, your room is cramped to the point that the door bangs into or opens up onto the washer or dryer, remove it. After all, how often do you actually keep that door closed? Plus, by the time we’re done with this project, you will be proud to leave the room open without a door.
Ÿ Storage helps clear out the clutter. The most ideal thing is to have cabinets above the washer and dryer so you can put away all the detergents, fabric softeners and other chemicals or cleaning solutions.
Ÿ If you are in the market for new laundry appliances, buy energy-efficient models. Even if the initial cost is a bit more, the savings will add up.
Ÿ The walls. Here is where your color personality can shine. If you like bold colors, go really bold in this room. Try a cobalt blue or a ruby red or a sunshine yellow — whatever color makes you smile.
Like stripes? This might take a little more work to paint, but the enjoyment of the finished product will be worth the trouble. If you are a bit artistic, perhaps you can create a stencil for this room. Wall letters work, too. Maybe writing “I Hate Laundry” would be good. Of course, since we’ve taken the door off and the room is open for all to see, remember to coordinate the colors of this room with those of the rest of the house — even if you do go bolder here.
Ÿ Rosemary Sadez Friedmann, an interior designer in Naples, Fla., is author of “Mystery of Color.”