If you live in an older home, your laundry area might be a dimly lit corner of the basement. Even without a dedicated laundry room, you can transform the space into an inviting and functional area with these simple tips.
Brighten and Lighten
With minimal or lack of natural light, brightening the space is essential. Start by painting the walls in light, neutral colors like white, beige, or soft gray to make the room appear larger and brighter. If your walls are cinder block, install beadboard or light paneling to create a finished look, building hinged boxes to cover exposed pipes on the walls. Install a multi-bulb ceiling light and, if needed, add more lighting with battery-operated LED lights, or floor lamps to brighten the room. You can also hang a mirror to reflect light and create the illusion of a more spacious area.
Dare to Be Bold
Introduce bold patterns to give your laundry room a modern look. With a variety of peel-and-stick products for walls and floors, you can easily transform the area and create a focal point. A patterned rug would do the trick too.
Baskets and Bins
Combine decoration with functionality to keep your room tidy. Hang floating shelves or cabinets and use decorative baskets and bins to organize laundry essentials. Use wicker laundry baskets or purchase a multi-bin hamper to no longer sort clothes on the floor!
Fold and Hang
Do you use the top of the dryer for folding? Instead, create a space for folding and hanging freshly laundered clothes. If you have front loaders, place a wooden plank over your washer and dryer to create a countertop for folding laundry. Or, paint and repurpose an old table or dresser as a folding station and storage unit. Don’t forget about adding a space to hang clothes. Install a metal rod or purchase a freestanding rack.
The Personal Touch
It’s the little details that make the space more inviting. Hang wall art to bring personality to the room, and place a soft, colorful rug to warm up the space and make standing more comfortable. Add a touch of greenery with faux plants that require no maintenance.
Look up!
Basement ceilings are a maze of ductwork, beams, and cords and often not high enough to add a drop down ceiling. Painting the ceiling black or white will make it less noticeable, or do the opposite and make it stand out with lengths of fabric stapled to the joists for a tufted effect. These treatments keep all pipes accessible for easy maintenance if needed.
Down the Drain
Washing machines in many older homes do not have a dedicated drain and the drain hose is directed into a nearby utility sink. If this is the case in your laundry room, invest in one of the new modern, sleek versions available at your local home improvement store.
Considering how often we all do laundry, it’s time to make this space a pleasant place to be. With a little creativity, you can brighten, organize, and personalize the area to make it more inviting and functional.
