When space is at a premium, it’s worth making rooms in your home more flexible with the ability to function as multipurpose. One of these rooms is the laundry. 

Combining a laundry and guest bathroom makes sense. With today’s advancement in technology many laundry appliances such as washing machines and dryers are more compact and save space without any adverse impact on functionality or capacity. This means today’s laundry renovations may no longer need large floor spaces required in the past. 

But, how do you fit a shower, toilet, vanity, washing machine, dryer, sink, counter space and enough storage into a small space? With some planning and know-how you can easily design a laundry-bathroom renovation that saves space and seamlessly blends form and function.

In this month’s B&C Home Journal we review the laundry/bathroom combo and show you how to make it work. Enjoy!

The team at Balnei & Colina

 

Laundry-Bathroom Combo Layouts 

Balnei & Colina bathroom-laundry designers know that combining these two areas of the home (bathroom and laundry) in a renovation takes some planning and skill. Our company is here to help with all your home renovation requirements, and can provide laundry and bathroom solutions that optimise functionality. Here are Balnei & Colina’s top three laundry-bathroom layouts that work:

Balnei & Colina Laundry-Bathroom Renovation Lilyfield Sydney

THE HIDDEN LAUNDRY

The simplest way to combine a laundry-bathroom renovation is to conceal your laundry behind closed doors. In a hidden laundry renovation, the bathroom is designed as the main function of the room, with the laundry cleverly hidden behind concealed doors. Balnei & Colina laundry-bathroom designers suggest positioning the laundry facility to the rear of the room and keeping the bathroom facilities foremost on entry. This will ensure everyday laundry clutter remains unseen and hidden from guests. 

Depending on the kind of space you have, Balnei & Colina renovations offer a range of hidden laundry solutions. You can consider concealing your laundry appliances behind properly designed pocket, hinged, sliding doors or bifold doors. This helps to ensure that the bathroom has a clean and uncluttered look. You can choose from bi-fold doors or features that roll upwards, to conceal the laundry space. These installations do not encroach upon the floor space, which means they are perfect for compact renovations.

If you are planning a bathroom renovation and want to combine the laundry space in it, you should consider stacking your washer and dryer on top of each other to save space. Today, there are many compact washers which have wall-mounting functionality. With a custom joinery solution, you can create sufficient space under or above your appliances to store a laundry basket or any other laundry essentials.

By opting for a hidden storage solution for the laundry component of your bathroom-laundry renovation, you will also benefit from reduced noise levels as your laundry appliances are tucked away behind closed doors.

Design Tip: An all-in-one washer/dryer can also further maximise your bathroom-laundry space. 

Opting for flat panel doors that mimic a flat wall when fully closed will create the illusion of space and return the room to a fully functioning bathroom.

Image via Home Beautiful

Image via Just In Place

Image via Fisher & Paykel

Channel 7 House Rules Hidden Laundry by Balnei & Colina

 

Laundry-bathroom renovation Sydney by Balnei & Colina

OPEN LAUNDRY- BATHROOM COMBO

Another option is to install your washer and dryer in a niche of your existing bathroom. In this laundry-bathroom layout, the laundry isn’t hidden but rather becomes a part of the overall room function and look. The key here is to not allow your laundry dictate the style of the space overall; your laundry zone should become a part of the overall room scheme.

Based on how much room you have, you can also install a small countertop next to your laundry appliances, and using custom joinery, create laundry storage beneath it. If you have a smaller sized bathroom, perhaps consider an all-in-one washer and dryer, which will allow more space for storage and laundry work tasks.

If you have space for a long run of cabinets and benchtop down one wall, consider placing your washer and dryer next to the bathroom sink, and install one cohesive countertop above. This will streamline your laundry-bathroom and connect the two zones. You can then add storage drawers next to your appliances. Depending on how much space you have, add some shelves and a mirror above for the bathroom zone and wall hung cupboard to define the laundry zone. 

Balnei & Colina Laundry-bathroom renovation Sydney

Image Credit: Solly Baby

Image credit: Planet Deco

Image via Pintrest

Image via Pintrest

Balnei & Colina - Bathroom-laundry renovation Sydney

LAUNDRY-BATHROOM COMBO WITH PARTITION

An alternate solution is the clear division of the laundry-bathroom renovation using a dividing wall. 

A pocket or cavity sliding door is a clever solution for separating the two zones in one room, without forfeiting space.

You can choose to dedicate a larger percentage of the room to the bathroom or laundry depending on your needs, by positioning the pocket door off-centre. A laundry doesn’t need as much floor area and you can maximise the use of space by stacking appliances and using clever storage solutions.

A partition wall is another way to conceal laundry appliances from the remaining bathroom and clearly seperate the laundry work room. The dividing partition wall only needs to be the width of the laundry machines usually 700-800mm deep, ensuring ease of access and plenty of work space. Your can design open shelving, custom cabinetry and add decor to further detract from the laundry work zone.

Design Tip: Even when separating the laundry and bathroom zones, it's important to maintain a cohesive look by repeating design elements in each of the spaces eg cabinetry profiles, handle ware, tapware, and tiles. 

Note on external access: If you're creating laundry-bathroom renovation in a house setting, Balnei & Colina suggest creating an external access point within the room. Positioning your laundry at the rear of the room with access to the outdoors will create better workflow and increase functionality.

Still unsure how to create a practical and appealing laundry-bathroom renovation? Leave it to the renovation experts at Balnei & Colina. Simply book a laundry-bathroom design consultation with a Balnei & Colina renovation expert today, on 1300 450 320 or drop us an email info@balneiandcolina.com.au. You can also send us your project details via this contact form. 

Visit us at balneiandcolina.com.au and sign up to our newsletter for the latest bathroom and laundry design trends, or connect with us via Facebook or Instagram.

Image credit: Kristin Dion Design

Image via Pintrest

Image credit: Katrina Lee Chambers

Image credit: Decor Pad

Image via DecorPad

Image via Home Beautiful