Dream laundries with flooring to match!
By: Annalese, Published: May 26, 2020With resident Stylist Annalese Hay
The often forgotten room, banished to the back of the house, door permanently closed to hide the disaster that will likely await inside. Sound familiar? So many laundries don’t receive the same decorating brush as the rest of the home, where an unspoken rule applies- it’s a waste of money to splash the cash on making this utilitarian space pretty. I couldn’t disagree more!
Recently styling this beautiful home in country Victoria, I was faced with immediate laundry envy. This large laundry was a celebration of light, materials and space. Straight off the front door like an Aussie version of a mudroom, the laundry was blessed with views of rolling hills and an abundance of storage. What a dream!
Flooring for laundries
As I styled the space for the shoot, I realised it really didn’t need my help. The reason for this, of course, was the beautiful hybrid timber flooring which flowed from the entry and living, straight into the laundry. It was just as important as the rest of the home. With so many beautiful hard flooring options available- why not treat your laundry like a place you want to spend time in? Some thoughts on laundry flooring to consider:
- Choose flooring that is resilient enough to withstand the activity of the laundry. Laminates and vinyl are great in laundries as they are incredibly durable.
- If you think the space will become wet often, make sure to speak to a Flooring Xtra staff member about selecting a style of floor that will cope with this. Some products will work better than others!
- Runner rugs are a nice addition to this space to make it feel warm and cosy. Floor rugs are particularly welcoming if you will be standing often in here for extended periods, like when ironing.
Other laundry ideas for a function but beautiful space
- If the budget allows, try and maintain the same materials and finishes from other areas of the home (such as bathroom vanity bench tops, tiles and cabinetry colours). This creates an enviable flow through the spaces which you can be proud to show off!
- If the budget doesn’t stretch to maintain the same materials, try and find as similar as possible- and if you can, keep one key feature. It could be the benchtop material or splashback tile for example. Having the same door hardware is another subtle touch to suggest the same scheme runs throughout.
- If you’re designing your laundry from scratch, really think about the storage required for what you would like to use this space for. The functionality of a space is directly correlated to how much you will enjoy being in here. Do you like to fold and sort the washing in the laundry? Do you want to have the dirty clothes baskets in the laundry? Will this be the “drop off” space to dump school bags and shoes when coming inside? Will you use the laundry to store other goods (such as excess kitchen goods, sporting equipment etc.?). Think of everything you want to store in this space and design accordingly. There are smart storage solutions too, such as pull out drawer systems to accommodate clothes baskets for example. A place for everything!
- Always think about the equipment used in this space now and what you might use in the future. Will the space accommodate future washing machine or dryer purchases? Are there enough power points to plug in the iron and other items you might use here? Is there adequate space for a laundry sink (if yes- get one!).
- Laundry styling ideas. Laundries are the perfect place for open shelves with wicker baskets, indoor plants and small artworks which reflect the vibe of the rest of the home- have fun with it!
Disclaimer: In some states of Australia, the building regulations for Vinyl Planks, Vinyl Tiles and Hybrid flooring varies. Meaning they may not be suitable for areas requiring water resistance, such as bathrooms and toilets. We advise to always ask your local Flooring Xtra store for the correct advice regarding the local regulations. We also advise to follow the manufacturer’s recommended installation instructions and guidelines, not following the instructions could make the product not fit for purpose, for the area it’s being installed into and void your product warranty. To ensure you get the appropriate product for those areas, please contact your local Flooring Xtra store.
FAQs
How to clean hybrid flooring
Hybrid flooring, like all flooring, requires maintenance to ensure it lasts for years to come. Residual grit, sand and dirt can lead to wear on hard flooring or stains on carpet. Ensure the floors are regularly swept or vacuumed and try to encourage a “shoe-free” home to minimise the transference of the outdoors in on shoes! For more care tips you can read our Hard Flooring Care Guide.
What type of flooring is easiest to maintain?
All flooring requires some level of maintenance to ensure it will look good for a long time. All carpet and hard flooring should be swept or vacuumed regularly to remove grit and dirt from the surface (which can lead to scratches and marks). Laminate and vinyl floors are excellent low-maintenance hard flooring options while solution dyed nylon and polypropene carpet are also resilient.
What are the benefits of a professional flooring installation?
Deciding what new flooring you will install at home is a big deal! There is a lot to consider and it’s an investment which is why it’s important to get the installation done by the professionals- they know what they are doing and are incredibly knowledgable. They have all the right tools, they can problem solve, drawing on years of experience and get things done promptly. Each Flooring Xtra store has its own professional installers so you can relax while the experts get the job done!
Annalese
StylistIn-house Stylist Annalese spends her days making homes beautiful and hunting down the perfect flooring solutions. With her finger on the design pulse, her advice on style, home design tips and creating happy, appealing homes can always be relied upon. Annalese’s favourite product is the Mathewson Tweed wool carpet from the Urban Instinct range because of its beautiful wool fibre together with its tailored loop pile design.