THE LAUNDRY GLOW-UP

Modern laundries are coming out of the closet with a fresh, fun look

- Jane Binsley

If the housewives of yesteryear saw our laundries today, they'd be blown away by how stylish they are. What used to be an unlovely nook in the darkest corner of the house, or even a garden outhouse, has morphed into an opportunity for creative expression.

Kate Rogan of Rogan Nash Architects says laundries are a great place to add some colour to your home or show off an interesting tile. "We find people often want the laundry to look or feel less serious than the rest of their home." They're primarily private spaces, so why not have some fun and make the chores less of a bore? Depending on your attitude to doing the washing, you might opt for bright, invigorating colours to energise you while you tackle the weekly wash. Or you might prefer a neutral colour palette to soothe you while you work your way through the ironing pile. Natural materials, wood grains and plants create a calming mood.

Whether your laundry is a dedicated room, a cupboard in the hall, or a corner of your garage, there are some must-have elements that will help it work smoothly for you.

First and foremost, don't skimp on storage. Aim for mostly closed cupboards and drawers to hide the clutter - maybe with a few open shelves if you can trust yourself to keep them tidy. Add pull-out laundry bins or hampers for sorting lights, darks and delicates, and store cleaning products and chemicals in a lockable or high cupboard out of reach of little hands.

Include enough bench space for folding clothes, trimming flowers, wrapping gifts and all the other activities that end up happening in the laundry. You'll also need a big tub, ideally with a flexible gooseneck mixer to make easy work of cleaning everything from muddy football boots to small dogs.