Where Should Laundry Go?
Ok, fellow brownstoners, you have helped me in the past. Here is another question… I am currently finishing up schematic plans for renovating a 20X37 brownstone in Cobble Hill. Going from a bottom duplex with two rentals on top floor to a triplex with a garden rental. We are a family of four. Here’s the…
Ok, fellow brownstoners, you have helped me in the past. Here is another question…
I am currently finishing up schematic plans for renovating a 20X37 brownstone in Cobble Hill. Going from a bottom duplex with two rentals on top floor to a triplex with a garden rental. We are a family of four. Here’s the question…where should the laundry go? Initially, I thought top floor where the kds bedrooms are, but my architect says we will have to have a stackable unit if we keep the laundry near the bathroom where all the plumbing lies. Otherwise, I CAN move it to the other side of the building but it will cost a lot and be a big pain to bring the plumbing down through four floors to the basement. Plus, that seems like valuable real estate for something as prosaic as laundry. I am now inclined to put it in my not great basement but that will mean taking the downstairs hall away from the tenant. Or, rather, sharing it. And it will mean a lot of stairs for this lazy person (me). And it will mean upgrading the basement.
Curious to hear how others have solved this conundrum? Many thanks.
We have the kids on the 2nd floor (above parlor) and we are on the 3rd floor (top). Laundry room is on the 2nd floor (kids’ floor). Highly recommend having the laundry on kids’ floor – they generate the most laundry, and the highest traffic-ed bedroom area. As for drying, instead of having 2 bathrooms (granted 50′ depth), we have a bathroom and laundry room – side by side washing machine & dryer (I would have gone stackable as well) next to laundry sink (invaluable) and I let delicates drip dry into sink (I have Elfa rod over the sink).
http://www.containerstore.com/shop/elfa/bestSellingSolutions/laundry?productId=10009439&N=68562
I copied this exactly, but no rods over the washer & dryer.
hmm, guess I’m the lone dissenter here. When I renovated, several people suggested I put a stackable unit in one of the upstairs bedroom closets but I’m glad I kept the full size laundry room in the basement. Convenient to have the mess and laundry sprawl in its own room. Does no one else have a bunch of stuff they air dry? Skinny jeans, delicates, wool? I do prefer ironing upstairs so have boards and irons in both places. Plus my washer and dryer are often noisy–any large load in the washer there’s some thumping (front-load) and I use those plastic dryer balls in the dryer for fluffing and they make a lot of racket. Glad I can close 4 doors between my bedroom and the laundry, not that it’s THAT loud.
I don’t have infants or trouble climbing stairs, which I can see might make me wish I had stackables within throwing distance.
We have a 22×34 house. We made the top floor bathroom a laundry room as well, with side by side w/d. Bathroom has only a shower, no tub, so we picked up floor space that way.
I can’t remember the last time I did laundry in my own house. In NYC thats like cooking your own bagels.
I agree with others that you want it in your living space, not the basement. We have stacked machines that accomodate large loads, and the only problem is that I’m short so sometimes have trouble getting stuff out of the dryer.
I know this wasn’t in your post, but I like our current laundry layout a lot so want to share. Our laundry is off of the kitchen, on the ground floor. The bedrooms are two floors up. I was disappointed that the laundry was not near the closets when we first moved, but now love having it near the kitchen. The bedroom floor is where we spend the least time, but I spend a ton of time on the bottom level in the kitchen or going in/out of the house. Since I pass the machines so much, it much easier to remember to move loads from the wash to the dryer and then from the dryer to hanging/folding things that need to come out while still warm.
If it were by the bedrooms, I’m sure a lot more stuff would be forgotten too long in the wash or left to cool and get wrinkly in the dryer (as it did when we had it in the basement/near bedrooms). There’s a little space to the side of the machines with a small amount of hanging space that’s great for hanging stuff straight out of the dryer without trekking to closets. We then just leave the baskets of clean stuff at the bottom of the stair and when someone goes up, they take the basket.
Yes stackable on sleeping floor. We are so happy we did this – trekking down to the basement makes laundry so much more a chore.
Defintiely upstairs on one of the bedroom floors.
Also, I love a stackable — If you had a 50 or 60′ deep house side by sides could have some appeal, but a 37′ deep house has limited floor space. Have your contractor design some cool folding table (like the old ironing boards that used to hide away in the wall) if that’s the utility you are looking for.
I saw a great feature in one apartment a few years ago where they customized the bathroom with a drying rack that descended from the ceiling. Very cool.
We have a triplex with a garden rental as well. The stackable washer and dryer are on the top floor and it works well for us.
even if requires stackable – put it on top floor. there are some pretty decent size stackables.