Kitchen & Bath Business - September 2016 - 12

Trends

WORKING THE BUDGET
"I really enjoy
adding whimsical lighting if
I can. A fun tile backsplash
is just the thing to add a pop
of color. I love those little
things that make you smile.
- Christie Board, Board by
Board Inc. Photo by Bella
Vita Photography.
ABOVE LEFT

No Longer Forgotten
A look at the expanding interest

in mudrooms and laundry spaces

The WHIRLPOOL CORP.
recently unveiled a Heat Pump
Dryer that can be placed almost
anywhere within the home
thanks to a ventless design.
The dryer features heat pump
technology, using a refrigeration
system to dry and recycle air
before returning it to the drum.

Available in three sizes and
four finishes, the DOCKING
DRAWER slim charging outlet
offers a convenient way to
power technology. The
product installs in less than
two minutes and ships fully
assembled and tested.

OR MOST OF THEIR EX-

ISTENCE, these rooms
were hidden from
view because they
were cluttered and
unsightl y. But as
homeowners realized that they could
make their homes more functional, mudrooms and laundry rooms have grown out of
their ugly-duckling stage into the next trendy
renovation projects.
"We love the opportunity that laundry/mudrooms offer to create special spaces that fit the
lifestyles of our homebuyers,"said Stan Williams,
CEO of Apex, N.C.-based firm Stanton Homes.
"It's the perfect place to have some fun with new
ideas and arrangements."
Not only is a laundry room or mudroom an
opportunity to organize a busy household, but
personalizing them can make even the most
mundane chores more enjoyable. Clients are
latching onto this idea, and requests for these
rooms are rising.
"My belief is that investing in these spaces is
on the upswing," said Dave Stimmel of Ambler,
Penn.-based Stimmel Design Group."People are
starting to understand that this is a great return
for very little money."

ABOVE RIGHT "In one laundry/

mudroom, the client wanted
a dog-washing sink. I used
a mop sink mounted on a
cabinet, which allowed a big,
not-too-deep sink at easy-use
height for the dogs." -Wendy
Sorenson, Dave Fox Design.
Photo by Gary Demos.

Despite their popularity on Houzz and Pinterest, it's not atypical to find a designer struggling
to first convince a client to truly invest in these
rooms. According to designer Cathy Osborne of
Cincinnati, Ohio-based Auer Kitchens, laundry
rooms are often done as a side project to a kitchen
remodel, and no client wants to subtract from their
dream kitchen.
"You can often re-purpose some of the old
kitchen cabinets in the laundry," said Osborne,
explaining some of her tactics to reducing the
budget. "This does not mean just cramming in
as many as will fit. Design the laundry room
first, addressing storage and countertop needs,
then evaluate what you have available in terms
of the re-used cabinets. Use only those that are
needed to execute a good design."
In addition to reusing cabinetry, suggesting
a less pricey countertop option in a laundry
room will significantly lower the cost of the
project. Laminate countertops are particularly
growing in popularity, both because of their
easy maintenance and the variety of finishes
in which they are available.
Depending on the extent of the project,
creative but simple touches like hooks and
shelves can also take a simple hallway space
to the next level.
MAKING ROOM

BY ERINN WALDO

Still, most mudroom/laundry room projects face
even greater challenges than just the budget.
Those previously overlooked rooms are now in
the spotlight - but their original design can make
remodeling difficult.
"Laundry rooms often get whatever space is
'leftover' in the overall home design, leaving odd
angles, bad lighting, etc.," said designer Rachel

Kitchen & Bath Business / SEPTEMBER 2016 / KBBONLINE.COM / The official publication of KBIS (KBIS.com)

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Kitchen & Bath Business - September 2016

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