At Home Tales, we offer homeowners excellent design packages for home improvements, including internal refurbishments and home extensions. When discussing the potential layout of your home extension, you may find that we will come across the pertinent issue of where to place the large appliances. In this case, we will be talking about the washer and dryer, and how you can arrange it into your new loft conversion, ground floor or side return extension in London.

There are several reasons why this topic comes up so often, with some examples being the noise and sheer size. No one enjoys the sound of rattling that comes from the spinning of their washing machine, especially if they’re trying to focus on work, watch a show, or just want to relax. Carrying your laundry to your washer or dryer can also be quite a theatrical task, especially if you have guests over. Therefore, we wanted to share the best hiding places in your home that you can tuck away these noisy and cumbersome machines.

Kitchen

• 

This is a common place to install your washer and dryer, as it is a central location where a plumber can easily access and connect these large appliances to your home system. If you are renovating your kitchen, we would suggest considering getting purpose-built storage, with units specifically designed to hide your washer or dryer. This means you can add a door or small curtain too. We love this idea because it means your kitchen/home design is not determined by the look of these essential but hefty appliances.

Under the Staircase

• 

A popular alternative location to put a washer and dryer is under a staircase. This is an effective solution for the homeowner who does not quite know what to do with the room under their stairs, as it can be such an awkward shape, and does not have the extra space for a designated utility. If you have a decent pitch to your staircase, you can either stack or stand them side by side, making this setup a great use of wasted space. Stick a door on this room and visiting guests will never have to see these clunky appliances again.

WC

Another available option is to allocate a spot for these appliances in a large WC in your home. We have found that this solution tucks away your washer and dryer and saves a lot of space, as you will not have to use up prime kitchen or corridor floor area. There is also already plumbing in place, making it easy to connect them to your existing system.

Separate utility

When proposing the design of a ground floor extension to our clients, sometimes we are asked to include a new utility room. A utility is built to deal with this issue head on, as it is a room where all your large appliances can go, and where all your cleaning can be done. It not only deals with your washer and dryer, but you can do all your ironing and folding in here too. It is a great room to consider installing to allow you to stow away the clutter of your household chores.

Bathroom

• 

A bathroom can be quite a loud room, with showers running, taps flowing and electric toothbrushes buzzing away in the morning. That is why this is a perfect place to hide away your washer and dryer. Generally, bathrooms are located further away from the bedrooms and main social zones to avoid noise disturbances, amongst other reasons. You can also soundproof your bathroom door to make the room even less disturbing to the rest of the house. Depending on your local restrictions, you may need to install a storage room with a door for these appliances, as it can be a grey area within building control constraints.

Garage (with internal access)

Lastly, a washer or dryer can be moved to your garage if you have an internal access point. In this scenario, you may have a door in your entryway that leads directly to this room. Usually, a garage is not insulated and is not within a home’s main structure as it is not habitable space. It is a great spot for your large appliances because it is a colder, ventilated environment, making it the perfect place to prevent machines overheating and mildew brewing on your walls. However, you would have to carry your laundry into the garage which may be inconvenient for you, depending on the layout of your house.

We hope that you have found our post insightful, as these are the smaller details that a homeowner may not immediately think to consider. If you would like to discuss any of your home improvement projects with us further, our team would be more than happy to assist. You can call us on 02070432378 or email us at hello@hometales.co.uk. Alternatively, you can book a free telephone consultation here, on a day that suits you best.