Laundry Room Baskets

I’m envious when I see great set ups of laundry room baskets in specially designed spaces.

My laundry room is too compact for an array of laundry room baskets either on shelves or wheels. So my wash day routine produces piles clothes on the floor. Then, clean, folded clothes end up in bunches on the counter to be transported upstairs. Before and after baskets would be far more handy. The airy white laundry room with a charming Dutch door [top] illustrates why! Everyone sees storage differently but I would use the top row of baskets for sorting and the bottom ones for carrying laundry to its destination. The counter above the baskets appears to be higher than usual to make folding easier and to provide enough space for fairly deep baskets — another plus. I also like the basket style — having a rattan rod along the top of each end makes them easier to move in and out of the shelves.
Many laundry/utility rooms now double as back or side entrances.  And any room functioning as a back or side foyer (friends or family entrance is another descriptor) merits design attention. Laundry rooms are becoming more attractive as a result. Vancouver designer Kelly Deck produced a downright glamorous washery with an elegant pale green glass subway tile backsplash. Don’t the colors in this room feel ultra clean? I think so, and the long hanging rack for clothing overhead is cleverly conceived. There’s a big sink and a pretty hex-tile floor plus a significant place for baskets — eight seems perfect for a family of four. Closed cabinets above and below provide enough space for laundry essentials as well as mudroom items with open shelves that can be styled for display.

I’ve been hanging onto this photo from Plain English cabinets for years. It’s the laundry room in a grand English house, complete with one of those ingenious drying racks that go up and down on a pulley. But it’s the huge rolling baskets flanking the sink that caught my eye. Those are hotel size and ample enough for sheets and towels!
A crisp black and pale gray laundry room has a clever hanging space. In the bottom, a pair of lined metal baskets on wheels can be easily moved in and out of the space. But, if a long robe or nightgown, pants or even a blanket needs to hang dry, the hampers roll out handily. Plus, it’s nice to be able to sort, and then roll a basket over to the machine. The square steel Wire Hampers have white canvas liners with a drawstring that allows them to double as laundry bags if needed. From Crate & Barrel ($59.95 each), they measure 15 x 1-inches and are 27.5 inches high. So I estimate that hanging space is 36-inches wide. The cabinets look almost white but are painted with the the frosty Benjamin Moore Brushed Aluminum.
Two sets of long built-in wire baskets —  in what appears to be a laundry room island — pull out. I love that idea because, once extended, the baskets bring things closer to the machines. And the counter space is doubled as well.
This very formal, very fitted laundry space doubles up on the baskets in a different way. With the washer and dryer on a riser, storage spaces exist above and below the machines. I wouldn’t hesitate to add a third tier above. The silver buckets are pretty but I’m not-so-much for props. One elegant touch here is the integral stainless steel counter and sink. This is the type of thoughtful, useful room that home owner would appreciate — especially a lover of laundry room baskets like me.

(Source: BH&G, Kelly Deck Design, Plain English Cabinets, Von Fitz Design, More Design Build, Scott Christopher Homes)

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