It’s not every day you get a detailed look into an award-winning laundry! But today we do! Winner of the 2020 NKBA Spatial Innovation Design, this stunning laundry is filled with stylish and multi-functional design elements.
We take a look around this sleek space and get some top tips for laundry design from the talented Natalie Du Bois, Designer and Director at Du Bois Design.
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Experienced and inspired, Natalie transformed the laundry from drab to fab, proving a massive success!
“Although done in a renovated home, the laundry is pretty much a new build. The space I had to work with was just an open room that hadn’t previously been used as a laundry,” explains Natalie.
“The wonderful greenery outside meant I could keep things quite minimal in the room — I kept the door clear to draw you to the exterior.
“A couple of years ago, I helped my client with their kitchen. I wanted the laundry to look like it worked with the kitchen, but have some different aspects. I specified New York — New York by Neolith for the benchtop and splashback, which was good timing as it launched just as I started planning. The gold tap by Meir and shelf details add warmth and elegance to the space.”
With so many elements that make up an award-winning laundry, Natalie takes us through a few of them.
“My clients liked the idea of the materials having a natural look. That’s why we chose the bead-blasted European oak and warm-grey, lacquered tongue-and-groove chosen for the cabinetry.
“This laundry is built with storage in mind. Not only is it used for washing and drying clothes, it also stores an outdoor pool cleaner on wheels and other home-cleaning equipment.
“A large butler’s sink was a practical choice. It needed to be ‘big enough to bathe a small dog in.’
“One of my favourite features has to be the folding table you can sit at comfortably — you can now enjoy the space instead of feeling like the laundry is purely utilitarian. My client has a sewing machine she uses from time to time, so this is a great space for her to use.”
We couldn’t let Natalie go without asking her to share some of her top laundry design tips with us.
“Splurge on good appliances, benchtops and a good designer,” Natalie laughs.
“Look at ergonomics — if there is enough room to have the washer and dryer located higher than fit them there. Hide the washer and dryer behind doors, especially if the laundry is in view.
“Always focus on the longevity of appliances. Go for a good, reliable brand.
“Don’t forget about lighting — task and ambient lighting are just as important.
“Consider if the laundry needs to be used for anything else. Extra pantry space, perhaps? Or another small fridge? I always suggest integrating easy lifting laundry hampers into the cabinetry so the room can be kept less cluttered.”
Photographer — Michelle Wier
Neolith — CDK
Timber — NZ Panels
Washer and dryer — Asko
Hardware — Blum
Tap — Meir
Big thank you to Natalie Du Bois for showing us around this stunning award-winning laundry! You can find out more about this renovation and other projects on her website. What do you think about this laundry? Let us know in the comments below!
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