Light work

Many remodeling projects include a laundry concealed behind doors in a bathroom or kitchen. Not so common is the idea of a bathroom or, in the case of the project featured on these pages, a toilet in a laundry.

This new laundry room is part of the major renovation of a Victorian-era house. While most of the construction involved an extension to one side of the house, it also involved a refurbishment of existing spaces, such as the area featured here.

Located at the rear of the house, the laundry is designed on similar lines to the new wing. A fully glazed wall and sliding doors, featuring horizontal frosted and clear glass panels, are similar to windows in the new bathroom. The frosted windows help conceal a toilet, tucked at the end of the laundry cabinets.

Architect Paul Connor says the owners wanted contemporary amenities, although the refurbishments needed to respect the heritage elements of the original house.

A simple layout was conceived for the laundry. A single bank of cabinetry contains the washing machine, clothes dryer and laundry sink, with a long countertop providing plenty of space to sort clothes. Woven laundry baskets on the countertop offer extra storage for laundry items.

A dark painted feature wall at the end of the laundry helps to contain the space visually and provides a quirky touch an ornate, Venetian-style mirror.

Wood decking links the room with the garden. And, in warm weather, clothes can be dried on an outdoor clothesline.

Story by: Trendsideas