People have their hands full in the laundry – so give them a helping hand

The laundry isn’t generally seen as a glamour zone. Attention is lavished on public showcase areas – the ‘entertainer’s kitchen’, the media room, the family living area. Bedrooms and bathrooms can also be spaces designed to impress. But the laundry is often an afterthought – a boxy space for appliances and a sink.

However, when you analyse usage, the value of a well-designed laundry becomes clear. It’s one of the hardest working areas in the home because there’s a never-ending need for clean clothes, towels and bed linen. With multiple loads going through the wash each week, it makes sense to envisage the laundry as a key workspace – and use design to enhance its workflows.

With this in mind, Blum applied design intelligence to making laundries a pleasure to use. People lead busy lives so there’s a growing demand for innovations that reduce the hassles of housework. Here are some ideas to give them a helping hand.

Handle-less design for cabinetry and drawers that close with a nudge.

The solutions that work so beautifully in kitchen storage can also ensure a clean look and effortless operation in the laundry.

SERVO-DRIVE, TIP-ON BLUMOTION and TIP-ON offer a range of powered and mechanical systems for effortless access to drawers and cupboards. They make it easy for users to access cleaning products and use the workspace when their hands are otherwise occupied. And there are no annoying handles to bump and snag on.

Vertical storage is the smart way to add amenity.

SPACE TOWER and SPACE TWIN are Blum’s answer to storage when space is constrained. Instead of the usual disorganised void under the sink, homeowners enjoy flexible and optimised storage in one of home’s busiest work areas.

By stacking storage units on a small footprint, designers can offer a range of heights and widths to work in any space. The inner pull-outs can be designed individually to store everything from cleaning products to clothes pegs. Everything has its own space, making it simple for users to minimise laundry clutter.

Each pull-out has an impressive load bearing capacity (up to a total weight of 70 kg) so the SPACE TOWER unit can even hold heavy items such as bottles.

To add even more practicality, you can specify SPACE STEP. This pull-out plinth makes it easy to reach high-level cupboards, as well providing extra storage at ground level.

A pull-out shelf that can bear the weight of a load of washing.

Blum provides even more ergonomic flexibility with its unique pull-out shelf lock. By adding this feature to cabinetry near the washing machine, users gain a pull-out work surface that locks in place when in use but takes no space when it’s not needed.

Pair with the smoothly gliding MOVENTO runner system, and they’ll enjoy a flat surface that can bear loads of 40 or 70 kg. You’ve also made their lives safer, by minimising the need to bend down and lift large loads.

Cleanly functional design.

Taken together, these cabinet applications and hardware systems can turn an overlooked area into a showcase of task-oriented human-centric design. Homeowners will love the minimal, modern look – and enjoy the way it takes the hassle out of everyday chores.