Three Birds on how to make the laundry your happy place

Bonnie Hindmarsh, Lana Taylor and Erin Cayless – the trio known as Three Birds Renovations – know a thing or two about creating an inspiring laundry. They reveal all below…

The Birds are diving headfirst into their 10th home together: The Hinterland Hideaway. It’s an entirely new build in the style of a Mediterranean farmhouse in the Hinterland of Northern NSW, near Byron Bay.

On Monday, the trio revealed an epic hidden kitchen and a laundry so beautiful it could convince any chore-avoider to whip out the Napisan if it meant spending time in the zone (watch the video above if you missed it!)

Now, they’re revealing their top tips on making the laundry your happy place.

1. Take a risk with your colour palette

The laundry is so often an afterthought in the renovation process. In many cases the design is left until the last minute, which incidentally is when the budget is looking a little worse for wear.

“The laundry is where you go about your chores, but it doesn’t have to feel this way. The key is in making it feel as fun and enjoyable as possible, and the best place to start is with a killer colour scheme,” says Lana.

Lana says colour is encouraged in the laundry because the room is able to be closed off with a door, and does not usually flow into another space in the house.

“In this gorgeous laundry, we embraced an orange and pink palette that shines through in the choice of mixed terracotta and baby pink patterned tiles,” says Lana.

Lans warns of deviating too far from the overall vision of your home, however. “We love a funky laundry, but this is not to say you should create a disco zone. The space still needs to connect to the overall style of the home you’re creating.”

2. Natural light and ventilation is key

One thing you’ll notice about this stunning laundry is the large amount of natural light that pours in from the floor-to-ceiling glass door and the circular window above the sink.

“Natural light is so important in the laundry for a handful of reasons. Being able to open a window ensures better ventilation, which is necessary when you’re using stain removers and chemicals,” says Lana.

“Not only that, but bright natural light genuinely helps you spot stains on your clothes, and it just makes you feel good!” she adds.

3. Include ample storage

The single easiest way to keep your laundry looking neat and sleek is by using cupboards. “In this laundry, we embraced floor-to-ceiling louvred cupboards with curved handles to match the round windows and the overall theme of the home.”

As Lana explains, the more hidden space you have available, the better your laundry will look. “The inside of the cupboard can be a disaster zone with overflowing hampers, but when the door is closed you’d never even know.”

A second way to maximise space, Lana explains, is by choosing front-loader appliances. “You can run the bench right across the top of the machines, which allows you far more bench space than if you opted for a top-loader.”

4. Set aside a style corner

Yes, your laundry is primarily a functional zone, but that doesn’t mean you can’t still have fun in the styling process.

Set out a corner of the room that bears almost no other purpose than to just look good. In the Mediterranean farmhouse laundry, the Birds created a vignette on the wall of the entrance with a bunch of rounded gold hooks, a brown leather seat, and a rattan basket – all of which are still in line with the overall vision of the home.

Sourced: www.realestate.com.au & Three Birds Renovations