Laundry

This stylish laundry will make you want to do the washing

With its herringbone oak benchtop, white hexagon tiles and bagged-brick splashback, this laundry is anything but ordinary. Take a look below

Meet + greet

Philly Lyus, 37 (interior designer at Philly Lyus Design and DMI Homestagers), Nick Lyus, 38 (real estate agent), Harry, 10, George, 7, and Sofia, 5, plus Vader the pooch.


Why have you installed a new laundry? Philly: When we bought our house, we always planned to move the laundry to a different location and turn the space into a large study.

What was your brief for the new space? Clean, white and spacious with loads of storage and a large bench for folding laundry. With three kids and a busy household I wanted a space I would love to be in as I do spend a lot of time doing laundry!

Were any consents required? Yes, we had to get consent as the laundry was part of a larger house renovation.

How long did it take to build? Three months.

Where did you look for design inspiration? Pinterest but, being a designer, I always have ideas in my head, too.

How did you decide on the colour palette, tiles and finishes? I love white, oak and texture so it was an easy palette to pull together.

What flooring did you choose? I went with a large hexagon tile from Artedomus as it matches our kids’ bathroom. It creates interest and texture and is easy-care when the kids come through the back door with wet feet from the pool.

What material is your benchtop? It’s a handmade herringbone oak top, chosen for the warmth it brings to a white room. It adds interest and suits the style I went for with the bagged-brick splashback.

Any shout-outs? I have a great team of tradesmen I love to work with. My plumber (Glen of Urban Plumbing) and tiler (Tom of Tat Tiling) have been amazing over the years. And Will Watson at Alarm & Electrical went above and beyond with all the tricky lighting and electrical work we had.

Honesty box

What do you love most about your new laundry? I love my long bench with the sink to one side to create optimal bench space. I also love the louvre windows at one end as it creates great air flow for drying things on the rail I had installed above the bench. I also have a back door off the laundry close to where the clothesline is, so it’s all very easy.

Anything you’d have done differently? The only thing I wanted but couldn’t achieve was an undermounted sink as there was a risk that the oak top would swell and crack if water got into it.

Budget

Did you use existing plumbing to help minimise budget blow-outs? The laundry is in the new extension on one side of the house, but it backs onto the old laundry, so the plumbing was very simple.

Where have you saved? Being a designer, I get to know all the best places to find the things I want for the best price on the market.

Splurges? Underfloor heating, the brushed-nickel heated towel rail and the heater inside our laundry cupboard to keep everything warm and dry.

What were your best buys? The washing machine and dryer were secondhand but like new. We only paid $550 for both; a client was selling them and had only used them a couple of times, so it was great luck. Also our oak benchtop – it cost $1800 plus GST which was a bargain for a large benchtop.

Total spend

$40,000 (includes building work as laundry is in new extension)

 

 


Fact file

Walls and cabinetry in Resene ‘Quarter White Pointer’.

Tiles from Artedomus.

Appliances by Bosch.

Tap with pull-out spray from The Kitchen Hub.

Heated towel rail from Mico Bathrooms.

Cabinetry and benchtop designed by Philly, made by Point Construction.

Joinery by Total Timba. Building work by Point Construction.


Words by: Annick Larkin. Photography by: Emma MacDonald.

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