Small space design solution: A laundry under the stairs!

Part of a wider Sydney family home renovation, that involved both layout and material changes, this clever laundry relocation piqued our interest recently because it’s not something we’ve seen before. Keen to gain more space for a combined home office/rumpus room, the home’s original laundry was relocated to a small spot, concealed behind stylish doors, under the stairs. Genius!

“The first stage of a project is nearly always space planning, but in the case of the under-stair laundry, my clients had already worked it out. It may have seemed like crazy thinking at the start, but it turned out to be a masterstroke!” says interior designer Joanne Yeomans of Issy and H Creative who presided over the renovation.

Originally housing some impractical toy storage, the laundry relocation has resulted in a far more sensible use of space. And while the area under the stairs is smaller than the old laundry, clever joinery means the family still has everything it needs. “It’s neat and compact, with a stacked washer/dryer, overhead storage, sink and pull-out laundry drawer. What more do you really need?” says Joanne who also included more storage under the foot of the stairs to house towels and linen.

And the best part about the design is that you can close the laundry off completely when it’s not in use, and you wouldn’t even know it was there. “The doors were designed to look as if they were part of the wall,” says Joanne.

But while the family had fairly solid layout ideas, Joanne’s expertise was sought when it came to the material selections. “They wanted to go with a real Hamptons feel but weren’t confident they could do it themselves,” says Joanne. The original harsh black and white palette didn’t sit well with the family who wanted a much lighter feel for their home that is located on Sydney’s Northern Beaches.

“They always wanted splashes of blue and I suggested the limed oak floor. The overall result is that the home feels a lot lighter and airier.”

Builder: Jetcharm Constructions | Joinery: Elevation Joinery
Photography: Tealily

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