Niki’s harmonious laundry room

From a dreary, cluttered space kept behind closed doors to a fresh and practical oasis with aesthetic appeal. Check out and get inspired by how interior design blogger Niki Brantmark planned and styled her laundry room to optimal effect with Elfa!

By Charlotta Flinkenberg Photo Niki Brantmark

This is where we live

In addition to Niki (45), the Brantmark family comprises her husband Per, daughters Allie (12) and Liv (14) and Per’s son Albin (21). Their house by the sea in Malmö has a living area of 150 sq.m. Follow Niki at: @myscandinavianhome www.myscandinavianhome.com

I preferred to close the door to the laundry room to keep it out of sight

The laundry room was not a priority

If you have a large house in need of renovation, it is often the case that the dining room, bedrooms, kitchen, bathroom and other social spaces are given priority over areas like the laundry room. That’s how it was for the Brantmark family. – It was easier to just shut the door and ignore the problem instead of getting on with the makeover, Niki confesses. The blue tile floor felt outmoded, the room was cramped, had no window and was an impractical space with a drying rack that my husband always managed to bash his head on. And cluttered with clothes and an ironing board with a torn and worn cover…

Transformation of the laundry room

Create a more monochromatic scheme in the laundry room

Niki says that she was extremely inspired by some friends who had painted over the tiles in their bathroom. It looked amazing and was a great low-budget way to inject new life into the bathroom. Retiling is rather expensive and entails quite a lot of work too.

They used two different types of special paint on both the floor and walls, and Niki enthusiastically tells us how positively surprised she was by the results.

– The walls needed several coats of the white paint. We chose pale grey for the floor. It was important to create a more monochromatic scheme in the laundry room with neutral colours that work in harmony with the rest of the house.

The worktop was re-finished with white wood oil

The oak worktop was first scuff sanded and then a white wood oil was applied to the surface. The wood’s original brown colouring comes through and adds a warm tone. The remaining wall surfaces were then painted white before the Elfa fittings were installed.

Smart on door storage

Did you know precisely where you wanted the storage fixtures? – No, not exactly. I knew that I wanted door-hung storage, which I’d seen ages ago when I first discovered Elfa. But everything else was suggested to me when I visited Elfa’s fantastic showroom in Hansa, Malmö.

See On door storage

Flexible storage in small spaces

– Flexible and wall-mounted storage solutions are the answer to making the most of such a small space. Elfa’s system offers optimal versatility as you can simply add whatever accessories, shelves, baskets and hooks you need. And if you want to change and rearrange the storage set-up later on, that’s straightforward too.

Go to planning tool

Space-saving drying racks

What are you particularly pleased about? – Oh, there’s so much – I was blown away by the new look! I was especially pleased, however, with Elfa’s drying racks that we can fold away to free up space when they’re not being used. We can also adjust the height or take them down completely if we want. Like I said, I’m also overjoyed by the wall-mounted storage! Having a free work surface next to the sink and being able to put washing powder, rags and other items in baskets on the door is just great. Who would have thought that a laundry room could bring such happiness?

See drying racks

The ironing board is close and handy

Since Niki’s husband Per gets the ironing board out every day to iron his shirts, it now hooks onto an Elfa storage rail where it is easily accessible. And it has, at last, been given a fresh cover.

See storage track

The shelves make perfect extra storage space. If a room is small, you have to make good use of its height.

What tips would you give to anyone looking to renovate their laundry room?

– Seriously consider wall-mounted storage! And remember to use all the space on the back of the door. Discuss your needs with Elfa’s planning experts. They have loads of smart ideas and can suggest solutions using Elfa’s products that you might not have thought of yourself. And don’t underestimate the finishing touches, like a sprig of lavender in a vase! Beautiful, decorative, fragrant and adds a fresh feel to the room.

Wire storage baskets have been hung at the required height on the back of the laundry room door.

Niki moved to Sweden from London in 2004 and says she’s becoming more and more Swedish and is fond of the saying “everything has its place”, which is pretty much Elfa’s motto when it comes to efficient storage.

– The next time I invite people over for the first time and show them around our home, I’ll definitely open the laundry room door and let them take a look! I’m so proud of it now.

Niki’s top tips for the laundry room:

Use wall-hung storage solutions
Make use of the door
Fold-away drying racks free up space
Use the storage track to keep the ironing board handy
Consider painting tiles rather than retiling

“A practical utility room, at last!”

See how Jennie has transformed her cellar into a highly functional utility room.

See the transformation

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