Cleaning Up in the Laundry Room

ARTICLE BY ANITA SHAW

Downstairs, lurking somewhere in a dark corner of an unfinished basement, is a cramped area housing the washer and dryer. It’s an image most people can relate to as, at one time or another, we have stood in a “laundry room” like this.

Well, that image can be banished from memory, as today’s laundry rooms are not only bright and airy, they are places where people actually enjoy spending time. They are incorporating many amenities from other areas of the home and acting as gathering spaces for a variety of activities. And, the desire for these spaces to incorporate high-end design and functionality is definitely on the rise.

“I consider laundry spaces to be almost on the level with kitchens and baths,” states Tina Kuhlmann, principal designer, Primrose Design Interiors in San Diego, CA. “People are in and out of there all of the time. It’s a really integral part of the kitchen and the family.”

While storage is a necessity in the laundry room, Lee Taylor, showroom manager for Taralla Kitchen and Bath in the Bronx, NY, notes, “the look of the cabinets and countertops are sometimes more important. These rooms have become an extension of the kitchens and living spaces.”

Photo: Kelly Keul Duer and Virginia Vipperman | Designer: Cameo Kitchens

Laundry necessities

The approach to designing today’s laundry rooms is much the same as with other rooms, according to designers. It’s critical to understand how clients not only wash and dry their clothes, but also use the surrounding space.

Families tend to do laundry in different ways, so it is important to know their habits, stresses Mike Macklin, designer, Cameo Kitchens in Falls Church, VA. “If the family brings their laundry down in baskets and promptly takes the basket back to their rooms, open shelving is a practical way to go. But, if the laundry tends to pile up, storage behind doors may be a better idea.”

“I put a lot of things behind doors because I know people are messy,” stresses Kuhlmann. “Very few of us live like the catalogs look.”

Of course, a surface to act as a folding area is critical, and one size does not fit all. “When I’m dealing with empty nesters, they often ask for a place to fold that is nice and at back level, so there isn’t a lot of bending over,” comments Kuhlmann.

“Many of our customers opt to use washers and dryers that fit under the counter,” notes Macklin. “This provides a counter space more than long enough to fold and organize clean laundry.”

An oversized sink is an important element, according to several designers. “I always include a laundry sink with a pull-down faucet,” states Kuhlmann. “The pull-down faucet is really nice because you can get in there and spray those stains out or pretreat.”

It can also be used to wash delicates and, once those delicates are washed, areas for hanging become very important.

“Sometimes I’ll do a tall hanging cabinet for delicates because people don’t always want to dry them in a dryer, and they don’t really want to look at them, either,” reports Kuhlmann. She has created cabinets to hang delicates that function like a closet. She includes open-weave bronze or copper on the door, sometimes backed by fabric, to allow for air circulation for drying.

“Drying racks and drip areas are a big deal,” adds Lynley Serratt, CKD, CBD, Allied ASID, director of sales and marketing, Palmer Todd in San Antonio, TX. She reports that her firm has done pull-out drying racks in the space between the top of the front-load washer and dryer and the cabinet above.

Photo: John Lennon Photography | Designer: Tina KuhlmanAnd, while ironing may be akin to drudgery, ironing boards are important to the room’s design. However, tucked away and out of sight is the preference for this household item. Kuhlmann likes to put the ironing board behind a finished door panel so that it looks like it’s part of the cabinetry.

Laundry plus

In addition to the items people expect to find in the laundry room, there are several surprise amenities that are finding their way into the design. Charging stations for the family’s multitude of electronic devices have found a home here, as have beverage refrigerators and flat-screen televisions.

Of course, innovative storage is a must, especially in rooms that serve multiple purposes.

“Organized space for coats, hats, backpacks and sports equipment is essential [when this area is combined with a mud room], and bench seating can be an effective means of hiding these necessities,” reports Macklin.

“These rooms are used by all members of the house on a daily basis for staying organized, and for keeping the clutter out of the rest of the house,” she reports.

“I tend to like drawers in the laundry room that aren’t as deep – maybe three or four of them. That way, you don’t lose things in the bottom,” remarks Kuhlmann. If a larger drawer works better for the space aesthetically, she will often add a hidden drawer within the larger one that can roll fully to the back of the drawer.

Lighting – both natural and installed – is key to the space for both function and spirit. Since time will be spent in a laundry room that serves multiple purposes, windows that bring in daylight are essential to the overall design. And, according to Kuhlmann, good undercabinet lighting is important, especially for matching dark socks!

People also like to personalize the space with add-on features. “You can explore your personality a bit more in this room because, typically, it’s just one family member running the show, unlike a kitchen or bath where you have to compromise,” explains Jenny Rausch, CKD, president, Karr Bick Kitchen and Bath in Brentwood, MO.

Photo: Denash Photography | Designer: Jenny Rausch

She has created laundry rooms with glass tile, marble tops and crystal chandeliers. “If you love an expensive backsplash tile, the good news is that, in a laundry room, you probably won’t need that much of it,” she stresses.

Kuhlmann agrees. “A tile backsplash is a significant amount more money, but you can have a lot of fun with it. It gives the difference between looking at a dry wall surface and that punch of design.”

Kuhlmann also likes putting solid surface countertops in the laundry room when she can. “Nobody wants to be scrubbing tile grout,” she comments.

Rausch stresses that the laundry room can be just as profitable as a kitchen because the same materials are used in both spaces. “Lighting, cabinets and tile carry high margins, and all can be done to the max in these dream laundries,” she comments.

“It’s important to pay attention to all of the details,” continues Rausch. “It’s not just a laundry room – it can be a sanctuary.”

While the idea of laundry room as sanctuary may not have caught on as of yet, the laundry room as mud room, gift wrapping center or craft space certainly has.

Wrapping areas are very popular in the laundry room, according to Kuhlmann, and she will incorporate storage for rolls of ribbon and wrap, scissors, tape and the like.

Kuhlmann has done laundry room dog washes, too. “I’ll install a shower pan and a handshower low on the wall for when your pet comes into the mud room and has muddy feet,” she explains.

“We expect more requests for laundry room renovation in the future, as customers seek to maximize every inch of their home,” concurs Macklin. “The laundry room will be more of a home center and an important component of the home’s design.”

“Call it what you will, the laundry room has become this wonderful multi-use space that’s not just about laundry anymore. It’s almost like a secondary multi-purpose room adjacent to the kitchen, and if we educate our clients in that general direction, they’re going to want it that much more,” states Kuhlmann.

(You are reading an article originally posted on ForResidentialPros.com)

Cabinets Fly at Kitchen Kompact

Producing thousands of cabinets is all in a day's work for the Indiana-based firm.

Four thousand cabinets assembled daily. That's the current production rate at Kitchen Kompact, one of the largest cabinet assembly plants in the United States. 

Based in Jeffersonville, IN, Kitchen Kompact provides low-cost, value cabinetry for distribution throughout North America. But what sets the family-owned Kitchen Kompact apart from other cabinet companies is its business model: Not only is the company a pure assembler, but it also buys material and builds to inventory versus the more common practice of just-in-time production.

According to John Gahm, vice president of manufacturing, this enables Kitchen Kompact to meet the needs of the marketplace while providing fast lead times to stock distributors [like American Cabinet & Flooring]. "We buy to inventory, work-in-process to inventory and produce finished goods for inventory," Gahm says.

It's no small inventory. Kitchen Kompact currently stocks approximately 40,000 finished cabinets, with a capacity for 100,000. "This has allowed us to adjust quickly to market fluctuations," he adds. 

The business model has proven highly successful for Kitchen Kompact, while enabling it to keep an estimated 200 employees busy producing cabinetry for sale to single- and multi-family residences. 

"The company was founded on keeping things simple -- and simplistic," Gahm says.

Simplistic refers to Kitchen Kompact's niche as a pure assembler. Components are purchased already cut to size, leaving the company to focus its strengths on finishing and assembly. And as a side benefit, the company has essentially eliminated the cost and production justifications needed for large amounts of manufacturing equipment, particularly during slowdown periods. 

Recognizing that it "cannot be all things to all people," Kitchen Kompact keeps things simple by offering a compact line of cabinetry. The five standard styles of face-frame cabinetry are: Glenwood Beech, featuring recessed panel doors; Bretwood, with maple flat panel doors in a warm tone; Mellowood, featuring natural maple flat panel doors; Richwood Lite, with oak raised-panel doors and a subtle woodgrain pattern; and Chadwood, the company's oldest and best-selling line featuring oak flat panel doors. The select style and colors, the company says, "represent the volume segment, or approximately 75% of the market."

Glenwood Beech

Bretwood

Mellowood

Richwood LiteChadwood 

Production Detail

It was 1955 that Dwight Gahm purchased a small custom cabinet company and changed its course forever. His philosophy then, as now, drives the company's success: "We will offer a quality product at a reasonable price and, most importantly, deliver these goods in the most dependable lead time in the industry."

It starts at the 750,000-square-foot plant where processing of the wood components - doors, drawers, upper and lower cases - is done in departments located throughout the plant. 

"We just do sanding, finishing, drilling and then assemble with hotmelt and staples. We keep our costs down as loo as possible - that's what keeps us competitive," John Gahm says.

Thousands of cabinet components fly through the shop on miles of overhead and automated floor conveyors to the appropriate areas. The movement throughout the plant is continuous due to the large volume of products being readied daily for inventory, plus the high production of cabinets constructed by Kitchen Kompact each day. 

A combination of solid wood and CARB compliant composite cores are used for the cabinetry construction. The company says hanging rails, corner blocks, toe kicks, face frames and drawer fronts are made from solid wood. The frames are ¾-inch solid oak, maple or beech, and the end panels are a three-ply construction, with a ½-inch thick core and hardwood veneer. Plywood drawers are standard. 

The components are assembled using a combination of mortise-and-tenon joinery, adhesives and stapling. All wood parts are stained, sealed and topcoated in-house in a four-step finishing process. 

Among the equipment used in the plant are Graco and DeVilbiss  HVLP and air-assisted airless sprayers, Carlson Systems assembly machines, as well as custom machinery. The company also utilizes sanders from Timesavers and Northtech Machinery.

Recently installed, the Northtech industrial widebelt sanders are arranged in a line as a two-head calibrator plus three-head finishing sander, with a tie-in conveyor, for face-frame processing. In other areas, Timesavers sanders, including the 3300 Series variable feed-speed widebelt with electronic belt tracking and double infeed and outfeed hold-down rolls, also are used in tandem.

Quality control is a plant-wide endeavor and finished cabinetry is ANSI/KCMA A161.1 certified. 

Sustainable Initiatives

In addition, since 2007 Kitchen Kompact's products have been certified sustainable under the Kitchen Cabinet Manufacturers Association's Environmental Stewardship Program (ESP). Gahm adds that ESP's holistic approach to sustainable manufacturing ties in with the company's environmental initiatives.

Kitchen Kompact continually looks for ways to improve processes and reduce waste in the operation. Among its efforts are the collection of woodwaste for an alternative fuel source, the installation of a cardboard compactor and increased recycling of other materials.

A CARB-compliant product, Kitchen Kompact's cabinetry also can contribute to toward LEED credits through points earned under: MR 2 Construction Waste Management, MR 3 Materials Reuse, MR 4 Recycled Content and MR 5 Regional Materials.

Its sustainability also provides the cabinet company with a marketing edge. Kitchen Kompact promotes its certification and other initiatives on its website, KitchenKompact.com, in literature and in conversations with customers. 

(You are reading an article origianlly published in Wood Products magazine May 2013)

Raw Materials Revealed: Drywall Basics

Learn about the different sizes and types of this construction material for walls, plus which kinds work best for which rooms.

Photo: Pine Grove Homes Ready for Drywall via Wiki Commons

Drywall vs. Plaster

Drywall is a master of disguise. The walls in this picture look like they could be plaster. One of the visual giveaways that you're actually looking at dry wall is when you see the sharp corners created by standard corner bead.

Corner bead is a metal or plastic piece that covers the outside corners of drywall to protect them from damage. Then joint compound is spread over the bead and sanded smooth.

In many traditional plaster applications, a rounded piece of wood trim was placed at the corners and then plastered over, creating a round corner. To mimic this look with drywall, look for a bullnose corner bead.

Unlike with traditional plaster applications, for which the entire surface was troweled on by hand, only the seams and fasteners are covered with joint compound when you're finishing drywall.

The finishing happens in several steps. First paper tape is embedded in joint compound, or "mud". Then two more coats of mud go on before sanding.

If you are looking for a plaster-like finish, you should install blue bead - a drywall product made for this purpose - then skim coat the entire surface instead of just the seams. This is much faster than with traditional plaster. 

Drywall Sizes

Most drywall of Sheetrock you see is either ½ inch or ⅝ inch thick. What size to use depends on a variety of factors, including durability, location and fire safety.

The width of drywall sheets is either 48 or 54 inches. The reason for the two width sizes is that when installed horizontally, two sheets will equal either 8 or 9 feet - common ceiling heights in residential construction.

The sheet lengths vary from 8 to 16 feet. For the do-it-yourselfer, a 4- by 8-foot sheet will be difficult enough to maneuver. And don't forget that you'll need to cut holes for every outlet and light fixture box and get those all to line up, too. 

Professionals generally use the longer sheets, like the one shown in this picture, because it reduces the time spent on taping joints. 

The advantage of ⅝-inch-thick drywall is that it does not bend or sag as much as ½-inch drywall, which can show imperfections in the framing.

But what if you want the drywall to bend? Use ¼-inch or ⅜-inch drywall. You may also need to make slits in the material to allow it to take the curve.

Quiet Rock Soundproof Drywall & Other Drywall Types

Other than regular gray drywall, you'll also see green and purple. Both of these are good for areas that will see a lot of moisture, like a bathroom. The purple is a step up in moisture protection from the green. Even with this added security, I don't recommend installing these in a shower or tube surround - you'll want to tile on cement board for bathroom walls outside the shower. And install a good bath fan with a timer switch so that you're not testing the capability of the drywall.

Other types of drywall you'll see are type X for added fire protection and QuietRock, which is two pieces of gypsum laminated together with a special glue that allows the assembly to absorb sound and make your living space quieter. The drywall is installed with the same special glue at the seams, and a putty-like material is placed around outlet boxes. If installed properly, it is quite effective - but that doesn't come cheap.

If you're looking for a lighter sheet of rock, try USG's new lightweight drywall. Better yet, DIYers should rent a drywall left for ceilings. It's worth the added expense. 

We've only scratched the surfaces of what can be done with drywall. Although drywall is easier to install than plaster, it takes time to master the skill. Look for opportunities to practice, like in a garage, before you try your skills on the living room.

Have fun, wear a mask when you sand and rock on!

Raw Materials Revealed: Drywall Basics

(You are reading an article originally posted on Houzz) 

Love Your Living Room | Make a Design Plan

Create a living room you and your guests will really enjoy spending time in by first setting up the right layout!

Photo: American Cabinet & Flooring, Inc. | Designer Clay BernardMake a List

To get an idea of what you already have, make a list of everything in your living room: furntiure, rugs, lights, curtains - even accessories. What pieces do you love? What peices should be tossed? Do you have any other pieces that you'd like to integrate into your living room? Maybe you have an inherited table or chair that would  look perfect in your living room after you redo the layout. This also could be the right time to replace a few worn-out pieces or order new window coverings.

Decide What Your Living Room Can Do For You

How do you need to live in this room? Is the space for watching television only? Does it flow directly into your kitchen or dining room? Maybe you have small children and pets. Prioritize your needs so that the space can function effectively - you may not be able to get everything you want in one space. 

Have a Focal Point

Identify your room's best focal point. Our natural inclination is to visually focus on one object or area when we enter a room. If your living room doesn't have a focus, a striking piece of art or built-in shelving may give you an anchor point to build your furniture around.

Maximize Your Seating

Try to design your living room to comfortably cater to six to eight people. Day to day you will have only immediate family to worry about, but don't forget that your visitor's comfort is equally important. 

Occasional seating like a stool or ottoman takes up less space than a sofa or chair and will work hard for you. If you have more dining chairs than you use every day and the color scheme works, put one in a corner of your living room - this can be a nice way to link the decor in both rooms. 

Lay Out the Living Room

Your list of furniture and accessories is made; how will everything fit?

An interior decorator or designer can work with you to get the look you're after, and even come up with ideas you didn't know you'd love. If you're going the DIY route, start with a simple sketch of the room on paper. Measure the length and width of the room, including any windows or doors. Plain paper and a ruler are all you will need to draw up the room - 1 centimeter on the paper equals 1 foot (or 1 meter) of real space. 

Then measure, draw and cut out paper to match all the pieces of furniture you want in the room, new and existing, including rugs. Don't stress about trying to make them look professional; the basic shape is enough to get an idea. Make sure you use the same formula used for the room measurements. 

Once you are happy with how it all looks on paper, you can start moving furniture around. Use masking tape to make an outline of any pieces you like but haven't yet bought. This will help with scale and help you avoid any unwanted purchases.

If possible, arrange the furniture so it sits off the walls. This allows for airflow around the perimeter and actually makes the living room appear larger.

Love Your Living Room: Make a Design Plan

(You are reading an article originally posted on Houzz)

Adding Storage Solutions to Kitchen Backsplashes

A beautiful backsplash can be a stunning focal point in a kitchen - but did you know this prime piece of kitchen real estate can work harder for you if you add a bit of dimension? We're not just talking textured tiles, laminates or other decorative surfacing materials... think storage rail systems, open and recessed shelving and ledges. Here are a few examples:

Although certainly not new to kitchen design, rail systems, such as the ones below, provide flexible storage options for commonly used cooking utensils, dish towels and even plants. 

Photo: 2012 Küchenmeile in Germany via Formica®

Open shelving can easily be mounted to a variety of backsplash materials, as seen below...

Photo: Formica® Laminate 180fx® in Calacatta Marble

Photo: Formica® Laminate 180fx® in Travertine Gold

... or integrated into the backsplash design.

Photo: 2013 imm cologne's LivingKitchen® via Formica®

Recessed shelving provides niche storage for commonly used cooking supplies. According to Ellen Cheever, CMKBD, ASID, CAPS, in her recent article "Ideas for Smashing Splashes & Counter Designs" for Kitchen and Bath Design News, kitchen planning standards allow any surface 16" or deeper to be considered a functional work area, so keep these measurements in mind as you develop plans.

Photo: via Formica® 

Ledges also provide convenient resting places for spices, sauces and timers. As you can see, these are perfect for traditional kitchens...

Photo: via Formica

... as well as more contemporart ones.

Photo: via Formica®

(You are reading an article originally posted on Formica® Share the Love Blog)