Category Archives: Appliance Design

Small Laundry Room Design Ideas

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This guest blog was written by Lindus Construction. Lindus Construction is proud to have served over 75,000 happy customers in Western Wisconsin and the Twin Cities since the company’s founding in 1979.  One Call. One Contractor.

While the laundry room isn’t the most glamorous space in the house, it needs to be functional. So if you are short on square footage, maximize space with these laundry room storage solutions.

Wall Storage Works

For laundry rooms restricted by space, look to the walls as a source of storage. This can include wire racks for housing detergent and small hooks for light items that need to air dry. Hanging a drying rack from the ceiling provides a spot for delicate items that shouldn’t be tossed in the dryer. If there’s enough space, repurpose a bookshelf for additional storage. Installing open shelving on the wall utilizes vertical storage space. Peg boards can also be helpful for expanding storage areas.

Consider Curtains

If your washer and dryer are housed in your bathroom, use a curtain to conceal the space from guests. Curtains in vibrant patterns or bold colors can also add interest to the room. While curtains won’t mask the machines’ sounds, the appliances will be less visible than they would otherwise be.

Install Pedestal Drawers

Many washer and dryer models have accompanying pedestal drawers that are designed to fit directly underneath the appliance. Not only does this raise the appliances’ height for user comfort, but it provides an ideal spot for detergent, fabric softener and dryer sheets.

Don’t Forget the Door

One often neglected area in a laundry room is the back side of the door. Attaching a closet organizer to it allows for storage that would not otherwise be available. Or use hooks to affix your ironing board to the back of the door. Shallow shelves can also be mounted on the wall behind the laundry room door to allow for additional organizational space.

Stack Your Washer and Dryer

Compact Beko Washer and Dryer in Small Laundry Room
Beko washer and dryer

When square footage is minimal, a stackable washer and dryer can be the perfect solution because they take up vertical space. Another perk of this configuration is that there’s less bending over to retrieve laundry. Beko machines stacked with their universal stacking kit reduce laundry machine footprint to a 2-by-2 square foot area.

Counter Conquers All

Installing a countertop that rests above the washer and dryer creates the perfect spot to fold and sort laundry. Quartz countertops are ideal because they are easy to clean, resist scratching and do not need to be resealed. If quartz isn’t in your budget, butcher block countertops work well because they are resistant to heat, lauded for their durability and come in an array of eye-catching patterns.

What space-saving laundry room tips do you have? Share them in the comments!

Kitchen Appliance Finish Trends to Consider

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When remodeling the heart of the home, consumers spend much of their time choosing cabinetry, flooring, and backsplash options. But the appliance finish can also make or break the look of the kitchen. From statement colors or matte finishes to black stainless steel, finish options continue to expand, allowing homeowners to outfit their kitchen in appliances that perfectly complement their overall aesthetic and needs. If you need help choosing an appliance finish, consider the following trends our sales team is seeing.

Stainless Steel

Stainless steel remains a top seller for nearly all brands. And it’s no surprise why; the shiny finish blends with almost any style. In addition, stainless steel mimics commercial kitchens, offering a clean, crisp and professional look.

Image credit: Frigidaire

Black Stainless Steel

Black is the new stainless. At least it seems that way. More and more consumers opt for black stainless steel. Andy Lindus, COO of Lindus Construction, says that while an overwhelming amount of homeowners remodeling their kitchen still request stainless steel, early adopters are starting to gravitate toward black stainless steel because of its modern look and its ability to conceal fingerprints. No matter the reason, black is back.

kitchen with GE black stainless steel appliances

Image via GE

Matte Finishes

While stainless and black stainless are here to stay, some customers are asking
for a less-than-shiny finish. In come matte options, such as
GE Slate, GE Black Slate, and matte black stainless steel selections from LG, KitchenAid and Whirlpool.

Fresh Finishes

While those are some of the current tried and true, some new finishes to the market are sure to make a splash. Whirlpool’s Sunset Bronze is a smooth, satin finish with (gasp!) rose gold undertones. With rose gold’s recent explosion, including to iPhone and hair dye, this color is anticipated to be popular.

Whirlpool Sunset Bronze Appliances in Kitchen

Image via Whirlpool

Stuck on matte? The new GE Café Series comes in matte black or matte white. In addition, buyers get to choose from four hardware options (brushed copper, brushed bronze, brushed black and brushed stainless) to make the appliances truly their own.

Image via GE Café

Image via
GE Café

If you tend to be more of a trendsetter than a fashion follower, don’t be afraid to break from the mold and try unique color options, offered by True Residential, American Range, Smeg and Elmira Stoveworks, among others. After all, you will be the one looking at the color during breakfast, second breakfast and midnight snacks!

What’s your favorite appliance finish option? Let us know in the comments section below.

Featured image via True Residential

Dryers Become the Next Energy Star

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energystarsappliancesThe Environmental  Protection Agency announced this spring the first-ever Energy Star dryer label.

I know what you’re thinking:

“Wait, you mean there wasn’t an Energy Star label for dryers before?”

I know, right? However, the popular thinking was that dryers couldn’t vary much among each other in energy use therefore, there was no reason to call them out.

But about three years ago, the EPA began to take steps to expand the program and reported on ways that clothes dryer efficiency could be improved.

Energy Star Dryers

The new label will recognize highly efficient gas and electric dryers that use about 20% less energy than required by 2015 federal standards.

Over 80% of U.S. homes have a clothes dryer, and these appliances account for approximately 6 percent of residential electricity consumption.

So far, one brand has already jumped on the new category. Whirlpool announced an Energy Star rated Duet steam dryer.

Whirlpool brand Duet® model WED87HED steam dryer

Whirlpool brand Duet® model WED87HED steam dryer

Many of today’s dryers already use temperature or moisture sensors to shut off the dryer once clothes are dry and cease using energy past its usefulness. Dryer models that meet the new Energy Star requirements are likely to improve upon these “auto termination cycles.”

From Energy Star:

Among the more efficient gas and electric dryers that will earn the Energy Star, consumers should expect to encounter a promising new technology. Heat pump dryers recapture the hot air used by the dryer and pump it back into the drum to dry more clothes. By re-using most of the heat, it creates a heat pump dryer that is more efficient and avoids the need for ducts leading heat out of the laundry room.

50 Shades of Gray Laundry Pairs

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The appliance world has been rocked by gray recently, especially in the laundry room.

But it’s never “gray.”

These washers and dryers – whether front-load or top-load – are called pretty much every other name but looking just as sweet and trendy.

Here are the 8 iterations I could find.

Electrolux-laundry-pair

Sia, eat your heart out. I am (Electrolux) Titanium.

stainless steel asko washer

Asko gray-colored washer, also monikered Titanium.

Maytag changed the name of this finish to Graphite after initial testing showed low response to "Pencil Lead."

Perhaps Maytag changed the name of this finish to Graphite after initial testing showed low response to “Pencil Lead.”

stainless steel washing machine

LG’s lead pencil + metal, aka Graphite Steel.

samsung dark colored washer and dryer

Samsung’s Onyx, which also features WiFi controls through a smartphone app.

maytag maxima colored laundry

Perhaps to match the countertops in your kitchen comes Maytag’s Granite. Nevermind that true Granite comes in a huge variety of colors.

electrolux-stainless-steel

Let’s just call a spade a spade with Electrolux Stainless Steel.

Front Load Washer Taking Longer Than It Says

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catwasher

But the washer said it would be done by meow! What’s taking so long…

Front load washers can estimate the amount of time it will take to finish the cycle, which comes in handy when deciding whether you should wait around to throw the clean clothes in the dryer or run an errand.

But what about when the washer shows the wrong time estimate? Maybe sometimes when your washing machine says it will take 40 minutes, it takes 50 minutes instead.

What Causes Washer Cycle To Take Longer?

Your clothes washer time to complete a cycle is based on the type of laundry detergent you use, the size and type of your load, which cycle you chose and temperature and pressure of your water.

So, for instance, if you use too much detergent, it will oversuds and take longer to rinse out of your clothes. (Some brands will flash “Sd” or “Sud” on the indicator when this happens. To avoid, use the recommended amount of HE detergent).

If the load is unbalanced, say, due to you only washing one item or particularly a bulky item, your washer will keep trying to rebalance itself, and that will add minutes to the process.

No brainer: larger loads will take longer to clean, especially on specialty cycles like delicate.

If you choose a sanitize or white cycle, the water will need to be hot and if the incoming water is cold – well, you get the idea.