Five Hot New Laundry Trends You Need to Know

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Like all interior trends, laundry design evolves at a rapid rate. No longer a place homeowners expect to keep hidden away, the focus is now on stylish good looks and efficient appliances. We spoke with the team at Winning Appliances, Australia’s leading laundry and design specialists, to discover the latest trends you need to know about in order to deliver design-forward and practical laundries for your clients.

Winning Appliances

V-Zug laundry appliances at Winning Appliances

1. Energy efficiency
Today’s laundry appliances are smarter and more efficient to run than ever, which means there’s no better time for clients to upgrade their old, inefficient models. The latest high-tech washers and dryers offer superior performance while consuming minimal water and energy so clothing is better cared for and running costs are slashed.

To help you compare energy efficiencies, washing machines and dryers come labelled with an Energy Rating Label that indicates how energy- and water-efficient the model is. The rating ranges from one to six stars – more stars equates to better energy efficiency. Impressive models to look out for include Asko’s W4104C.W 10kg front load washing machine, which has a five-star energy and water rating.

Dryers, once considered the biggest power guzzler in the home, have advanced beyond recognition. Heat-pump dryers, which dry clothes with recycled air and are gentle enough to care for your ultra delicates, are classed as ‘super energy-efficient’, with a rating that goes up to 10 stars. One notable model is AEG’s 8kg 800 Series Heat Pump dryer, which boasts an impressive seven stars for energy efficiency.

While your clients should expect to pay a little more upfront for an energy-efficient washer and dryer, they can enjoy bill savings for years to come.

Winning Appliances

AEG laundry appliances at Winning Appliances

2. Smart, intuitive features
Forget agonising over which programme is best for your wash load or trying to dispense the right amount of detergent – the latest machines do all the hard work for you.

Take your pick from models that ‘read’ the size of the load and choose the optimal programme length and water level (such as Asko Pro machines), those that automatically dispense detergent, styles that target specific types of stains, such as red wine, coffee and grass, and wifi-enabled machines that you can switch on or track from your smart phone.

They’re smarter in other ways too; AEG’s 10kg 8000 Series washer front load washing machine has a gentle Steam Refresh function so you can refresh items fast without a full wash, while Asko’s dryers boast professional-style ‘butterfly drying’ that minimises creasing and reduces ironing time.

Winning Appliances

Asko drying cabinet DC7774 at Winning Appliances

3. Flexibility
Laundries are no longer a one-size-fits-all solution, with accessories and appliances on the market to accommodate different room set-ups and laundering needs.

You’ll find washing machines that offer up to 28 different programmes so you can safely clean anything from ultra-delicate silk and woollen items to heavily stained sports gear, or save time with a fast 20-minute wash. There’s also models on the market with reversible doors and two-in-one styles that contain a front-load washer and a smaller, separate top washer so you can run two loads simultaneously.

Other useful and appealing options include slimline drying cabinets, such as Asko’s Drying Cabinet, which offers a gentle alternative to tumble drying for delicates such as silk, velvet and satin items and bulky items such as rain-soaked jackets and shoes – simply pop them inside and they come out warm, dry and crease-free.

You’ll also find smart accessories such as pull-out shelves that provide a handy extra surface when you need it (perfect for small laundries), pull-out ironing boards, and hidden helpers that elevate the washer or dryer by 30 centimetres to reduce the need for bending and provide extra drawer space.

Zephyr and Stone

Fisher & Paykel laundry appliances at Winning Appliances; Project: Zephyr + Stone

4. Minimalist styling
Today’s laundry has evolved from a purely practical spot to one that incorporates touches of luxury that make it a pleasure to use day after day.

Step inside a contemporary designer laundry and you’ll find luxurious stone benchtops to match the one in the kitchen, statement tiled splashbacks, open timber shelves and cabinetry in warm, woodgrain finishes. Character and softness is introduced through wall-hung artwork and touches of greenery.

Laundry appliances have stepped things up style-wise too. Think washing machines and dryers with clean, minimalist lines, touch-screen displays and stylish matching pairs, such as Asko’s 8kg washing machine/8kg dryer laundry package that give a laundry a clean, seamless look.

Winning Appliances

Samsung laundry appliances at Winnings Appliances

5. Bigger capacities
Until recently, a washing machine with a capacity of 7 or 8kg was the norm for most households. But with many people looking to do fewer, bigger loads so they can speed efficiently through the laundry process while reducing their water and energy usage, machines with a capacity of 9kg or 10kg are now increasingly sought after.

You’ll find king-size washing machines on the market with a whopping capacity of up to 16kg so homeowners can power through super-size loads and save time and energy. And thanks to advances in technology they’re only marginally bigger on the outside than an average-size machine so they can fit into a standard laundry. Doing the daily wash has never been easier!

More: See the latest laundry appliances here.

Tell us: Which new laundry features or functions are high on your clients’ wish lists?

This story was written by the Houzz Sponsored Content team.