Washing machine in the bathroom: where and how to arrange it?

For several decades, a washing machine has been considered an indispensable attribute of any modern apartment. The most logical location for her is the bathroom, because there are all the necessary communications there, and it will not interfere with the main purpose of the room.

Another thing is that in many old apartments the bathroom is quite cramped - the designers of the past decades simply did not think about a place for such equipment. However, with a competent approach, it can still be placed in a cramped room, if armed with useful knowledge and simple logic.

Of course, thinking about how to fit the washing machine into the size of the bathroom, it is necessary to build on the size of the selected model of equipment. Moreover, in some cases, the key criterion for choosing a model is to make precisely its shape and size, and not any practical characteristics - fortunately, manufacturers perfectly understand your situation and are themselves interested in making sure that their products suit you.

First of all, think about choosing a model not with the usual horizontal, but with vertical loading. - there the lid opens from the top, and you put the laundry in the tank, which in shape and size could be compared to a bucket.

This version is almost always more compact, and a machine 90 cm high in length and width will have only 45 by 60 centimeters, since you need maximum compactness. In compact machines with horizontal loading, the height is usually slightly lower - about 80 cm, but the dimensions of 60 by 60 cm are also minimal.

Among other things, washing machines are divided into built-in and conventional. Theoretically, both are suitable for the bathroom, but in practice, the usual model is usually chosen for the bathroom, because the built-in model is a solution for the kitchen, where such equipment could inappropriately stand out from the background of everything else.

In the bathroom, the washing machine looks organic, especially since modern manufacturers offer options of all kinds of shades, so it is worth embedding something only if you sincerely think that it will be better this way for some personal reasons.

By the way, the typical colors, which cover more than 90% of the entire market for such equipment - beige and white - go well with any other colors in the decoration and do not create a color imbalance.

When deciding on the parameters that suit you, you must know in advance whether the chosen place is generally suitable for installing the washing machine.

There are certain rules for the safe operation of such equipment, and when determining the size of the site for it, you must make sure that all of them are respected.

• Smooth surface. The installed washing machine will vibrate strongly during operation, which means that you must be sure that it is securely in place, will not tilt or move. If there are significant irregularities on the floor under its future location, it is necessary to repair the floor or in any other way to provide a flat surface, otherwise you will have to look for another area.
• Gaps from any walls. It's great if you find a technique that fits perfectly into the size of your site, but it's not supposed to operate it under such conditions. It's all about the vibration already mentioned above - a working machine takes up a little more space than a turned off one, and the strength of its vibration is such that the unit can easily break itself against the wall or damage the wall decoration. Both options are undesirable for the owners, therefore it is better to provide at least 2 centimeters of clearance on each of the sides, as well as as much as 5 centimeters for the back wall.
• A dedicated outlet at minimum distance is recommended. A washing machine is a very energy-consuming device, therefore, in order to avoid overloading the electrical network and taking electricity from other equipment, it is advisable to find an opportunity to connect the unit to the outlet from which nothing else is powered. In addition, any extension cords tend to reduce the protective functions of equipment, so it is better to do with just one factory power cord.
• It is possible to mount the sink above the machine, but not always convenient.... Actually, the model with vertical loading simply will not get there, because the hatch, it turns out, will simply be blocked. As for the popular models with horizontal loading, then when the sink hangs over, it is possible that the person who carried out the loading will get injured - while unbending, he can crash into the plumbing, hitting his head.

No matter how cramped your bathroom is, there is almost always an opportunity to fit a washing machine there too - especially if you really consider all possible options carefully. Although the option of mounting the washbasin above the washing machine above was regarded as far from perfect, sometimes the harsh reality is that there is simply no alternative. However, you can get out of this situation with dignity if you purchase equipment of a relatively low height, and the sink - with a side siphon so that it can be placed relatively low.

If everything is done correctly, you will not have any loss of space at all, because the washing unit will be hidden under the sink, and you hardly planned to do without both of these parts. In addition, some stores specifically sell a similar set of furniture, which allows you not to even rack your brains over the selection of individual components.

You can place the device and in the corner or even just against the wall, if the space above it will be additionally occupied by attachments. Here you are free to choose what it will be - above the typewriter, for example, you can hang a small cabinet or a boiler. Thanks to this, you can no longer say that the site is allocated only for a washing machine, and the occupied area brings the owners the maximum benefit.

A relatively new fashion trend is building the unit into a cabinet, no matter how strange it may sound... You shouldn't make a special wardrobe, if you haven't thought about it before, but if you initially saw the need to provide a place for storing the same towels inside the bathroom, you can also select a corner in such furniture for a washing machine.

The advantage of this solution will be that the space above the equipment is occupied - in fact, this is a copy of the above-described option, only with a common body for equipment and shelves. This option is especially appropriate in a situation where you have a separate bathroom and a bathroom without a toilet.

An alternative and more popular option for embedding a washing machine is under the countertop... As a rule, the depth of the countertop should be approximately equal to the depth of the device itself, and the provision of the necessary clearance at the back is achieved due to the small protrusion of the unit from its "mink" - this makes it easier to access the control buttons. However, in some cases, the tabletop is made wider - then the presence of the machine can be completely disguised using special curtains or even a door.

Most often, when built under the countertop, the structure is combined with a sink, which is located on the side of the washing machine, and then in some cases it is the sink that sets the parameters for the configuration of the lid. A similar arrangement is relevant for approximately the same reason why the machine is often mounted directly under the sink - this is convenient from an engineering point of view, since with such a layout, communications can be conveniently organized.

You can place a washing machine even in the cramped "Khrushchev", where a bathroom, a toilet and a washing machine must fit on four square meters. Experts advise be sure to build it into something, and if possible, not just to save space, but in order to disguise the very fact of the presence of technology.

The fact is that in many respects the crampedness may turn out not so much as a real lack of free space, but as a purely human perception, therefore it is very important to decorate the bathroom in a single style with a minimum variety of inserts with "outside" design.

For the area described above of 4 square meters, the ideal solution for placing the unit in the interior is installation under the sink, since all the other options described above are inappropriate - you will not push the cabinet where it is already difficult to turn around. The owners will have to be prepared for the fact that their sink will be located slightly higher than it usually happens, but there is no need to sort out - either this way, or not at all.

If it seems to you that even with such an arrangement of plumbing, there is practically no free space inside the bathroom, you can try to win a little more free space in a somewhat unusual way - instead of a classic toilet bowl on a leg, you should mount a hanging toilet, allowing you to approach it close to it. In addition, such a solution will also prove beneficial for subsequent cleaning - without contacting the floor at all, this type of plumbing eliminates the glaring problem of hard-to-reach places and allows you to wash floors without unnecessary effort.

If it seems that even the trick with a wall-hung toilet is not working enough, there is another way to save space - replace the bathtub with a shower. This, of course, is a significant loss for those who love water procedures in a reclining position, but it is possible to find a shower cabin with high sides - then it can partially duplicate the functions of the bathtub, taking up a little less free space.

Above, we have already considered why it is useful for a cramped room to hide the washing machine so that nothing would betray its presence when it is not working. There are three main ways to do this.

This option is for those happy apartment owners whose designers have foreseen the need for a sufficient amount of free space and did not hinder future tenants with a small square. The option is good in that the solid wall leaves many options for adjusting it to the overall design of the layout - roughly speaking, you can even paste over it with tiles so that it is completely identical to the rest of the finish.

Alternatively, the door can be pasted over with liquid stone or even simply painted in order to organically fit it into a holistic interior. The only serious drawback of this solution is that the swing door in the open form will take up additional space, which may not be enough, and sliding doors cannot always be organized due to the same limited space.

A kind of solution that will only be relevant if you managed to find a curtain that is stylistically not very different from the general decoration of the room. In a situation where there is a minimum of free space, this method of hiding the washing machine seems to be one of the best, since the curtain takes up equally little space when open and closed, and it can handle the masking function no worse than a full-fledged solid door.

Realizing the need to camouflage equipment, modern manufacturers of finishing materials have thought about the production of special stickers that can significantly transform the appearance of equipment. Of course, the choice of such stickers is not as great as the choice of wall decoration options, but you can look for something at least similar in shade.

Naturally, upon closer examination, it will be obvious that it is the washing machine in front of you, and not another piece of the protruding wall, however, in general, the absence of ripples and inserts of a different color in the room will decrease. And this will have a positive effect on his spatial perception.

The first photo clearly shows that the space of a small bathroom is not just a floor area, but a three-dimensional dimension, because the machine is correctly placed under the cabinet. What is inside it, we do not undertake to say, however, it is obvious that the owners do not allow the place to stand in vain - a boiler or spacious shelves for storing something can fit inside. In this case, it is not required to disguise or beautifully cover the typewriter - the bathroom is designed in black and white, so that the color of the equipment case does not contradict the general design.

The second photo shows how you can organize the bathroom space if there is no shortage of space itself or creative thinking.The tenants, apparently, do not mind the aesthetics of the old days, and it turned out very worthy - what is only the shower room, which simulates somewhat harsh conditions, but at the same time is very comfortable. The washing machine is built here under the countertop next to the sink, but there is no free space above it - the surface of the countertop is used in order to conveniently lay out a towel and other utensils for washing.

The third example demonstrates what the appliance will look like in a very cramped bathroom, where there is simply no alternative to placing the appliance anywhere other than the sink. In this particular case, their combination looks quite correct - the sink does not protrude beyond the washing machine, and even the gap between them was minimized, so that the sink is not raised so high.

Finally, the fourth photo is a good example of a classic-style room, but with a modern approach to the need to disguise the washing machine. Agree, in this semi-antique setting, modern shiny plastic, metal and glass seemed completely alien elements that spoil all perception. The designer decided to act in a somewhat unusual way - he simply chose the most brilliant model and dimmed the light, which is why it simply merges with the surrounding interior, which also shines.