Design Battle: Two Ways to Place a Laundry Area in a Standard Bathroom

The challenge before designers Nadezhda Morgacheva and Margarita Fomin was to make a standard bathroom in a two-room apartment comfortable and functional. Additionally, they needed to fit in a washing machine and, if possible, a dryer. See the solutions they proposed and vote for the one you like best.

Design Brief: Bathroom in KOPÉ panel house series. Area: bathroom and toilet 2.9 sq m and 1.1 sq m. For a family of three people, a family with a teenager. Measurement plan of a two-room apartment in the KOPÉ series house

Margarita Fomin's Design Option

Margarita Fomina
Interior Designer
She prefers to work according to a full-cycle approach: from interior design to its implementation. Only in this way can one achieve results that will delight the client for years.

On Layout

Only three people live in the apartment, so I combined the toilet and bathroom. This solution allowed me to increase the space and make it more functional.

Opposite the entrance is a wall-mounted vanity unit with a sink and a toilet next to it. Using a low installation for the toilet, I managed to align the sink countertop and the installation shelf at the same height. This created a unified convenient surface.

Instead of a bathtub, there is a spacious shower cabin in construction form. The washing machine is installed in the niche at a height of 70 cm from the floor, under it is a laundry basket, and above are shelves for storage.

On Stylistic Choice

For the color palette, I chose a combination of several shades of gray with natural wood. The pattern on the wall tiles sets the style of the interior – American classic. On the floor, there is tile resembling wood. You can find a similar tone and texture of flooring in other rooms to visually unite the space.

For additional lighting in the mirror zone, I chose a baffle with water splash protection – IP44. The baffle creates the necessary symmetry and is a great element of style.

Overall, the interior feels calm but not boring. I think it will appeal to all family members and won't get old quickly.

You Will Need:

Integrated Light Fixture Novotech “Damla” 370386
Ceramic Tile Wood Natura, tile size 15x60 cm
Water Towel Rack with Shelf M5, size 80x50 cm
Suspended Toilet AM PM Jump
Basin Mixer Nove with High Spout
Interior Solid Door in White “Australia”, 200x70 cm
Wall Light Escada
Showerset Grohe Vitalio Comfort, 3 Modes, Showerhead 10 cm, Hose 175 cm

Nadezhda Morgacheva's Design Option

Nadezhda Morgacheva
Interior Designer
She approaches any project first from an analytical and logical point of view, unlocking its maximum potential.

On Layout

Families where the child is already mature often opt for a shower instead of a bathtub and a separate toilet instead of an integrated one. Additionally, this makes the bathroom more functional and comfortable.

House series KOPÉ allow not only to remove the partition between the toilet and bathroom but also to expand the bathroom area by using the spacious corridor. To do this, it's sufficient to shift the kitchen door opening, which is easy to achieve since the wall between the toilet and kitchen is non-load-bearing.

As a result, two modestly sized rooms became one large one – 5.75 sq m. Everything needed for the family to comfortably care for themselves daily, plus a laundry zone with washing and drying machines, and a large cabinet for storing household items fit in. The plumbing access panel is also hidden in this cabinet, but it’s easily accessible.

In interior design, there is a rule: people should always prioritize aesthetics. Therefore, I placed a beautiful wash zone directly opposite the entrance, and positioned the toilet to the right of it so that it doesn’t catch the eye when entering. Behind the toilet, a cabinet for installation forms a small shelf where you can place an air freshener or keep your phone away from water. In the spacious 120x80 shower cabin, you can comfortably take a shower.

On the Laundry Zone

A big advantage of combining these spaces was creating a proper laundry area and storage for household items. This zone is hidden behind high white facades to the left of the entrance. Everything that usually lives in people's homes behind a door, on a balcony, or in a corner – is stored in one cabinet. It’s very convenient!

The water heater is placed at the top of the cabinet for easy access, in the lower central part – space for storing dirty laundry, above, on shelves – household chemicals, towels, iron. The ironing board lives in the adjacent cabinet section. A small ladder can be placed next to the vacuum cleaner so it’s also within reach.

On Stylistic Choice

More and more clients come asking for a modern interior slightly softened with elements of other styles – classical or country. This principle was the basis for my solution.

The lower part of the bathroom is tiled with contrasting black-brown ceramic tile, as this is where most activities that can soil the walls occur. The upper part is painted in a pleasant peach color, matching which the mosaic in the shower area was chosen.

The bathroom is exactly the place where you should use bright colors if you like them. Because in this space, unlike living areas, you spend limited time and won’t get tired of bright colors.

You Will Need:

Suspended Toilet AM PM Jump
Drain Button “Omega 30”
Shower Tray Orange Solo Slide acrylic, size 120x80 cm
Single-Hand Basin Mixer “StartEdge MS”
Showerside Slide Orange Solo Slide, 120x80 cm
Storage Basket “Knitting”, volume 7 L
Water Heater Electrolux Maximus from Stainless Steel, volume 80 L
Showerset Grohe Vitalio Comfort, 3 Modes, Showerhead 10 cm, Hose 155 cm