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Design Dilemma Remodeling Laundry Room

What to do with Brick Arch?

Elizabeth Ambrose

3 months ago

last modified: 3 months ago

Hi there! I’m in the process of renovating a family home. The current kitchen has a brick wall and arched inlet that has the cooktop and oven. We’re moving the kitchen over and this space will now become the mud room/laundry room with an entrance from the garage. We are determined to keep the arch and brick, but have no idea what to make of it.

Adding the floor plan to give you a better idea. The placement of everything isn’t figured out quite yet, but the mudroom/laundry will have cubby/locker style built-ins, washer and dryer, utility sink and counter.

Any ideas would be greatly appreciated!

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Comments (2)

fraker
3 months ago
I think without drawings it will be hard to get suggestions. Folks will want to see the location and relationship of the arch to the new room. Is the arch inside or outside of the new mudroom?
Lidia
3 months ago
If the mudroom would become very finished, by that I mean the washer and dryer are behind beautiful cabinetry and the “lockers” look more like a British boot room…then the spaces under and next to the arch could make for an amazing beverage center for the nearby dining room. The drawers or space under the arch could be for special occasion dining storage. You could add lighting in the top of the arch, glass shelf and maybe a great piece of art. I find most homeowners almost never use the front door. How wonderful to have a gorgeous boot or mudroom to enter or leave from daily. Or the spot where the oven is could be for the washer and dryer and the under arch space for beautiful storage of soaps. Depends how you’re going to use the space, what your hobbies are…the brick area could be beautiful as a mini garden bench for flowers or processing produce from you garden. So many gorgeous ways to highlight that area. Good luck and post photos when you’re done!
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It helps to see that there is paneling underneath the windows which very much helps balance the lintels. I think you need to bring out that below-the-window paneling, which would include rearranging your furniture when you are not using it in ways that didn’t block the view of the lower panels. I also think that finding a way to emphasize the inner line of the arch, where it separates from the smooth area to the keystone-type arch of brickwork would be good. Otherwise I am as stumped as you, especially now that I see you have American-traditional plank siding on the other side of the house. I can understand not wanting awnings. One thing I did think of was just the framework for the awning without the canvas, in wrought metal, but I think it is too European, as would be a painted figurative motif, I think. What would you say to hiring a trompe l’oeil artist to create an illusion of stone work like the rest of the stone work in the facade? You could hide some lizards in there.
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