Top Appliances for a Modern Laundry Upgrade

The laundry room is often the most overlooked space in a home, functional, sure, but rarely inspiring. Yet upgrading your laundry with smart, stylish appliances can transform it into a room you don’t dread, but delight in. With clever design, reliable technology, and curated fixtures, a laundry upgrade becomes a worthwhile investment that elevates daily routine.

The Heart of the Laundry: The Tub You’ll Love

A laundry tub is more than a basin, it’s your command centre for soaking, rinsing, treating stains, or handling big items before they enter the washer. A high-quality tub that balances utility and aesthetics becomes a foundational piece in your space.

Consider the Oliveri Laundry 45 Litre Tub Bowl with Rinse Bypass. With its generous capacity and integrated rinse capability, it handles bulky or delicate items beautifully. Its clean lines and durable finish mean that, when paired with stylish tapware or surrounding cabinetry, it can feel as considered as a kitchen sink rather than a purely functional afterthought.

Placing the tub strategically, close to your washer/dryer stack or adjacent to a counter, helps streamline workflow. Leave clear counter space beside it so you can lay out items, fold, or treat stains without juggling across zones.

Drying Smarter: Go Sensor-Driven

In modern homes, dryers need to do more than just spin heat, they should optimise moisture, energy use, and garment care. That’s why sensor-controlled models are rising in popularity.

The Kleenmaid Sensor Controlled Vented Dryer is a great example. Rather than running on fixed time cycles, it monitors humidity, stopping the cycle when clothes are dry. That saves energy, reduces wear on fabrics, and conquers the problem of over drying (a common culprit in shrinkage). For smaller households or apartments, a 7 kg capacity is often ideal, compact yet efficient.

When positioning your vented dryer, ensure you have a clear path for venting (shortest possible duct run) and easy access to the lint trap. Mount it at a comfortable height so the sensor and controls are intuitive to use.

Heat Pump Dryers: Efficiency Meets Performance

For those seeking a high-performance, energy-efficient drying solution, a heat pump dryer is a compelling option. These appliances recycle heat and reduce electricity consumption compared to conventional vented dryers.

A standout like the Westinghouse 9 kg EasyCare 700 Series Heat Pump Dryer brings large capacity and smart drying features into the fold. Nine kilograms is generous, perfect for families, and its “EasyCare” modes manage different fabric types intelligently. As electricity grids become greener, a heat pump dryer positions your laundry as part of a sustainable home ecosystem.

When installing, ensure the area is well ventilated (even though heat pump dryers don’t need venting in the traditional sense), maintain clearance for airflow, and allow space for condensate drainage or drainage plumbing if required.

Layout & Flow: Designing with Intention

No matter how good your appliances are, layout and workflow make or break the space. Think about the circular motion: wet clothes come from washer → into tub (if needed) → to dryer → folded or ironed. Keep those zones contiguous and unobstructed.

If your laundry space allows, consider stacking or side-by-side layout: place the Kleenmaid Sensor Controlled Dryer above or beside your washer. Then position your Oliveri Tub adjacent with counter space leading to your Westinghouse Heat Pump Dryer. This adjacency reduces carry distance and increases efficiency.

Allow at least 600 - 700 mm of open floor space in front of appliances for door swing, folding, and movement.

Design Accent: Tapware, Lighting & Finishes

A modern laundry deserves more than utility, a little design intention goes a long way. Sleek tapware, good lighting, and tasteful finishes help the room feel cohesive with the rest of your home.

For example, pairing the Oliveri tub with elegant, crisp tapware elevates it visually. A wall-mounted mixer above the tub helps maintain clean surfaces. Use under-cabinet or overhead lighting to highlight the workspace without casting shadows.

Wall finishes like subway tiles, soft neutrals, or even accent feature walls behind the tub can help tie the laundry into your home’s overall style. Open shelving, baskets, and hidden cabinetry keep the space tidy while letting the hardware shine.

Smart Upgrades & Extras

To future-proof your modern laundry, consider these additional upgrades:

• Intelligent controls: WiFi or smart app control for dryer schedules, remote start, or maintenance alerts.
  

• Retractable drying racks or overhead airers: For delicate items or rainy days.
  

• Floor drains and waterproofing: Especially in laundry rooms attached to wet areas.

• Sound dampening: Choose models and insulation to reduce noise, helpful when your laundry is near living zones.
  

Small touches like a stylish laundry-friendly clock, hooks for hanging, or fold-down ironing boards add usability without crowding.

Why a Laundry Upgrade Matters

Upgrading your laundry isn’t just about new appliances, it’s about improving the daily experience. When tub, dryer(s), layout, and finishes work together, chores feel less like a burden.

The Oliveri tub, Kleenmaid sensor dryer, and Westinghouse heat pump dryer represent key pillars in that upgrade, functionality, efficiency, and longevity. With the right design and strategy, you gain a laundry that’s efficient, elegant, and aligned with a modern household’s needs.

Wrapping it up

Your laundry room has the potential to transcend “utility” and become a beautifully engineered space, one where form and function exist in harmony. By choosing premium appliances suited for modern life and designing with flow, you turn a once-forgotten zone into a smooth, stylish workspace.

Whether you’re replacing aging units or fitting out a new laundry from scratch, think about smart capacity, energy efficiency, and aesthetic coherence. With the right tools and vision, your laundry becomes not just serviceable, but genuinely elevated.