In the new homes, the washers and dryers are no longer stuck in the dark, basement corner of the house. Homeowners are demanding more out of their laundry rooms than ever before. Why? Most American families throw 8-10 loads of laundry in the washer per week. Plus, on average 20 million women and 10 million men spend hundreds of hours each year washing and drying clothes. These are the people that want their laundry rooms to be practical, organized, large enough to accommodate day-to-day needs, and well decorated. Laundry rooms are actually becoming the newest status symbol, seeing as some laundry rooms are worth more than $30,000.

Many families are actually making the laundry rooms into the messy chore, craft, sewing, and even gardening project rooms. Laundry rooms are in need of more than the typical cabinet, washer, and dryer. People want a folding station. They are now looking for DryAire drying cabinets, where sweaters and delicates can dry in a couple of hours rather than a couple of days. They want the SinkSpa, which is a jetted sink where hand-washables are washed by water jets. They desire ironing stations: including an adjustable board, place to store the hot iron, and automatic shutoff controls.

Now, perhaps you are simply looking for ideas to spice up your own laundry room. Maybe you’re trying to figure out ways to make your rental property a winner. Or, perhaps you’re getting your home into selling shape. Whatever your goal, the following will help you figure out ideas in how to make the laundry room pleasurably livable.

Before you start making all these plans to upgrade. Sit down in the laundry room for at least 15 minutes and really take some time to figure out your needs. What annoyances do you run into right now? Do you have any spot to hang clothes when it rains? Do you struggle to get the clothes from the washer into the dryer? Do you really need a utility sink? Do you tend not to iron because you have no place for the ironing board? Does the room need a more cheerful paint color? Does the floor need to be replaced?

1. Obtain a Practical Washing Machine. Some washers have a finger faucet under the rim, allowing you to easily wash detergent off your hands. Other washers feature “reminder chimes,” signaling you that the clothes are done. A few of the newest washing machines have some very practical features: a quick-wash cycle that enables you to wash the shirt you need for the party in record time, a virtually noiseless direct-drive washing system, a delay-wash feature that starts the washer up to 19 hours after you load it, and a steady-spin feature that keeps the washer spinning, even if the load is unbalanced.

2. Install Cabinetry. Before you install anything, sit in the laundry room and figure out your current needs. Do you need open shelving units or cabinets with doors? Do you need spaces for various laundry baskets? Where can all of the detergents, spot removers, and dryer sheets be easily reached? Will you add a countertop to fold clothes?

3. Storage. An alternative to cabinetry is to Install Wire shelving. The wire shelving is strong, durable, easy to install, fits to your needs, and doesn’t rust easily.

4. Ironing Station. Either set up an ironing board station or install a built-in ironing board. Both set-ups should have a permanent spot for the hot iron.

5. Laundry Sorting Baskets. Use laundry-sorting bins to organize your laundry by color and cycle. If you desire your family to follow your new system, make sure the laundry bins are clearly marked, such as “darks, delicates, towels, whites, dry cleaning, cold wash” etc. The more you organize, the more time you have to do other things.

6. Easily Accessible. If you are remodeling or building your home, make sure that your laundry room is easily accessible from the main activity areas of the house.

7. Windows. Install another window or two in your dark and dreary laundry room. Many people like their laundry windows to overlook the backyard play areas. Bay windows with a ledge not only take the “laundry room” feel away but also provide a usable ledge for baskets and folded laundry.

8. Change the Lighting. Change the one-light in the center of your ceiling to attractive track lighting.

9. Hanging Space. Many clothes require drip-drying, so either hang a rod or two near the floor drain or hang string from one side of the room to the other. Whichever way you choose, make sure that it is practical and out of the way. When using hangers, choose the plastic ones rather than the metal ones, as they tangle less and do not rust. If you have wire shelving, you can also easily hanging clothes from those. You could also place a rod next to the dryer that is equipped with plastic hangers to immediately hang items when they come out of the dryer.

10. Usable Space. Rolling carts are a practical addition to the laundry room. You can slip a thin one between the washer and the dryer, which can hold the detergent, stain stick, bleach, dryer sheets, etc. This keeps deep space usable and practical.

11. Small “Catch-all” Basket. Get a small basket to put next to the washer to keep items that are still in the pockets such as lipstick, money, receipts, etc.

12. Trashcan. Make sure that at trashcan is nearby to unload the lint tray, throw away used dryer sheets, and wrappers found in pockets

If you’re interested in earning money back on any home improvements, you’ll want to check out the DSIRE-Database of State Incentives for Renewables and Efficiency. This  site has lists of  multiple discounts for residential home owners in Michigan for Personal Tax Credits, Production Incentives, State Rebate Programs and Utility Rebate Programs.

Some programs are unique to certain counties or companies, but with the variety of options listed on this site, there should be something for everyone.

If you’re in the market for a new coffee table (or any new furniture for that matter) and live in the West Michigan area, you may not know where to start your search. It can be a tedious process, but well worth it-coffee tables can be the ‘it’ item that’s missing to make a living room look complete. 

Here are a couple locally owned and operated stores that may be worth checking out if you’re in the West Michigan area:

UBU Furniture-located in Rivertown Mall on the lower level, 3700 Rivertown Pkwy, Grandville, open from 10am-9pm Mon – Sat, 12pm-6pm Sundays. From urban contemporary to shabby chic, UBU has that unique piece of furniture that says “I live here.” UBU also offers design consultations in store and special ordering. http://www.ubufurniture.com/UBU_site/Products.html

Design Quest- located at 4181 28th Street SE, Grand Rapids, open from 10 am-8 pm Mon,Thu, Fri; 10 am-6 pm Tue, Wed, Sat and 1-5 pm Sun, phone: 616-940-9911. Specializes in contemporary and European style furniture. http://www.designquest.biz/c/Occasional-Tables/Occasional%20Tables.html 

Stone’s Throw-located at 1428 Plainfield NE, Grand Rapids, open from 10am-8pm Mon & Fri, 10am-5pm Tue, Wed, Thur and Sat; phone: 616.459.4167. Stone’s Throw is about style and individuality. Its home furniture and accessories capture different looks for different tastes from simple, loft apartments to sophisticated, contemporary homes. http://www.stonesthrowliving.com/category.php?id=15

A few other, more well-known furniture specific stores include Art Van, Talsma, and Klingman. In recent years, larger convenience stores like Target, Meijer and Wal-Mart will have a few tables for purchase directly in the store.

And don’t forget, sometimes you’ll be able to discover a great find at Goodwill, Salvation Army or another thrift store. There are several stores throughout the greater Grand Rapids area that have a large section dedicated just to furniture inside the.

By Dona DeZube, FrontDoor.com

Wondering if you’ll be able to recoup the cost of your next home remodeling project? It’s tough to know in today’s market.

With uncertainty ruling real estate, it’s not surprising that seven of the top 10 projects in the 2009-2010 Remodeling Magazine Cost vs. Value Report are exterior upgrades. About 4,000 real estate agents and home appraisers were surveyed for the report.

It makes sense. With so many houses for sale, a fabulous exterior is exactly what a home seller needs to lure in potential buyers.

Find out what 10 projects have the best return based on their cost and the value they add to your home.

Value of Remodeling Projects Down

Overall, the average value of home improvement projects declined for the 33 projects in 80 cities that the magazine condenses into a single number for the Cost vs. Value report.

“That one cost-to-value ratio number has been dropping since 2005,” says Sal Alfano, editorial director of Remodeling Magazine. “The rate of decline has slowed, which is a good thing, but this is such an odd year that the data is hard to interpret. Take the results with a grain of salt because of the unusual market this year.”

Projects found at the bottom of the list include home offices (48 percent return) and sunroom additions (51 percent return). What do they have in common? Both are expensive and don’t have broad appeal.

Sunrooms aren’t used as much as kitchens or bedrooms. And, while a home office is great if you work from home, it won’t add value when you sell, especially if you took away a fourth bedroom to create your workspace.

Check Local Figures Too

Along with its national figures, Cost vs. Value also offers complete regional and city data, which can be downloaded for free at www.costvsvalue.com. However, even the local information should be used carefully.

The survey, Alfano says, provides a baseline estimate of value, not a guarantee that you’ll actually recoup any particular value for an individual remodeling project.

“None of it should be taken literally by a homeowner,” he warns. “The fact is that they’re averages and hypothetical and the areas we survey cover MSAs [Metropolitan Statistical Areas] that are huge and you have neighborhoods where prices fluctuate.”

The best way to use to data is as a measuring stick. Decide whether you’re in an upscale or mid-range neighborhood and then use the average local prices to make sure the price you expect to pay for your next project is reasonable.

#1: Steel Front Door
Return on investment: 128.9%

Installing a mid-priced steel door costs less than $1,200 and creates nearly $1,500 in value. “Real estate agents look at that and say it doesn’t cost anything, it’s the first thing the buyer sees, and it spruces up the whole house,” says Alfano.

#2: Fiber-Cement Siding
Return on investment: 83.6%

Adding new siding is like buying a new outfit for your house and fiber-cement siding is the upscale choice. It costs a little more than foam-backed vinyl siding, but it adds more value too, according to the Cost vs. Value report.

#3: Attic Bedroom
Return on investment: 83.1%

Can’t afford to move because your house is worth less than your mortgage but need more room? Spend about $49,000 to create a 15×15-foot bedroom and a bathroom in your attic and you’ll recoup an estimated $41,000 when you resell your home.

#4: Wood Deck
Return on investment: 80.6%

A 16×20-foot wood deck will give you a better return than the same deck built with a composite. The composite costs about 50 percent more, and the return with a composite desk drops to 71 percent. “Ninety percent of my buyers aren’t concerned with decking material,” says Susan Huerta, an agent with Long & Foster Real Estate in Clarksville, Md.

#5: Vinyl Siding (Mid-Range Neighborhoods)
Return on investment: 79.9%

When choosing replacement siding, follow the neighborhood. If everyone is using vinyl, there’s no gain for you in opting for more expensive, fiber-cement siding.

#6: Foam-Backed Vinyl Siding (Upscale Neighborhoods)
Return on investment: 79%

If you live in an upscale neighborhood, consider foam-backed vinyl siding to increase energy efficiency. Consider the bottom-line cost including window trim and do the math first to make sure you’ll see real savings on your utility bill.

#7: Minor Kitchen Remodel
Return on investment: 78.3%

Updating the kitchen by refacing the cabinets, adding a new laminate countertop, sink and faucet, then finishing up with a new resilient floor will bring your kitchen up to date for an average cost of about $21,000. Ripping it all out and starting new will run you $57,000 and returns only 72.1 percent, according to the Cost vs. Value report.

#8: Wood Windows
Return on investment: 71.5% to 77.3%

Since the return is about the same for vinyl and wood windows, consider what’s standard in your neighborhood. As with all remodeling projects, your safest bet is to match, but not exceed, what the Joneses have.

#9 Vinyl Windows
Return on investment: 76.5% to 76.6%

Be wary of any claims window companies make about how much new windows will save on your energy bills. “The payback on windows isn’t always quick, unless you’re living with a really old set of windows,” Alfano says.

#10: Basement Remodel
Return on investment: 75.4%

In the Cost vs. Value report, this is a big project — creating a 20×30-foot family getaway with a wet bar, recessed lighting and bathroom with shower. In essence, you are adding living space. Average national tab for all that is about $62,000, and you’ll get back an average of $46,825 at resale, the survey predicts.

These steps are summarized below:

1. Think function first
2. Map the Space
3. Choose colors and motif
4. Know your surfaces
5. Add drama with fixtures
6. Be careful with lighting
7. Mix soft & hard materials/surfaces
8. Create a “Naturally Aromatic Tablescape”