Moving the Machines

Edit: looking back at this post 17 years later, a few things come to mind:

• I should have used larger photos in the early phase of the blog — sorry. I learned and changed later.
• This is probably the #1 quality-of-life improvement we've made with the house.
• This is such a practical edit that I've helped at least four other folks in our neighborhood make the same change.
• A proper light switch vs. a pull chain on that light would have been a better choice.
• Trimming out the closet doorway with mahogany like Glen eventually did is a good choice.
• Installing blocking on the back wall for shelving would have been helpful.
• Pulling water from the boiler room versus looping it from the original location would have been more efficient.
• installing a more accessible clean-out and inspection panel would have been useful long(er)-term.
• I should have deleted the doorway into the space altogether — taking the wall to the ceiling like we did with Chris/Sara's (and probably Laura/Chris').
• An added electrical outlet on the wall that backs up to the kitchen cabinets would have been handy — and easy considering there's electrical on the opposite side — a fairly easy add-on, but easier pre-drywall.

(from June 2008)

Eichler homes have some decidedly modern characteristics that were novel for the early 60s yet remain practical today — like a master suite, separate family room/den, an open floor plan, etc.

One of the things we like is the "hobby" room or as most folks would call it a laundry or utility room. This brings the washer and dryer into the house (from the garage) which makes for a neater/tidier laundry-chore and in some models, the machines were located near the bedroom areas so as to keep closets, dirty clothes, and machines to wash them in close proximity.

However, in 1963, the trend was for smaller machines as the spaces speced to house the washer and dryer are often fairly shallow. This means that the modern equivalents (in order to fit) are the smaller "apartment sized" washer and dryers which makes it hard to do a load of towels. We had a pair of these in our old condo (upstairs, which was awesome), but we really wanted full-size machines this time.

In order for the machines to not block the doorway and to be able to eventually conceal them behind bi-fold doors, we opted to move the machines to the back of the room. While this made for a much more usable space overall, it did present some challenges which involved relocating plumbing and venting which was the focus of a recent 3-day weekend… fun: fire, solder, framing nailers and drywall mud!

Anyway, the machines are now moved, the drywall finished and the space flows much better.