HomeOptimising vertical space in this simple service yard
nougat.home
rebuilding a 90s flat around its 30-year-old marble floors
Optimising vertical space in this simple service yard
310
- Contemporary
- HDB (Resale)
- ~1,200 sqft
- 3 br
- Couple Living
Our service yard was one of the areas in the house that was first to be stripped of “design element”, when we tried to trim the list of works to save costs. But that didn’t stop us from finding ways to make this spacious spot functional, without being an eyesore. 
One of our favourite appliances to date is the IUIGA Smart Automated Laundry System. It comes in such a pleasant shade of champagne gold, which actually looks more matte in real life than in pictures. There is more than enough room on the parallel bars of the rack for us to hang a full load of laundry — but the bonus is that it also comes with shorter, perpendicular bars for smaller items (hand towels, etc). 
Having an automated rack also really helps in making use of the vertical space in the service yard. When all our laundry is out, we can still easily access the cabinets below, or the chute. 
We love these Kolbjörn cabinets from IKEA, because of its clean look and how well they fit into our service yard - not just in terms of size, but the rounded edges that complement the other curved elements in the house. We also stocked up on these multi-purpose stackable boxes early on and easily found a use for almost all of them - from hangers and laundry bags in the service yard, to cables and plugs in the study. 
We had deliberately avoided built-ins in this area, so that we can shift things around as our lifestyle needs change. We’re constantly looking out for new ideas to optimise, or prettify an otherwise largely functional space, so share your ideas with us! Has any of you had the same concerns with making your service yard aesthetic, but functional?
