“Pretty” water softener loop?

[Tryagain]

I’m putting a water softener in (WHESFC), but no WS loop was built into house, so need to make one somewhere. Best place looks to be in a closet under our stairs. The water main shutoff is nearby, as well as a bathroom for drain.
Issue is that we use the closet a lot, and if the piping looks ugly, I’ll hear about it for years.

Any advice on how to make the plumbing look clean?

Some of my thoughts…
I’m thinking of putting loop ~3ft off floor behind softener. Then connect with 1in SS flex lines behind softener. Idea being that I may swap the softener in the future, so aligning pipes with current softener inlet and outlet may not be too beneficial.

I’m pretty sure I want a valve on each supply/return line. But I don’t think I need a bypass valve plumbed into the wall. Softener has built in bypass. And if I ever needed to remove the water softener, I could just connect the supply and return lines with hose or pipe, and open the 2 valves. So just 2 valves close to wall, behind softener. Maybe these aren’t really needed/common though?

For the softener’s drain and overflow hoses, the air gap makes it tricky. I’m thinking of running these into a new washing machine drain outlet box(es) placed ~1.5ft above floor, behind softener. And use air gap fittings in that. Or maybe there exists a specific fitting/part exactly for this? Many WS loop photos on GIS don’t appear to have an air gap on the drain line…

So how does that sound? Any input is appreciated.

Also, I was even thinking about using the outlet box to run the supply and return lines, similar to how a washing machine is hooked up. But it would need to have 1in valves, and they would probably would be too tight. The 3/8in valves they usually come with would kill flow to the house. And I can’t see anyone else doing this… so it’s probably dumb for other reasons as well.

 

[Reach4]

" 1in SS flex lines "

You would want corrugated-- not woven. The woven stainless steel connectors are really a rubber/plastic hose covered with braid..

"And use air gap fittings in that. Or maybe there exists a specific fitting/part exactly for this?"

There are several made for the purpose. I would lean toward AG140-001 (this version is for 2 inch standpipes) in a washing machine outlet box, but there are others. https://airgap.com/product/ag140-001/

https://www.supplyhouse.com/Air-Gap-AG140-001-Drain-Pipe-Water-Softener-Air-Gap-For-Washing-Machine-Box-w-1-2-PVC-Slip-Inlet-and-2-Drain-Pipe

 

[Sponsor]

 

[Tryagain]

Alright ty! Wasn’t sure about the washing box being best option, ty for confirming.

 

[Jeff H Young]

Having a box is up to you those airgaps glue inside a 2 inch pipe so whether a box is there or not makes no diferance if stand pipe and trap are exposed the box looks silly or at least un needed my opinion I see no reason the ag140 -001 wont work with a stand pipe ?

 

[Fitter30]

Hide everything in mini split line covering.