New This Week: 8 Lovely Laundry Rooms
Design and remodeling pros share details they used to create stylish and functional spaces
Whether or not you enjoy doing laundry, having a pleasant environment for washing and folding can certainly make the task less of a chore. And achieving that is often a matter of combining the right details. Here, designers share the colors, finishes and features that elevate the look and feel of these laundry rooms.
2. Fresh Whites
Designers: Christi Petty and Cindy Aplanalp of Chairma Design Group
Location: The Woodlands, Texas
Size: 80 square feet (7.4 square meters)
Homeowners’ request. “Our homeowner had a very tight laundry room that was highly visible from the kitchen and was also a pass-through to their garage,” says designer Christi Petty, who used Houzz ideabooks to coordinate style inspiration with her client. “They asked for mudroom-style lockers and shoe storage, a small desk or drop station, storage for laundry baskets and a space that complements the kitchen design.”
Special features. Open storage tower with baskets. Travertine floors. White shiplap walls that add character and dimension, making the space look larger. Everything is painted Snowbound by Sherwin-Williams. “A great go-to creamy, soft white,” Petty says.
Designer tip. “It was important to us and our client that this space complement the neighboring kitchen,” Petty says. “We did this through incorporating the same traditional English cabinetry styles. We kept the space clean and simple since we had a very small footprint to work with, and that helped make the room feel larger and not claustrophobic. Doing laundry in a small space can be fun if it’s a beautiful room and there’s a place to store everything.”
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Designers: Christi Petty and Cindy Aplanalp of Chairma Design Group
Location: The Woodlands, Texas
Size: 80 square feet (7.4 square meters)
Homeowners’ request. “Our homeowner had a very tight laundry room that was highly visible from the kitchen and was also a pass-through to their garage,” says designer Christi Petty, who used Houzz ideabooks to coordinate style inspiration with her client. “They asked for mudroom-style lockers and shoe storage, a small desk or drop station, storage for laundry baskets and a space that complements the kitchen design.”
Special features. Open storage tower with baskets. Travertine floors. White shiplap walls that add character and dimension, making the space look larger. Everything is painted Snowbound by Sherwin-Williams. “A great go-to creamy, soft white,” Petty says.
Designer tip. “It was important to us and our client that this space complement the neighboring kitchen,” Petty says. “We did this through incorporating the same traditional English cabinetry styles. We kept the space clean and simple since we had a very small footprint to work with, and that helped make the room feel larger and not claustrophobic. Doing laundry in a small space can be fun if it’s a beautiful room and there’s a place to store everything.”
Shop for cleaning and laundry room products
3. Pretty and Practical
Designer: Megan McKeown of M.S. Design Studio
Builder: KLH Custom Homes
Location: Middleville, Michigan
Size: 125 square feet (12 square meters)
Homeowners’ request. “For this space we really focused on blending form and function, and I think the result is a really beautiful utilitarian space,” designer Megan McKeown says.
Special features. Deep green cabinets (Yorktowne Green by Benjamin Moore). Slate-look porcelain floor tile. Buffalo check wallpaper. Stained maple countertops. Farmhouse-style sink. Basketweave pendant. Modern brass pulls. “We love having extra freezer storage and wanted to incorporate a standing freezer in the laundry room for ease of access and convenience,” McKeown says. “However, we wanted to make sure that all of the appliances coordinated with each other and tied in with the overall palette for the space. We opted to go with a darker gray titanium finish for our appliances that tied in perfectly with the slate-colored floor tile.
“The washer and dryer are raised with two drawers underneath, perfect for storing extra rugs and linens. The hard-to-reach and otherwise unusable space above the washer and dryer is a great spot for pretty laundry baskets. But the crown jewel of this space is a sink that I sourced from an old farmhouse that had been in our family for years. It was sandblasted, powder-coated and brought back to life, and adds just the right amount of character to this space.”
Designer tip. “Think about how you use your space and design it for how you actually live,” McKeown says. “For example, I love open shelving, but in our laundry room I opted for maximizing our closed storage space, which includes upper and lower cabinets, a closet and a bank of built-in lockers with shoe drawers underneath. I took into consideration the large, bright orange Tide laundry detergent bottles, the dog food bags and all of the other not-so-pretty items that we use regularly. Designing places where these items can be tucked away behind closed doors yet still easily accessible really helped put my designer brain at ease and created less distraction from the things that are beautiful about the space.”
“Uh-oh” moment. “The wallpaper,” McKeown says. “I had to fight for it. My husband was not a fan of it, but I just knew it would look great. When it came time to install it, the person who was initially going to do the install was not available. I almost had to scratch the idea and find another alternative, but our builders were great and were able to find another person to install it. I’m so glad I listened to my instincts and saw that particular design decision through. I still love how it turned out.”
Photography: Cassandra Tietz of Olive + Ivy Photography
The 10 Most Popular Laundry Rooms of Spring 2021
Designer: Megan McKeown of M.S. Design Studio
Builder: KLH Custom Homes
Location: Middleville, Michigan
Size: 125 square feet (12 square meters)
Homeowners’ request. “For this space we really focused on blending form and function, and I think the result is a really beautiful utilitarian space,” designer Megan McKeown says.
Special features. Deep green cabinets (Yorktowne Green by Benjamin Moore). Slate-look porcelain floor tile. Buffalo check wallpaper. Stained maple countertops. Farmhouse-style sink. Basketweave pendant. Modern brass pulls. “We love having extra freezer storage and wanted to incorporate a standing freezer in the laundry room for ease of access and convenience,” McKeown says. “However, we wanted to make sure that all of the appliances coordinated with each other and tied in with the overall palette for the space. We opted to go with a darker gray titanium finish for our appliances that tied in perfectly with the slate-colored floor tile.
“The washer and dryer are raised with two drawers underneath, perfect for storing extra rugs and linens. The hard-to-reach and otherwise unusable space above the washer and dryer is a great spot for pretty laundry baskets. But the crown jewel of this space is a sink that I sourced from an old farmhouse that had been in our family for years. It was sandblasted, powder-coated and brought back to life, and adds just the right amount of character to this space.”
Designer tip. “Think about how you use your space and design it for how you actually live,” McKeown says. “For example, I love open shelving, but in our laundry room I opted for maximizing our closed storage space, which includes upper and lower cabinets, a closet and a bank of built-in lockers with shoe drawers underneath. I took into consideration the large, bright orange Tide laundry detergent bottles, the dog food bags and all of the other not-so-pretty items that we use regularly. Designing places where these items can be tucked away behind closed doors yet still easily accessible really helped put my designer brain at ease and created less distraction from the things that are beautiful about the space.”
“Uh-oh” moment. “The wallpaper,” McKeown says. “I had to fight for it. My husband was not a fan of it, but I just knew it would look great. When it came time to install it, the person who was initially going to do the install was not available. I almost had to scratch the idea and find another alternative, but our builders were great and were able to find another person to install it. I’m so glad I listened to my instincts and saw that particular design decision through. I still love how it turned out.”
Photography: Cassandra Tietz of Olive + Ivy Photography
The 10 Most Popular Laundry Rooms of Spring 2021
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4. Warm and Welcoming
Designer: Wendy Mauro Design
Builder: King and Society Construction
Location: Mount Pleasant, South Carolina
Size: 69 square feet (6.4 square meters)
Homeowners’ request. “The homeowners needed a space that was aesthetically pleasing — due to it being directly off of the office — and functional,” says Chelsea Forse, a design coordinator at King and Society Construction. “Having two young children, they needed a designated workspace for laundry and specific storage for cleaning supplies.”
Special features. Sage green cabinets. Patterned floor tile. Laundry basket storage. Hanging rod. Butcher block countertop, which extends over just the dryer, leaving the top-loading washer open. “In a mostly color-neutral home, this room acted as a small pop of color and personality,” Forse says.
Designer: Wendy Mauro Design
Builder: King and Society Construction
Location: Mount Pleasant, South Carolina
Size: 69 square feet (6.4 square meters)
Homeowners’ request. “The homeowners needed a space that was aesthetically pleasing — due to it being directly off of the office — and functional,” says Chelsea Forse, a design coordinator at King and Society Construction. “Having two young children, they needed a designated workspace for laundry and specific storage for cleaning supplies.”
Special features. Sage green cabinets. Patterned floor tile. Laundry basket storage. Hanging rod. Butcher block countertop, which extends over just the dryer, leaving the top-loading washer open. “In a mostly color-neutral home, this room acted as a small pop of color and personality,” Forse says.
5. Cool and Compact
Designer: Mary Jo Fiorella of Fiorella Design
General contractor: Supple Homes
Location: Menlo Park, California
Homeowners’ request. “We had a very small space off the garage where one side was designated for a mudroom bench and hooks and the other side this cute laundry area,” designer Mary Jo Fiorella says.
Special features. “It’s just very compact,” Fiorella says of the laundry area, which spans a wall that’s 6 feet, 6 inches wide. “We stacked the washer and dryer to get some sink and counter space. And we hung a small bar to hang items right out of the dryer or out of the wash.” The countertop is quartz. The flooring is dark gray porcelain tile.
Designer tip. “A decorative tile backsplash, brass hardware and the fun color make this a room you’d be happy to spend time doing laundry in,” Fiorella says.
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Designer: Mary Jo Fiorella of Fiorella Design
General contractor: Supple Homes
Location: Menlo Park, California
Homeowners’ request. “We had a very small space off the garage where one side was designated for a mudroom bench and hooks and the other side this cute laundry area,” designer Mary Jo Fiorella says.
Special features. “It’s just very compact,” Fiorella says of the laundry area, which spans a wall that’s 6 feet, 6 inches wide. “We stacked the washer and dryer to get some sink and counter space. And we hung a small bar to hang items right out of the dryer or out of the wash.” The countertop is quartz. The flooring is dark gray porcelain tile.
Designer tip. “A decorative tile backsplash, brass hardware and the fun color make this a room you’d be happy to spend time doing laundry in,” Fiorella says.
New to home remodeling? Learn the basics
6. Hardworking Hallway
Designers: Michael Klement of Architectural Resource and Melissa Kennedy of Meadowlark Design+Build (interior design)
Location: Ann Arbor, Michigan
Homeowners’ request. “This was a custom home, and the homeowners wanted to have a space that was on the second floor that was convenient and accessible to all family members,” interior designer Melissa Kennedy says. “By utilizing a galley-wall-style configuration centrally located in the main upstairs hallway that connects all the bedrooms, the entire family can easily perform their laundry chores and get things put away quickly.”
Special features. Reclaimed Shaker-style cabinetry. Drop-down ironing board. Sliding barn doors. “The sliding barn doors cover up the space so that even when things don’t get put away immediately, you can close the doors and nobody even knows it’s there,” Kennedy says.
Designer tip. “The galley-wall style makes it easy to use, and the location on the second floor makes laundry less of a chore,” Kennedy says. “With the location being so close to the bedrooms, there is no excuse not to throw in a load of wash or fold a few towels as you pass by.”
“Uh-oh” moment. “Our original design concepts had a small dedicated laundry room on the second floor,” architect Michael Klement says. “During the design process, our homeowners excitedly announced the pending arrival of a new baby. Suddenly we had the opportunity to respond to this shift in goals and help increase the home’s performance per square foot simultaneously. What was going to be a second-floor laundry room became the new baby’s room. We then ‘borrowed’ space from the upstairs hallway and adjacent spaces, creating a space that was a part-time laundry room and part-time hallway.”
Designers: Michael Klement of Architectural Resource and Melissa Kennedy of Meadowlark Design+Build (interior design)
Location: Ann Arbor, Michigan
Homeowners’ request. “This was a custom home, and the homeowners wanted to have a space that was on the second floor that was convenient and accessible to all family members,” interior designer Melissa Kennedy says. “By utilizing a galley-wall-style configuration centrally located in the main upstairs hallway that connects all the bedrooms, the entire family can easily perform their laundry chores and get things put away quickly.”
Special features. Reclaimed Shaker-style cabinetry. Drop-down ironing board. Sliding barn doors. “The sliding barn doors cover up the space so that even when things don’t get put away immediately, you can close the doors and nobody even knows it’s there,” Kennedy says.
Designer tip. “The galley-wall style makes it easy to use, and the location on the second floor makes laundry less of a chore,” Kennedy says. “With the location being so close to the bedrooms, there is no excuse not to throw in a load of wash or fold a few towels as you pass by.”
“Uh-oh” moment. “Our original design concepts had a small dedicated laundry room on the second floor,” architect Michael Klement says. “During the design process, our homeowners excitedly announced the pending arrival of a new baby. Suddenly we had the opportunity to respond to this shift in goals and help increase the home’s performance per square foot simultaneously. What was going to be a second-floor laundry room became the new baby’s room. We then ‘borrowed’ space from the upstairs hallway and adjacent spaces, creating a space that was a part-time laundry room and part-time hallway.”
7. Bright and Breezy
Designers: Jason Hoffman of J.P. Hoffman Design Build and Nicholas Preston of Preston Design
Location: Westwood, Massachusetts
Size: 80 square feet (7.4 square meters)
Homeowners’ request. “The homeowners requested the laundry room be moved from the basement of their Cape Cod-style home to the second-floor living space,” design-build pro Jason Hoffman says. “As a young, active family, they anticipated the need for a dedicated space, convenient for regular use. With a major second-story addition as part of the renovation plans, we gained more than enough space to add a well-sized laundry room with a dormered window, storage closet and utility sink.”
Special features. Open shelves. Deep utility sink. “A large-capacity rugged sink is also practical for washing small dogs, which these clients have,” Hoffman says. “The sink was strategically placed right next to the washing machine and dryer for a reason. Yes, to help with storage, but it also keeps all the plumbing fixtures in the same spot.”
Designer tip. “The laundry room is positioned at the front of the home on the second floor off of the main hallway,” Hoffman says. “The hallway had no access to natural light, so we installed a 15-lite French door on the laundry room so the natural light from the dormer window could flow into the hall. It’s a trick we also use to shorten the feel of a longer hallway when appropriate.”
“Uh-oh” moment. “Locating a laundry room on the front of a home poses the challenge of venting the dryer,” Hoffman says. “In northern climates like here in Massachusetts, dryer exhaust — a fog-like exhaust — is noticeable in the colder months. For aesthetic purposes, we aim to put this off the rear of the house. We had to carefully calculate our path to the rear of the house without adding too many bends or too much length of pipe.”
Designers: Jason Hoffman of J.P. Hoffman Design Build and Nicholas Preston of Preston Design
Location: Westwood, Massachusetts
Size: 80 square feet (7.4 square meters)
Homeowners’ request. “The homeowners requested the laundry room be moved from the basement of their Cape Cod-style home to the second-floor living space,” design-build pro Jason Hoffman says. “As a young, active family, they anticipated the need for a dedicated space, convenient for regular use. With a major second-story addition as part of the renovation plans, we gained more than enough space to add a well-sized laundry room with a dormered window, storage closet and utility sink.”
Special features. Open shelves. Deep utility sink. “A large-capacity rugged sink is also practical for washing small dogs, which these clients have,” Hoffman says. “The sink was strategically placed right next to the washing machine and dryer for a reason. Yes, to help with storage, but it also keeps all the plumbing fixtures in the same spot.”
Designer tip. “The laundry room is positioned at the front of the home on the second floor off of the main hallway,” Hoffman says. “The hallway had no access to natural light, so we installed a 15-lite French door on the laundry room so the natural light from the dormer window could flow into the hall. It’s a trick we also use to shorten the feel of a longer hallway when appropriate.”
“Uh-oh” moment. “Locating a laundry room on the front of a home poses the challenge of venting the dryer,” Hoffman says. “In northern climates like here in Massachusetts, dryer exhaust — a fog-like exhaust — is noticeable in the colder months. For aesthetic purposes, we aim to put this off the rear of the house. We had to carefully calculate our path to the rear of the house without adding too many bends or too much length of pipe.”
8. Calm and Charismatic
Designers: Merle Avila and Russell Bunch of Avila Bunch Architects
General contractor: Harkey Construction
Location: Cotati, California
Size: 70 square feet (6.5 square meters); 7 by 10 feet
Homeowners’ request. A laundry room that’s centrally located between two wings of the home.
Special features. Utility sink. Quartz countertop. Shaker-style custom cabinets. White oak floating shelves. Porcelain brick tile flooring. Creamy yellow walls. Rolling laundry baskets.
More on Houzz
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Browse photos of newly featured laundry rooms
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Designers: Merle Avila and Russell Bunch of Avila Bunch Architects
General contractor: Harkey Construction
Location: Cotati, California
Size: 70 square feet (6.5 square meters); 7 by 10 feet
Homeowners’ request. A laundry room that’s centrally located between two wings of the home.
Special features. Utility sink. Quartz countertop. Shaker-style custom cabinets. White oak floating shelves. Porcelain brick tile flooring. Creamy yellow walls. Rolling laundry baskets.
More on Houzz
Read more laundry room stories
Browse photos of newly featured laundry rooms
Shop for laundry room products
Designer: Kipling House Interiors (interior designer) and Murphy & Co. (architect)
Design-build pro: Hendel Homes
Location: Shoreview, Minnesota
Size: 108 square feet (10 square meters); 9 by 12 feet
Homeowners’ request. “This home is very classical Colonial in architectural detail and interior design,” design-build pro Amy Hendel says. “They wanted storage and function yet beauty in this space.”
Special features. Slate blue furniture-style cabinets. Slate countertops. Handmade tile backsplash with cap molding. Nickel plumbing finish. Apron-front utility sink. Brass hanging rods.
Designer tip. “Elevating the washer and dryer on a cabinet base platform made the space more functional and pretty and really added thought to the way the owner does laundry,” Hendel says.
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