Oh good, I'm glad you are considering stacking. I think that will make the best use of your space, since you want to keep the sink. I also felt like loading/unloading was easier when mine were stacked.

As for which side of the room, which way to your doors swing? I think having them swing towards a wall would work best. Would they interfere with the door on that side?

I prefer stacked, I think the ergonomics are better. Just make sure it is done in a way that makes access for repairs easy.

The washer opens to the left (so along the door right now) and the dryer opens the opposite way, also to the wall. When I have the washer door open (which is all the time) if it's open too much it can interfere with the door, but it's been almost 10 years of that and we're still ok with that!

I also like stacked, they are just easy to use.

Yes Errant_gw, I think I'll somehow get boxed in with them opening different ways!

I'm very short, but I found that I could use a friend's full-sized stacked without the pedestal fairly easily and it's certainly nice to have extra counter space that doesn't vibrate. If you stack them on the side with the water, how will you run the dryer venting?

The thought of you being boxed in made me laugh! I never switched my door back after unstacking them. Right now, they both open towards each other. There were so many other things to do in the new house, that I never bothered to change it. Now I'll go home and fix it, then next week decide to rip out the uppers and stack them again LOL

I like stacked. I am 5'6" however.

My taller husband prefers unstacked with pedestals b/c he doesn't like reaching down into the washer. but he survived just fine with it for 3 years in our condo.

the w&d that were left here were stacked and I found the it was fine taking the clothes out of the washer and putting in the dryer (I am taller than you so my concern was the washer being too low) ... I don't know if you'll need a small stepstool or not to see the floor of the dryer.

but, the laundry room was very small, so we had it made much larger and I unstacked and put the machines on pedestals ... I like to fold right out of the dryer and over the years have just piled the folded clothes on top of the washer and dryer... if I had my machines stacked, I would want to make sure there was a good size table immediately next to the dryer-- to the right of the machine if the door swung left.

Fun2bhere- I don't know how I would do the venting. It just comes from the basement so would just move the hole over I guess. But wondering if it might be nice to have the stacking on the dryer side so I'm not doing laundry right next to the door and it's not so blocked in when we walk in.

Robo- my 6 ft dh does 1 load of laundry perhaps in a month. I'm unconcerned with him!

Busybee3, we had them in pedastals and while it was good for the actual taking clothes in and out, everything else was awkward. But I just took some clothes out of my dryer that's lower and i see what you mean.

We are in the unstacked camp...we have them side by side so we can use the surface for folding and stacking laundry.

I would stack them to the right of the sink since there are no actual doors to worry about when leaving the washer door open to air it out.
That was the only draw back to wanting a top loader, but I love my set and since my laundry room is on the second floor it would have been more work for my dear hubby to have to move the dryer venting.

"wondering if it might be nice to have the stacking on the dryer side so I'm not doing laundry right next to the door"

But won't you be standing at the counter doing folding and such ?

Thanks all, great points to consider!

4boys2- true, there will be some folding involved. Hmmm.

Justgotabme-Also, now I'd be stuck forever in having a front loader. I did/do have a bit of mold issue but it doesn't come off and I do always have the door open.

Also, now I'd be stuck forever in having a front loader.

Nah, they have stacked top-loading units, too.

Errant- little guys?

I'm 5'0" and loved the 7 years we had ours stacked. I've been looking for a way to do it again.

They aren't HUGE, but see some with a 3.9 cu ft capacity. That's not too bad.

My last home they were stacked. I'm 5'4". Now they are side beside. I can't wait to change that here. I have a cupboard above the washer that stands in the way right now, but we plan to remove that and then put a full length cupboard for brooms, mops etc. in it's place. I will be so happy when they are stacked again!

Everyone seems to love their stacked washer dryer, esp the shorties ;)

Thanks for the help, think we're decided!

Now I'm wanting to rip up my cabinets and stack mine again LOL

Errant- haha! I'm sure you won't want to know how much this will cost though! I have no idea, but cabs, plumber and/or electrician, counter, sigh. It'll be beautiful and functional though, right? I do love my new floor, the tile was totally worth it!

I know! The thing is, I need to redo the tile in the bath that's off my laundry/mud room, which also means I'd need to do the floor in there at the same time, so I would need to take up those cupboards... Project creep never ends!

Oh goodness Errant! We got new tile because we're getting new baseboards and my dh thought it would be good to do the tile now before they went on. I know about creep ;)

Any updates? I'm hoping to live vicariously through your progress, so that I don't have to tear apart my own laundry area right now :D

Ha ha Errant_gw ! We were just walking in the laundry room today wondering if we should stack or if it would seem too opposing! I told my DH that we should see what it looks like to put the dryer on the washer. He said no way! So I think I'll make a cardboard 'dryer' to see how it will be!

He does know that he wants a quartz countertop though. I think it will be a while until anything happens. I just ordered the vanity for the powder room and will wait for a plumber to hook everything up in one shot.

I'll keep you posted!