Laundry Room Layout Help
I am cross-posting this with the Kitchens forum, in hopes some of the layout gurus there can lend a hand!
I need to replace my washer/dryer, and am using this as an excuse to
remodel the old laundry room. I usually use a contractor for ANY work
in the house, but I know my contractor won't be available as quickly as I
want to get rolling on this one, so I am hoping I can handle hiring out
the work myself. We shall see...
I am attaching a floorplan for the room as currently laid out. I
don't know how easy it is to move the plumbing/vent for a washer/dryer,
but my guess is that it is hard enough that I will have to keep the
appliances and sink on their respective walls. While I'm open to some
degree of spend on this room (All new cabinetry is the real goal of this
remodel), I am not trying to drop a fortune into it just for a better
layout. The problem is the laundry is on 2nd floor of a tall 1850s home
on a city lot, i.e. just a small distance between us and the neighbor.
Any previous work outside to the upper floors required scaffolding,
which was $$$. There's a possibility that if the job is simple enough,
they could do it with a ladder, but I am not betting on it. So I am
inclined to say that the washer/dryer must stay on the right wall.
The room definitely cannot change shape in any way, nor can the door/window move, as they are original to the house.
The ceilings in here are lower than anywhere else in the house, at a
smidge over 9', so I plan to take cabinetry to the ceiling, to maximize
storage. I definitely need to include storage for a full-size upright
vacuum, and things like costco size bulk toilet paper. The cabinets in
here act as storage for the 4 upstairs bathrooms. The machines will be
front-loaders, to maximize counter space.
Currently, the sink is a free-standing utility sink. There are upper
cabinets above the washer/dryer, and a tall floor-to-ceiling cabinet to
the right of the washer/dryer. We have the narrowest of table the fits
perfectly on the wall to the left of the door, running from the corner
to the window, and providing some counter space. But also sucking up
floor space inefficiently.
I know it doesn't seem like a lot to figure out. But I think my
major issue is how to layout the machines with the sink to maximize
counter space while still giving tall storage. Laundry machines
typically sit higher than cabinet counter height, so I can't just stick
them in the middle of the right wall without breaking up my countertop
run. But if I put them all the way to the corner, I lose my far wall
storage/sink. And as they are arranged now, things look sloppy, and it
is hard to imagine how built-in cabinetry can work.
I appreciate any guidance!
Comments (15)
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x post: Master suite-Laundry Room Layout Help.new build
Comments (6)bump - any thoughts? This is a new build - I don't think the bath is very efficient - too many doors. I am at a loss at how to reconfigure it. Musts: 2 36" vanities, 3x5 shower, linen closet, closet that is able to hold hanging + drawers (no dresser in bedroom) - access to laundry room from master bath or closet. We do not need a separate WC. Thank you....See MoreLaundry room layout issues! Help?!?
Comments (6)I COULD cheat the dryer to the left a little--but we use the space behind it for long-term storage--stuff like beach chairs, boogie boards--you get the idea. I'll have to think about that. The doors do bump---but once I get the door hinge changed on the dryer my PLAN is to open it first and then open the washing machine. That SHOULD allow for easier laundry transfer. It's a royal pain-in-the-tuckus right now. The floor is neither hardwood NOR laminate...this is a basement on a slab and much of it is below grade. No, the flooring is a new product--a floating vinyl plank. The stuff that is down is Allure Trafficmaster from Home Despot. The product I wanted to use was Konecto...but it's "sold out" for the time being. The Allure is similar (some claim identical) to the lowest grade of Konecto. It was certainly inexpensive at $1.69 a square foot. I floored the entire closet for under $150. The nice thing about the Allure is that it floats...no adhesive on the underside. That meant I didn't have to worry about the remaining adhesive from the nasty tile I removed. Here is a close-up of the floor...before the baseboards and toe molding went back in: melanie...See MoreHELP with my 7 x 7 Laundry Room Layout
Comments (15)@justcallmepool I'm with you. I don't fold in my LR, even though I have space to do it. If I did it in the LR, I would be the only one folding it. At least when I dump it on the bed, DH feels guilty and pitches in a bit. I also don't have time to do laundry throughout the week. I wish I did. Last weekend's laundry is still waiting to be put away. @Panda Bear it's all kind of dependent upon how you want to use the space. If you want to fold in there, then absolutely prioritize that space. Those corner shelves will not be very functional - so if you're planning on having that as decor, fine - get a good stool so you can dust them occasionally. Corner cabinets would have the same issue accessibility-wise. Laundry machines are huge. I had cabinets over my machines in my last house and couldn't reach above the bottom shelf without a stool. So consider that most of that space will be long-term storage, not stuff you can easily grab. If you prefer hanging things on hangers to dry, then the clothing bar is a good idea. Otherwise you could add a couple wall-mounted racks that can be stored when not in use - they'll cramp your LR when they're down, but for temporary use they'd be fine (or get one you can store in a closet and hang dry things in the hall?). Also consider getting pull-out racks in the cabinets to make things easier to reach. In our new house, I've contemplated cabinets above my W/D (maybe down the road), and I'm considering getting larger cabs (24") and adding pullout shelves to make things more accessible....See MoreHelp needed with laundry room layout/ update
Comments (5)For starters, what are your goals for a mudroom? Stop and make a list of the things you specifically need the room to do. Do you need a place for kids' backpacks? A spot to sort mail? Do you need to include recyling in this room? If you think through what you need the room to do, you'll end up with a better end product. Specific things I'd do: - The floor looks cold and slick. I'd get a good floormat with a no-skid bottom side ... make it something colorful. Choose something long enough that people will have to walk a few steps on it as they come in, as this will knock off a bunch of their "outside dirt". - I'd paint the door a bright, happy color ... something to tie into the floor mat. - Add a patterned curtain to the door ... again, to tie into the door and floor mat's color. - I'd like to see a simple white shelf installed above the hooks. I'd place artwork above this, and I'd add a few plants (perhaps fake because they aren't going to get super-good care in the mudroom) as well as things you'd want going in and out the door ... maybe a basket for mail and a basket for a hairbrush, etc. - You need a trash can somewhere ... a pretty good sized one. Something for fast food drink cups, junk mail, and dryer lint. Maybe under the sink? A trash can you can't see isn't ideal. - I assume the washer/dryer work well, and you're not open to replacing them ... but when it's time, choose something smaller; this isn't easy ... I bought a new set 2-3 years ago, and they're all so big now! This space is not huge, and it looks like the door can barely open ... once you hang coats on these hooks, the walking aisle will feel small. - You want to use this as a mudroom, but you have no drop space. You could add some shelves above the sink ... then add a basket for each family member. - Are you attached to the sink? Personally, I've never had any desire for a laundry sink ... had one growing up, and it was literally used once or twice a year to thaw turkeys. If you were to ditch the sink, you could add a floor-to-ceiling linen tower, which would give you oodles of storage. - If you want to keep the sink, could you do without that door on the left? Could you place a freestanding piece of furniture in that spot /covering that door? This could be your space for totes and shoes. - You need something above the washer/dryer ... I'd go with a closed cabinet for storing laundry needs + a hanging-dry pole. - I'd add a clock above the door because people coming /going always seem to need to know the time. - Last thought: from a design perspetive, you need to add color, pattern, something organic and a couple plants. These things will take away the cold feeling the room has now....See More
southeasthouse
6 years agoBuehl
6 years agolast modified: 6 years agosoutheasthouse
6 years agocourse411
6 years agoThat door width, to me, seems like the obstacle. Otherwise you could move your utility sink over to the w/d wall and put in a long 24" (or deeper) countertop with cupboards above. On the wall where you have a small table now (between door and window) you could do a narrow tall cupboard to store brooms, etc.
southeasthouse thanked course411southeasthouse
6 years agoThanks for the help, I really appreciate the graphics to get a sense of it visualized!
The interior opening of the door is 33". The measurements on the floorplan include the molding around the door. The molding CANNOT be removed. It is original to the 1850s home, and matches the molding throughout the house. Now I could conceivably place a cabinet OVER the molding. But I worry about how that will really look, in terms of feeling like I boxed everything in right as you enter the room.
I am attaching a picture of what that corner looks like, with the molding and visible wall space. The light switch for the room is also there, but conceivably I could get the electrician to move it.
course411
6 years agolast modified: 6 years agocourse411
6 years agocourse411
6 years agosoutheasthouse
6 years agolast modified: 6 years ago
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