Need more information, including how large your space is? 1. Are the cabinets above your w/d only, and how many? 2. Are they above a countertop? 3. Measure the distance from the ceiling down to the highest point (washer if a front-loader or washer with open lid if a top-loader). 4. Do you want to leave some hanging space, such as a short clothes rod between two cabinets? 5. Do you have room for a tall utility cabinet rather than tall upper cabinets that can be difficult to utilize? Tall utility cabinets with pull-out drawers are WONDERFUL! 6. Consider making the cabinets 15-inches deep to accommodate large packaging. What have I done? All kinds of things in several different laundry rooms over the years. Hubby is a VP of a cabinet manufacturing company with 35-years experience in design. After down-sizing to a smaller home 4-years ago, I have a tall utility cabinet that contains all the laundry "stuff", and enough storage for "extras" and cleaning supplies, next to the w/d. There is a shelf over the W/D with baskets where we place the dirty clothes. There are enough baskets so everything is automatically divided by color, type, etc. I have an accordion drying rack that pulls out from the wall. This is where wet towels/washcloths/dish towels and dish rags get dried before being tossed into the basket. It usually comes down to practical use, space available, and $$$$$ (LOL). -Grainlady

To me, it kind of depends on how deep the new sink is. If it can easily hold an entire laundry load of water without overflowing (in case of plug-up), then go ahead and get an undercounter sink. But if an undercounter sink cannot hold that much, I would worry about being outside, or in bed, or away from home while a load is washing. Having the ability to drop a load in on the way to work and take care of it when I get get home is one of the perks of having a home laundry.

Many of those types of cabinets separate easily--mine has cast iron braces to hold the top on the base, so separating them to use in the same space is no big deal, IMO, and removing a door is a good solution, if you want to use the two pieces in the same room. I'd save the door, and all hardware, and keep it nearby, in case you want to restore the cabinets. The 'top only' piece makes that a moot point, so I'd choose it, and the other cabinet which most closely matches, and would be most suitable for a desk. I like option #2. You can replace the glass panels to match one or the other, and keep the originals with the door and hardware. My cabinet has replacement glass panels, done by my sister before she gave me the cabinet. ETA, as for height, you can get a wooden island stool, and cut the legs down to the correct height for the countertop. We did that once with two matching stools, when toddlers needed an interim chair height between high chair and regular chair.

Thanks so much for the input!! You are so right. The fridge top cabinets will need a step ladder to get to the top or back but that's OK because they will store back-ups of TP/paper towels/ziplocks etc. - crap that currently resides on top of the fridge. I'm going to go with a standard sink height and depth with a removable counter over the washer/dryer. Fridge is big (36wx33d) and freezer is avg (32w29.5d). Follow up question: Is allocating space for both the fridge and the freezer the best use of space? Am I better off allocating that space to a nice built in utility cabinet? We only plan to stay in this house another 5 years or so, which means I want it to work for us but also not be so customized that it doesn't suit the average home buyer. We have a counter depth fridge in the kitchen plus a full sized fridge in the basement, so the laundry room the 3rd fridge in the house. If it goes out, we would not replace it. Unfortunately the placement of the electrical panel doesn't allow us to use the whole length of the room for built in cabinets, but I could put the extra fridge in the end corner and still meet code for clearance around the panel. Thanks again for the input!! Choice #1 building in space for our freezer and 3rd fridge. No room for a utility cabinet. Vacuum and hose will have to live in the back corner by the freezer. Choice #2 adding a utility cabinet, but no room for the "extra" fridge. It can go in the end corner and still have enough space around the electrical panel to meet code. Vacuum and hose can go in utility cabinet. Choice #2 view from the door.