I can't speak for current models, but when we bought our Elektrolux washer and dryer about five years ago, there was an optional stacking kit. It allows to put the dryer on top of the washer. And when doing that, the manufacturer recommended flipping the dryer door from a right hinge to a left hinge. Apparently, this is something that can be changed after the fact.

I would naïvely assume that it isn't just Elektrolux that came up with this idea, and there probably are a lot more dryers that have reversible doors. Go to a good local appliance store and ask the sales person. Don't go to big box stores where the sales people might have a lot less training.

I guess I"m not understanding why this is a dilemma ...

I had a left-hinged washer and a right-hinged dryer in your exact configuration. I just opened the doors to the middle and tossed the washing from the washer into the dryer. Even now I'm confused why you can't just do that with your current dryer, and feel the need to unload onto a towel first.

Dear Pro,

The obstacle is the washer door coupled with the limited access to the dryer from the front due to the cabinet in front of it. If you were actually in the space using it, I think you would quickly understand.

I have lived in several areas of the US and the washer and dryer did not stay with the house when sold, unless negotiated into the contract. Not sure why you think you have to replace?

Your laundry room looks utilitarian and not like one of those fancy laundry/craft rooms on Houzz, so the mismatched machines are not an issue. For showings I would completely de-clutter the room, push the machines a bit closer together, make it spotless and call it a day.

Dryer doors are typically reversible to swing from either side, check any model of question to be confirm its options.

Frontload washers may not be reversible (although it's possible some may have the capability) due inability of the lock mechanism to switch sides.

You didn't give the model number of the matching dryer so I picked the Samsung DV5500 which looks kind of like yours. This dryer's door is reversible as explained on page 30 of the user manual. You should check the user manual of the dryer you are considering to see if its door is reversible.

Replace the dryer and put it on the right like all the washer dryer sets are designed to have done. Washer left, dryer right. Simple and DONE. If you need to have a standard laundry standpipe plumbed, do that. Draining into a laundry tub might be barely allowable, but it’s weird, and will get markoff points for being weird at resale.

Or just buy a new set in a spiffy color, arranged the same, if you want to glam up the laundry. But you’ll need to do a bit more than that. Start with getting rid of that old flooring. New floors and a new pant job, and decluttering, will help the looks a lot.

Leave the machines where they need to be to facilitate the best/shortest/most direct exhaust route for the dryer.

The house in which I grew up had the dryer on the left, on an outside wall.

The next house to which we moved had the dryer on the left, on an outside wall.

The first house I bought had the washer and dryer facing each other at the exit/entrance between the kitchen and garage, with the dryer on an outside wall.

The second house I bought has the dryer on the left, on an outside wall.

Thank you to everyone who suggested reversing the door on a dryer (and buying one that could be reversed). The vendor told me when I bought the washer that it could NOT be reversed, so I had assumed the same was true for the dryer. But as dadoes point out, the locks perform differently. What a relief!

Another Houzz happy ending! :-)

And yes, where we live, all appliances including washer & dryer typically convey with the sale of a house -- that's how we acquired this dryer so long ago! One of the steps many agents here recommend in prepping a house for sale is to replace all the kitchen appliances, unless they are new/still under warranty.

If you need to have a standard laundry standpipe plumbed, do that. Draining into a laundry tub might be barely allowable, but it’s weird, and will get markoff points for being weird at resale.

I actually prefer draining into a laundry sink. Extra protection against flooding.

Having said that, the root cause of all of @Karenmo's problems is of course that appliance manufacturers assume that the utility sink will be on the far left (or that the standpipe will be directly adjacent to the washing machine). If the sink were on the left, there wouldn't be any issue with the doors opening in each other's way, as the location of the appliances could easily be swapped.

The pragmatic solution would be to stack the dryer on top of the washer. Some people actually like that configuration better anyway. We do that in our house and I like the extra space that I gain this way. Others prefer side-by-side for a variety of reasons. There is no right or wrong answer.

Assuming that moving the utility sink is impossible, your suggestion of installing a standpipe to the left of the utility sink is a good one. We don't know what's inside the walls. But in many cases it would indeed be possible for a plumber to install a new standpipe. That's only going to cost a few hundred dollars; and any potential buyer will be relieved to know that they can install standard appliances in this laundry room.

As for buying new appliances, I have no recommendation. I understand why some buyers prefer that. On the other hand, I'd much prefer if I could choose my own appliances, instead of having to put up with builder grade equipment that will need to be replaced in a short while anyway.

Had a similar problem. I moved the washer and stacked the dryer after swapping its door. In your case, I would swap the washer and dryer. And get a longer hose for the washer if needed to reach the sink.

Ditto that washer/dryers don't necessarily convey with the home. The last time I moved, I brought mine with me. The new owners wanted their own models.

Stacking is interesting to consider. Right now, wall cabinets span the wall above the washer, dryer, and laundry tub. They are plain, painted with white enamel, perfectly functional, and non-offensive. You can see the bottom edge of them in the photo below. We'd have to tear them out to switch to appliance stacking, and that seems sort of wasteful just to find out if I might like that arrangement better! (But maybe in my next house.....)

For now, I am thrilled to know that I can reverse the door hinge on a new Samsung dryer! (The next step is to verify if the Samsung's door will clear the shelf in front of the dryer when it's opened. I'll make some measurements next time I am in Home Depot.)

Now...... kindly allow me to direct your attention to another laundry room eyesore -- the water supply controls for the washer, handily located directly above the washer, in all their red-handled glory! (See photo below.)

I've always wanted to disguise or cover them up somehow, but never came up with a solution I liked well enough to implement. Surely someone is more clever than I about how to engineer this simply but effectively, the ideal materials available for the fix, etc. The handles project 5.5 inches from the wall, are about 7 inches across, and the cabinet underside is about 12 inches above the top of the washer.

Electrolux dryers have reversable doors.

Karenmo, I have the same exact laundry set-up as you have with less open space in front of the sink & machine. I opted for a Speed Queen top loader when I needed to replace the washer about seven years ago.

The only thing I might do to those water spigots is change the cold water to a blue handle.

My laundry set up is the same way. What I did was bought longer washer hoses and dryer hose and put the washer on the right and dryer on the left. Works perfectly and don’t have to find a washer or dryer with doors that reverse. Problem solved! They make dryer cords and vents longer too. Most all set ups are washer on the left and dryer on the right except for mine it seemed like lol we originally had the washer on the right and dryer on the left but was such a hassle to get clothes transferred. When I got a new machine hubby said there isn’t any reason why we couldn’t swap them and he was right. My local Walmart had all the supplies I needed.

Score 1 for top loading machines which don't have a left or right door.