Advice needed - cramped laundry /pantry combo

8 months ago

Hello all,

I would greatly appreciate your guidance. We built a pantry / laundry combo without planning properly. We have the cabinets in for the pantry on one side, a side by side washer and dryer on the other side with a sink. The W/D is not yet installed but now it feels way too cramped (back hits against the pantry when bending to load the washer or dryer) so we are having second thoughts.

Details: W/D is LG - 30 1/4 depth before connections

https://www.bestbuy.com/site/lg-4-5-cu-ft-high-efficiency-stackable-smart-front-load-washer-with-steam-and-built-in-intelligence-white/6419621.p?skuId=6419621

Pictures of pantry design and dimensions attached

The options we are considering are -

move current unit to the back wall
—- downsides: will still be cramped toward sink when loading, maybe too high to use dials of the washer, will need to re-work the vent and electrical and will be expensive
get a tower unit that is ventless and less deep (26 inches) - https://www.shopwesco.com/laundry/stack-laundry/combination-washer-electric-dryer/wkhc152hwa/

—- downsides and questions - will 4 inches make a huge difference? This product doesn’t have reviews and is new… is it any good? Is the loss of capacity worth it for a busy family?

install the current configuration and live with it; return later if it just doesn’t work

I would be grateful for your thoughts and advice or any other creative ideas you have / other products to consider.

Thank you so much!

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Comments (14)

Lyn Nielson
8 months ago
I would stack at the end of the room and leave open the area in front of it.

no to downsize... the bigger the better in laundry.

Patches and electrical changes now, rather than later.
0
millworkman
8 months ago
Us the room for one or the other and find another place for the other.
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Only one, and it has nothing to do with that unit. We once bought a (brand new) unit in a condominium and found out that they vented the dryer to the attic space. LOL. The builders couldn't get enough units sold to close in a timely manner and we converted to renting until we bought a house. That was a blessing in disguise.
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I think I understand what your builders concerns are. With the L-shape design you are loosing the windows and elongated laundry room is not giving you that much extra storage. Is there a reason why the formal dining isn't converted ? The reason, I ask is because, the current formal living room has better access to the kitchen, so it is better suited to be the dining room. Just a thought. I would suggest doing something more along the line of what your builder is suggesting. Here are two options: I saw this setup of laundry at a house and I think it works well. you can use the space on the right wall as folding table or storage cabinet. The door is on the left wall. The door way from dining room should be symmetric. In this case the view is the wall where you can put art work, or even create a art niche. I would suggest Art Niche with sconce. Instead of walk-in pantry, a long reach in pantry may work better if the space is tight. In this option you have more storage but no window. In option 2, I moved the pantry in the laundry room and created a wet bar instead. The main idea is to have window to the space has natural light. You can just have more storage or even two small pantry closets with a big window in the middle. I do think that a wet bar or butlers pantry makes more sense, and creates a logical transition from kitchen to dining. Of course without dimension it is hard to tell if any of these will work. I do think that, trying to create two rooms may end up wasting lot of space. option 1:
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can you reach your shut off valve to the water. Can you access the dryer vent for yearly maintenance? I like them stacked. You could but in a bank of floor to ceiling cabinets on the side, with planned access to the vent and water shut off. Have a tall pull out pantry on the side for your ironing board and brooms etc. floor to ceiling cabinets between the pullout and stacked set. Many of the cabinet shelves could be drawers instead of shelves, making it easy to access stuff. The upper areas could be for things you never need often, and reachable by a step ladder kept in the pantry pullout. example of pullout shelves: example of a 1/2 length pantry pullout (I think :) or this, no pullout pantry:
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Jiji P
Original Author
8 months ago
Lynn - you think it’s better to be a bit cramped against the sink (I.e., back up against that) versus the pantry?
0
Jiji P
Original Author
8 months ago
Millworkman - not sure we have another location unfortunately. We didn’t plan for it elsewhere
0
jackowskib
8 months ago
Can you switch to stackables and place where dryer is? Then move that end pantry over to where washer was. Keep wall clear in front of stackables.
Jiji P
Original Author
8 months ago
Interesting idea. The current unit can be stacked with a stacking kit. Would the dial be too high for the washer on top?
0
Karenseb
8 months ago
I'd go with Jackowiskib"s idea and stack at the end with nothing across from it.

The washer is on the bottom and the dryer on top as are the dials for the dryer.

My daughter is 5 foot 2 inches and and had a stacked w/d. It worked okay for her, but when it broke, she bought the Lg wash tower which works much better for short people.
Jiji P
Original Author
8 months ago
Thanks so much, Karen. Was the LG wash tower much smaller capacity than the stacked?
0
Jiji P
Original Author
8 months ago
We could still return this so evaluating all options. Agreed that Jackowisib’s idea may work best - we are confirming that the cabinets can be moved without damage.

Many thanks, all! Really appreciate the timely support from this community
0
Karenseb
8 months ago
Same capacity! (maybe bigger than her old ones). I see that the washing machine is 5 cu ft and the dryer 7.4 cu ft.

She really likes it.
bpath
8 months ago
What is on the other side of the pantry wall?
0
Jiji P
Original Author
8 months ago
Kitchen - door toward the right enters into the laundry and pantry area
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luna123456
8 months ago
Stack in the back right corner.

Honestly it would have been better, space wise, to put them across the back of the room. Architect probably wanted to hide the appliances from view, but this makes them hard to access.

Seriously consider putting in a stack, washer tower, something. If it were me i would put in compact units, but thats a personal choice.
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jackowskib
8 months ago
last modified: 8 months ago
Just a consideration - not sure where you fold clothes and/or hang them, but that lower cabinet could have a hanging rod above, and folded clothes on top of that cabinet. Empty space across from stackable W/D could be for laundry basket(s).
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Advice needed - cramped laundry /pantry combo

Comments (14)

Lyn Nielson

millworkman

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Advice needed - cramped laundry /pantry combo

Comments (14)

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