New This Week: 7 Uplifting Laundry Rooms
Graphic tile, inviting colors and serious function make these rooms attractive and hardworking
If you’ve got a big family, you probably spend a lot of time doing laundry. That’s why designers encourage homeowners to make these rooms not just hardworking but inviting and stylish as well. These seven laundry rooms show a winning combination of function and fashion.
2. Pretty and Pet-Friendly
Designer: Kelly McGuill
Location: Boston
Size: 140 square feet (13 square meters); 14 by 10 feet
Homeowners’ request. A clean and simple space with a dog-washing station.
Special features. Large vintage-style sink, faucet and handheld shower. Gray 2-by-10-inch stone pavers set in a herringbone pattern on the floor. White subway tile and quartz countertop. Penny round tile for the pet-shower floor. “This space is where the homeowners first walk into every day,” designer Kelly McGuill says. “It’s welcoming, bright and airy, while also possessing function and durability.”
Designer tip. “Keep laundry spaces clean and simple using bright whites and contrasting black hardware,” McGuill says. “This creates a more sophisticated and clean look in a sometimes cluttered area.”
Sink: American Standard; faucet and handheld shower: Rohl; builder: Haven Builders; photography: Kyle J. Caldwell Photography; styling: Water and Main
Find an interior designer near you
Designer: Kelly McGuill
Location: Boston
Size: 140 square feet (13 square meters); 14 by 10 feet
Homeowners’ request. A clean and simple space with a dog-washing station.
Special features. Large vintage-style sink, faucet and handheld shower. Gray 2-by-10-inch stone pavers set in a herringbone pattern on the floor. White subway tile and quartz countertop. Penny round tile for the pet-shower floor. “This space is where the homeowners first walk into every day,” designer Kelly McGuill says. “It’s welcoming, bright and airy, while also possessing function and durability.”
Designer tip. “Keep laundry spaces clean and simple using bright whites and contrasting black hardware,” McGuill says. “This creates a more sophisticated and clean look in a sometimes cluttered area.”
Sink: American Standard; faucet and handheld shower: Rohl; builder: Haven Builders; photography: Kyle J. Caldwell Photography; styling: Water and Main
Find an interior designer near you
3. Light and Airy
Designer: Katrina Stumbos Interior Design
Location: El Dorado Hills, California
Size: 120 square feet (11 square meters)
Homeowners’ request. A better-looking laundry room that could also serve as an area to hold kids’ backpacks, sports equipment, pet care products and more. “The main goal was to make this a lovely space, since you can actually see it, if the door is open, from the dining room,” designer Katrina Stumbos says.
Special features. Handmade concrete floor tiles. Marble countertops. Handmade white tile backsplash. Paint-grade custom cabinetry with polished-nickel hardware. “We went for a neutral backdrop and a very soft marble countertop to complement the floor and let it shine,” Stumbos says.
Designer tip. “I selected one big statement, in this case the floor, and built the rest of the room off of that,” Stumbos says. “It doesn’t really matter what order you select your finishes in, as long as they all marry well to create a harmonious environment.”
“Uh-oh” moment. “The floor was difficult to install, and we did have a last-minute change in grout color, but other than that, this time around it was smooth sailing, which we all know is definitely not typically the case,” Stumbos says.
Designer: Katrina Stumbos Interior Design
Location: El Dorado Hills, California
Size: 120 square feet (11 square meters)
Homeowners’ request. A better-looking laundry room that could also serve as an area to hold kids’ backpacks, sports equipment, pet care products and more. “The main goal was to make this a lovely space, since you can actually see it, if the door is open, from the dining room,” designer Katrina Stumbos says.
Special features. Handmade concrete floor tiles. Marble countertops. Handmade white tile backsplash. Paint-grade custom cabinetry with polished-nickel hardware. “We went for a neutral backdrop and a very soft marble countertop to complement the floor and let it shine,” Stumbos says.
Designer tip. “I selected one big statement, in this case the floor, and built the rest of the room off of that,” Stumbos says. “It doesn’t really matter what order you select your finishes in, as long as they all marry well to create a harmonious environment.”
“Uh-oh” moment. “The floor was difficult to install, and we did have a last-minute change in grout color, but other than that, this time around it was smooth sailing, which we all know is definitely not typically the case,” Stumbos says.
4. Sunny Side Up
Designers: Daisy Shamp (designer) and Macy Buchholz (cabinet designer) of Weaver Custom Homes
Location: Wooster, Ohio
Size: 130½ square feet (12 square meters); 14½ by 9 feet
Homeowners’ request. “A bright, happy space” was the only request, designer Daisy Shamp says.
Special features. Sunny yellow cabinets (Classical Yellow by Sherwin-Williams). Patterned floor tile. Vintage country-style sink and faucet. Integrated drying racks. Folding counter with stools. Quartz countertops. Bar for hanging and drying clothes. (The washing and drying machines now sit across from the sink. They had not been installed when this photo was taken.)
Designer tip. “When picking a yellow, it needs to be a little muted so it’s not too bright or overpowering,” Shamp says.
Floor tile: Palazzo Deco, DaVinci Design Group; sink and faucet: American Standard; cabinets: Riceland Cabinet
Designers: Daisy Shamp (designer) and Macy Buchholz (cabinet designer) of Weaver Custom Homes
Location: Wooster, Ohio
Size: 130½ square feet (12 square meters); 14½ by 9 feet
Homeowners’ request. “A bright, happy space” was the only request, designer Daisy Shamp says.
Special features. Sunny yellow cabinets (Classical Yellow by Sherwin-Williams). Patterned floor tile. Vintage country-style sink and faucet. Integrated drying racks. Folding counter with stools. Quartz countertops. Bar for hanging and drying clothes. (The washing and drying machines now sit across from the sink. They had not been installed when this photo was taken.)
Designer tip. “When picking a yellow, it needs to be a little muted so it’s not too bright or overpowering,” Shamp says.
Floor tile: Palazzo Deco, DaVinci Design Group; sink and faucet: American Standard; cabinets: Riceland Cabinet
5. Blue and Bold
Designer: Natalie Myers of Veneer Designs
Location: Bel Air neighborhood of Los Angeles
Homeowners’ request. The young newlywed couple wanted a family home full of life and personality. Designer Natalie Myers converted a small bedroom into this spacious laundry room. “Knowing that this would become their family home for at least 10 years, and that they weren’t worried about keeping the design neutral for the future owners, was liberating,” designer Natalie Myers says. “We had fun with color, scale and new materials that were fresh to the market.”
Special features. Graphic blue-and-white tile on the floor and backsplash. White oak flat-front custom cabinets. Bar for hanging and drying clothes. Deep storage drawers. Soaking sink.
“Uh-oh” moment. “A happy accident was that we ran out of the Heath backsplash tile we were intending to use to match the kitchen, but we had leftover Eskayel tile,” Myers says. “So we ran it up the wall as the backsplash, and it looks great.”
Designer: Natalie Myers of Veneer Designs
Location: Bel Air neighborhood of Los Angeles
Homeowners’ request. The young newlywed couple wanted a family home full of life and personality. Designer Natalie Myers converted a small bedroom into this spacious laundry room. “Knowing that this would become their family home for at least 10 years, and that they weren’t worried about keeping the design neutral for the future owners, was liberating,” designer Natalie Myers says. “We had fun with color, scale and new materials that were fresh to the market.”
Special features. Graphic blue-and-white tile on the floor and backsplash. White oak flat-front custom cabinets. Bar for hanging and drying clothes. Deep storage drawers. Soaking sink.
“Uh-oh” moment. “A happy accident was that we ran out of the Heath backsplash tile we were intending to use to match the kitchen, but we had leftover Eskayel tile,” Myers says. “So we ran it up the wall as the backsplash, and it looks great.”
6. Crisp Contrast
Designer: Carly Visser of CVI Design
Location: Byron Center, Michigan
Size: 77 square feet (7.2 square meters); 7 by 11 feet
Homeowners’ request. A simple, modern, functional and stylish laundry room with lots of contrast.
Special features. Crisp white walls and cabinets (Pure White by Sherwin-Williams). In-wall ironing board. Glossy black 3-by-6-inch tiles. Large black-trimmed window. Bold chrome hardware. Double slide-out drawers. Laminate countertops that look like white marble laid in a herringbone pattern. The floor is laminate that looks like wood.
Designer tip. The large window allows lots of light in, which makes doing laundry more pleasant.
Shop for wall and floor tile
Designer: Carly Visser of CVI Design
Location: Byron Center, Michigan
Size: 77 square feet (7.2 square meters); 7 by 11 feet
Homeowners’ request. A simple, modern, functional and stylish laundry room with lots of contrast.
Special features. Crisp white walls and cabinets (Pure White by Sherwin-Williams). In-wall ironing board. Glossy black 3-by-6-inch tiles. Large black-trimmed window. Bold chrome hardware. Double slide-out drawers. Laminate countertops that look like white marble laid in a herringbone pattern. The floor is laminate that looks like wood.
Designer tip. The large window allows lots of light in, which makes doing laundry more pleasant.
Shop for wall and floor tile
7. Rich and Refined
Designer: Robert Oreski of Iconic Estate Homes
Location: Edmonton, Alberta, Canada
Size: 70 square feet (6.5 square meters); 10 by 7 feet
Homeowners’ request. A soaking sink, extra linen storage and hanging space to dry clothes.
Special features. Wood-grain melamine cabinetry. Taupe-colored quartz countertop. Heated floors. Mosaic hexagonal tile backsplash.
Designer tip. “The great thing about this space is that it is a usable working space,” designer Robert Oreski says. “You can leave an ironing board out and it would not get in the way. There is ample room to move around, and the counter above the washer and dryer is a great place to fold your laundry.”
“Uh-oh” moment. “The only thing we questioned ourselves on was to either make the corner a somewhat usable space by either opening it up [or adding] some type of shelving, or close it off, like we did, to give it a clean look,” Oreski says. “In the end we closed it off, which gave the room a cleaner more organized look.”
More on Houzz
How to Remodel the Laundry Room
Where to Put the Laundry Room
Get laundry room design ideas
Find an interior designer near you
Shop for laundry room products
Designer: Robert Oreski of Iconic Estate Homes
Location: Edmonton, Alberta, Canada
Size: 70 square feet (6.5 square meters); 10 by 7 feet
Homeowners’ request. A soaking sink, extra linen storage and hanging space to dry clothes.
Special features. Wood-grain melamine cabinetry. Taupe-colored quartz countertop. Heated floors. Mosaic hexagonal tile backsplash.
Designer tip. “The great thing about this space is that it is a usable working space,” designer Robert Oreski says. “You can leave an ironing board out and it would not get in the way. There is ample room to move around, and the counter above the washer and dryer is a great place to fold your laundry.”
“Uh-oh” moment. “The only thing we questioned ourselves on was to either make the corner a somewhat usable space by either opening it up [or adding] some type of shelving, or close it off, like we did, to give it a clean look,” Oreski says. “In the end we closed it off, which gave the room a cleaner more organized look.”
More on Houzz
How to Remodel the Laundry Room
Where to Put the Laundry Room
Get laundry room design ideas
Find an interior designer near you
Shop for laundry room products
Designer: Gita Jacobson of In the Deets
Location: Lafayette, California
Size: 54 square feet (5 square meters); 6 by 9 feet
Homeowners’ request. The homeowners have three kids, and the mom wanted a laundry room that would be peaceful and beautiful. “A place that didn’t look and feel like a boring laundry room,” says designer Gita Jacobson, whose client found her through the Houzz professional directory.
Special features. White-and-navy cement floor tile. White subway tile walls with white grout. Custom cabinets and floating shelves. Quartz countertop for folding. Fold-down iron board. Bar for hanging and drying clothes. Vintage-style sink, light fixture and cabinet hardware.
Designer tip. “Make sure to select your washer and dryer before designing the space,” Jacobson says. “Every unit has slightly different dimensions, and to get a perfect fit under the countertops, you must know the dimensions.”
“Uh-oh” moment. “The sink we chose is a commercial sink that comes with two predrilled holes for a wall-mounted faucet,” Jacobson says. “This sink was purchased well before anything else, because the client loved it so much. Months later when we went shopping for plumbing fixtures, we completely forgot that the sink only had two holes. Most sinks have three. When it was time for the plumber to install the faucet, it was too late to return the three-hole faucet. We ended up having to buy a new two-hole faucet, and the three-hole faucet is still sitting unused in the client’s garage. Always remember to double-check specs before placing orders and make sure you are able to return merchandise.”
Shop for blue cement floor tile