Loads of Function in a Classic Black-and-White Laundry Room
A designer incorporates expansive storage, a drying rod, a generous sink and a counter for folding
Becky Harris
January 26, 2020
Houzz Contributor. Hi there! I live in a 1940s cottage in Atlanta that I'll describe as "collected."
I got into design via Landscape Architecture, which I studied at the University of Virginia.
Houzz Contributor. Hi there! I live in a 1940s cottage in Atlanta that I'll describe... More
Fifty-four square feet is fairly generous for a laundry room, but these homeowners wanted to squeeze in a lot of function. They tasked designer Michelle Fee with incorporating expansive storage, a folding counter, a large hamper, a sink and a drying rod. And with two entry doors taking up wall space, she needed to take advantage of every inch when laying out the design. Here’s how she packed everything in while maintaining a clean and open look.
Photos by Michelle Fee
Laundry Room at a Glance
Who uses it: A family
Location: Atlanta area
Size: 54 square feet (5 square meters)
Designer: Michelle Fee of Change Your Bathroom
The laundry room is convenient to a pool in the yard, so wet feet, wet bathing suits and damp towels were all considerations in the design. A digitally printed porcelain tile floor with slip-resistant texture can take on drips and dampness. And Fee covered the walls all the way up to the ceiling in white subway tile so they would be easy to wipe down.
Because the room opens directly into the great room and the bathroom through the pocket doors, she suggested a simple and classic black-and-white palette. “And it is a good backdrop for their colorful towels when they hang them in here,” she says. Overall the look of the space is a mix of traditional and clean-lined modern, with a few industrial dashes.
The gray floor tile adds a warm touch and resembles both limestone and concrete.
Find an interior designer on Houzz
Laundry Room at a Glance
Who uses it: A family
Location: Atlanta area
Size: 54 square feet (5 square meters)
Designer: Michelle Fee of Change Your Bathroom
The laundry room is convenient to a pool in the yard, so wet feet, wet bathing suits and damp towels were all considerations in the design. A digitally printed porcelain tile floor with slip-resistant texture can take on drips and dampness. And Fee covered the walls all the way up to the ceiling in white subway tile so they would be easy to wipe down.
Because the room opens directly into the great room and the bathroom through the pocket doors, she suggested a simple and classic black-and-white palette. “And it is a good backdrop for their colorful towels when they hang them in here,” she says. Overall the look of the space is a mix of traditional and clean-lined modern, with a few industrial dashes.
The gray floor tile adds a warm touch and resembles both limestone and concrete.
Find an interior designer on Houzz
The laundry room measures 7 feet, 8 inches by 6 feet, 11 inches and has two pocket doors that take up a good bit of wall space. So Fee concentrated the storage around the machines on the longest expanse. The tall cabinet to the left of the machines accommodates brooms and mops, one cabinet over the machines is for soaps and other laundry supplies, and the others have room for pool towels.
The front-loading washer and dryer sit atop pedestals. The added height from the pedestals makes loading and unloading easier.
Cabinets: Verona Vanities
Hire a local cabinet pro
The front-loading washer and dryer sit atop pedestals. The added height from the pedestals makes loading and unloading easier.
Cabinets: Verona Vanities
Hire a local cabinet pro
For hand-washing, she fit in a white apron-front cast iron sink and used coordinating white quartz on the countertop. The faucet has an integrated sprayer with three adjustable settings.
The glass-paneled, transitional-style custom pocket doors extend all the way to the ceiling. This photo was taken from the doorway to the great room, and the doorway seen here leads to the pool bath. The black paint on the doors matches the paint on the cabinetry.
Ceiling paint: Ceiling Bright White, Sherwin-Williams; sink and faucet: Kohler
Shop for a white apron-front sink
The glass-paneled, transitional-style custom pocket doors extend all the way to the ceiling. This photo was taken from the doorway to the great room, and the doorway seen here leads to the pool bath. The black paint on the doors matches the paint on the cabinetry.
Ceiling paint: Ceiling Bright White, Sherwin-Williams; sink and faucet: Kohler
Shop for a white apron-front sink
The laundry room has some industrial dashes as well. The black iron drying rod, polished stainless steel faucet and hardware, and canvas hamper on casters lend the look.
More on Houzz
How to Remodel the Laundry Room
Browse newly featured laundry rooms
Shop for laundry room products
More on Houzz
How to Remodel the Laundry Room
Browse newly featured laundry rooms
Shop for laundry room products
Related Products
Related Stories
Trending Now
The 10 Most Popular Laundry Rooms So Far in 2024
By Becky Harris
Get clever design ideas like a tuckaway ironing board, a pull-down sprayer faucet, expandable drying racks and more
Full Story
Events
5 Fresh Laundry Appliance Trends for 2024
Check out the lean, green, powerful and smart washers and dryers showcased at the KBIS 2024 trade event
Full Story
New This Week
New This Week: 10 Laundry Rooms Full of Fresh Ideas
See how design and remodeling pros create well-equipped laundry spaces that can brighten your day (not just your whites)
Full Story
Organizing
How to Design a Laundry Area That’s Easy to Keep Organized
A professional home organizer shares her tips for creating a functional and orderly laundry area
Full Story
Trending Now
The Top 10 Laundry Rooms of 2023
By Becky Harris
Get ideas for stylish color palettes, smart drying strategies and more from these most-saved photos of the year
Full Story
Trending Now
Top 10 New Laundry Rooms Right Now
By Becky Harris
Find inspiration for storage and style, as well as clever ways to air-dry clothes, in these most-saved photos on Houzz
Full Story
New This Week
8 Impressive New Laundry Rooms
Design and remodeling pros, including one found on Houzz, share ideas for colors, materials, storage and more
Full Story
New This Week
4 Stylish New Laundry Rooms
Pros share ideas for color, pattern and features that raise the drying bar on how a laundry space can look and feel
Full Story
Trending Now
The 10 Most Popular Laundry Rooms of Spring 2023
By Becky Harris
Get ideas for storage, style and air-drying clothes in these most-saved new photos on Houzz
Full Story
Trending Now
10 Most Popular Laundry Rooms So Far in 2023
By Becky Harris
See the smart layouts, soothing color palettes and elevated finishes from the most-saved laundry room photos of the year
Full Story
Very nice use of the space, and the pocket doors are a great idea. Glad to see the w/d on pedestals, because so many times we see them stacked or side by side w/o being elevated. I have a front loading washer that is on a pedestal, and it definitely made doing laundry easier when I developed a back problem. My dryer is an older model, but I liked the elevated washer so much, I had a carpenter build a box for my dryer, and now it's at a perfect height for me. Small things like that, and the design of this laundry room make life easier.
Tidy room with clever recess of w/d. Would be curious to see inside the cabinets and how they compliment the space functionally. Any photos?
I would not mind doing laundry in this space!