7 Inspiring New Laundry Rooms
Designers share how they used stylish details and practical features to create laundry rooms worth spending time in
Many people find something therapeutic about doing laundry. Along with the work involved, there’s a subtle joy found in doing a task that benefits you and your loved ones. Folding your favorite shirt, your child’s socks, your spouse’s pants or your pet’s blanket — it’s hard not to stop and appreciate these little moments. And a well-designed laundry room can help foster those feelings. Here, designers share the stylish details and special features they used to create inspiring laundry rooms.
2. Palm Balm
Designer: Ellie Mroz Design
Builder: Michael Robert Construction
Location: Westfield, New Jersey
Size: 102 square feet (9.5 square meters); 8½ by 12 feet
Homeowners’ request. “The homeowner wanted a bright, whimsical and modern space that was cohesive with the rest of the home’s aesthetic but that was also practical and functional,” designer Ellie Mroz says.
Special features. Petticoat Palm wallpaper by Grow House Grow. Centered window for natural light and symmetry. Custom Roman shade. Built-in drying rack. Absolute Black Granite countertop in honed finish. Twelve-by-24-inch porcelain floor tiles. Custom built-ins by Michael Robert Construction (painted Silver Satin by Benjamin Moore) for storage, functionality and folding space.
Designer tip. “Don’t be afraid to go bold and add a touch of fun whimsy, especially in utilitarian spaces of the home,” Mroz says.
Pros Share 5 Laundry Room Features They Love
Designer: Ellie Mroz Design
Builder: Michael Robert Construction
Location: Westfield, New Jersey
Size: 102 square feet (9.5 square meters); 8½ by 12 feet
Homeowners’ request. “The homeowner wanted a bright, whimsical and modern space that was cohesive with the rest of the home’s aesthetic but that was also practical and functional,” designer Ellie Mroz says.
Special features. Petticoat Palm wallpaper by Grow House Grow. Centered window for natural light and symmetry. Custom Roman shade. Built-in drying rack. Absolute Black Granite countertop in honed finish. Twelve-by-24-inch porcelain floor tiles. Custom built-ins by Michael Robert Construction (painted Silver Satin by Benjamin Moore) for storage, functionality and folding space.
Designer tip. “Don’t be afraid to go bold and add a touch of fun whimsy, especially in utilitarian spaces of the home,” Mroz says.
Pros Share 5 Laundry Room Features They Love
3. Cottage Creativity
Designer: Leah Vitrano of Mindy Gayer Design
Location: Laguna Hills, California
Size: 123 square feet (11 square meters)
Homeowners’ request. “Our client wanted this to serve as a functional combined mudroom and laundry room with ample storage, room for a washer and dryer, a sink and bench space,” designer Leah Vitrano says. “The space is fairly small, so we had to get creative to ensure that all elements could be captured while also considering clearances. In addition to function, our client wanted this space to be an extension of the rest of the home with timeless finishes that also leaned into the cottage-y look and feel.”
Special features. “The flooring is a two-toned diamond terra-cotta tile that we felt was reminiscent of leaded glass windows on an old cottage home,” Vitrano says. “We added edge and center bead millwork above the cabinetry, which is painted in the same color (Escape Gray by Sherwin-Williams) and tied together the bead detail through the cabinetry profile and the custom Dutch door design.
“Each member of the family has their own separate locker space to hold shoes, bookbags and sports equipment. Other design details include Lava Black granite countertops with a leathered finish, a large apron-front fireclay sink and open cubbies with woven and leather basket storage.”
Designer tip. “If you choose front-loading washer and dryers for your space, as shown in this room, we love to raise the countertop above a standard height of 36 inches to add a counter for folding laundry,” Vitrano says. “In this instance, we have upper cabinetry above, but we’ve also designed spaces that have open cubbies for baskets and a hanging rod that sits above this countertop, since you want to keep a decent clearance above the counter so that it remains functional.”
12 Pro Tips for Planning Your Laundry Area
Designer: Leah Vitrano of Mindy Gayer Design
Location: Laguna Hills, California
Size: 123 square feet (11 square meters)
Homeowners’ request. “Our client wanted this to serve as a functional combined mudroom and laundry room with ample storage, room for a washer and dryer, a sink and bench space,” designer Leah Vitrano says. “The space is fairly small, so we had to get creative to ensure that all elements could be captured while also considering clearances. In addition to function, our client wanted this space to be an extension of the rest of the home with timeless finishes that also leaned into the cottage-y look and feel.”
Special features. “The flooring is a two-toned diamond terra-cotta tile that we felt was reminiscent of leaded glass windows on an old cottage home,” Vitrano says. “We added edge and center bead millwork above the cabinetry, which is painted in the same color (Escape Gray by Sherwin-Williams) and tied together the bead detail through the cabinetry profile and the custom Dutch door design.
“Each member of the family has their own separate locker space to hold shoes, bookbags and sports equipment. Other design details include Lava Black granite countertops with a leathered finish, a large apron-front fireclay sink and open cubbies with woven and leather basket storage.”
Designer tip. “If you choose front-loading washer and dryers for your space, as shown in this room, we love to raise the countertop above a standard height of 36 inches to add a counter for folding laundry,” Vitrano says. “In this instance, we have upper cabinetry above, but we’ve also designed spaces that have open cubbies for baskets and a hanging rod that sits above this countertop, since you want to keep a decent clearance above the counter so that it remains functional.”
12 Pro Tips for Planning Your Laundry Area
4. Crafty Collage
Designer: Whitney Romanoff of Meet West Studio
Location: Bentonville, Arkansas
Size: 41 square feet (3.8 square meters); 5½ by 7½ feet
Homeowners’ request. “The clients were expecting their first baby and needed a more functional laundry room for their 100-year-old historic Craftsman that could handle the added loads of laundry and cleaning requirements of a newborn,” designer Whitney Romanoff says. “With four cats at home, they also needed a spot to hide away litter boxes from their curious and enterprising pug mix, Ted.”
Special features. “We replaced the unsightly and impractical thick gray carpet with burgundy ¾-inch square tile and added a custom white penny tile border that perfectly flanked the washer, dryer and worktable and upped the vintage charm,” Romanoff says. “To add some much-needed storage while saving on extra materials cost, we repurposed and painted a storage cabinet from the home’s guest bath and added open shelving for easy access. We wrapped the room in beadboard paneling to add extra texture and charm and painted it all in Farrow & Ball’s Teresa’s Green, a cheerful shade of aqua that coordinates beautifully with the room’s real star — that wallpaper.
“We chose this fantastical ‘flying dragon cat’ Phantasia Tourmaline wallpaper from House of Hackney as an homage to Thelma and Louise, the couple’s rambunctious orange tabbies. Did we mention these clients have a sense of humor? They went for it immediately, and we love them for it.”
“Uh-oh” moment. “At the start of the project, we realized we had a major challenge in installing the client’s No. 1 wish for the room, a utility sink,” Romanoff says. “The sink needed to be installed on an exterior wall, which was clad in 100-year-old rock. Plumbers we met with said this would be nearly impossible or break the budget to achieve. Before we abandoned the sink, we got creative with the plumber to install the sink in a way that would meet code requirements by running the new water supply and drain pipes along the inside of the wall and facing it with new drywall. This created a small bump-out on the wall that took up minimal square footage, and it now serves as a helpful added ledge for storage.”
Shop for cleaning and laundry room products
Designer: Whitney Romanoff of Meet West Studio
Location: Bentonville, Arkansas
Size: 41 square feet (3.8 square meters); 5½ by 7½ feet
Homeowners’ request. “The clients were expecting their first baby and needed a more functional laundry room for their 100-year-old historic Craftsman that could handle the added loads of laundry and cleaning requirements of a newborn,” designer Whitney Romanoff says. “With four cats at home, they also needed a spot to hide away litter boxes from their curious and enterprising pug mix, Ted.”
Special features. “We replaced the unsightly and impractical thick gray carpet with burgundy ¾-inch square tile and added a custom white penny tile border that perfectly flanked the washer, dryer and worktable and upped the vintage charm,” Romanoff says. “To add some much-needed storage while saving on extra materials cost, we repurposed and painted a storage cabinet from the home’s guest bath and added open shelving for easy access. We wrapped the room in beadboard paneling to add extra texture and charm and painted it all in Farrow & Ball’s Teresa’s Green, a cheerful shade of aqua that coordinates beautifully with the room’s real star — that wallpaper.
“We chose this fantastical ‘flying dragon cat’ Phantasia Tourmaline wallpaper from House of Hackney as an homage to Thelma and Louise, the couple’s rambunctious orange tabbies. Did we mention these clients have a sense of humor? They went for it immediately, and we love them for it.”
“Uh-oh” moment. “At the start of the project, we realized we had a major challenge in installing the client’s No. 1 wish for the room, a utility sink,” Romanoff says. “The sink needed to be installed on an exterior wall, which was clad in 100-year-old rock. Plumbers we met with said this would be nearly impossible or break the budget to achieve. Before we abandoned the sink, we got creative with the plumber to install the sink in a way that would meet code requirements by running the new water supply and drain pipes along the inside of the wall and facing it with new drywall. This created a small bump-out on the wall that took up minimal square footage, and it now serves as a helpful added ledge for storage.”
Shop for cleaning and laundry room products
5. Happy Place
Designer: Kristyn Mednik of ERNA Properties
Architect: Antonio Scalise of Parallel Architectural Group
Construction: ERNA Properties
Location: Morganville, New Jersey
Size: 98 square feet (9.1 square meters)
Homeowners’ request. “The homeowner wanted a functional, organized laundry room but also a room that was pleasant to be in,” designer Kristyn Mednik says. “The vision was to make the laundry room a happy place. We incorporated timeless elegance with practicality. The challenge was to arrange the cabinetry where the homeowner could have the most amount of storage and counter space for their large family.”
Special features. Full backsplash in textured porcelain tile set in a herringbone pattern with gold glitter grout. Farmhouse sink. Marble-look quartz countertops custom-fitted around the laundry appliances with waterfall edges. Gray full-height Shaker cabinets (painted Edgecomb Gray by Benjamin Moore) with crown molding, gold hardware and custom floating shelves. Marble-look porcelain floor tile.
Designer tip. “The design feature we always provide that helps the homeowner envision their space is a 3D rendering,” Mednik says. “This shows an interactive preview of the room to understand how it all looks together beforehand. This allows the homeowner to gain a visual of the cabinet layout, colors, tile and room spatially to ensure this is what they want. It also gives them confidence that the design is going to achieve the final look they are expecting.”
New to home remodeling? Learn the basics
Designer: Kristyn Mednik of ERNA Properties
Architect: Antonio Scalise of Parallel Architectural Group
Construction: ERNA Properties
Location: Morganville, New Jersey
Size: 98 square feet (9.1 square meters)
Homeowners’ request. “The homeowner wanted a functional, organized laundry room but also a room that was pleasant to be in,” designer Kristyn Mednik says. “The vision was to make the laundry room a happy place. We incorporated timeless elegance with practicality. The challenge was to arrange the cabinetry where the homeowner could have the most amount of storage and counter space for their large family.”
Special features. Full backsplash in textured porcelain tile set in a herringbone pattern with gold glitter grout. Farmhouse sink. Marble-look quartz countertops custom-fitted around the laundry appliances with waterfall edges. Gray full-height Shaker cabinets (painted Edgecomb Gray by Benjamin Moore) with crown molding, gold hardware and custom floating shelves. Marble-look porcelain floor tile.
Designer tip. “The design feature we always provide that helps the homeowner envision their space is a 3D rendering,” Mednik says. “This shows an interactive preview of the room to understand how it all looks together beforehand. This allows the homeowner to gain a visual of the cabinet layout, colors, tile and room spatially to ensure this is what they want. It also gives them confidence that the design is going to achieve the final look they are expecting.”
New to home remodeling? Learn the basics
6. Open and Airy
Designer: Molly Hurd of Kipling House Interiors
Architect: Rehkamp Larson Architects
Contractor: Terra Firma
Location: Edina, Minnesota
Size: 54 square feet (5 square meters)
Homeowners’ request. “The homeowner was looking for a functional laundry room that could house hampers, a drying rack, an ironing board, a hanging rod and folding space in a very small footprint,” designer Molly Hurd says. “We wanted to incorporate each of these needs while still keeping the space open and airy.”
Special features. “The clients’ house is traditional with an approachable elegance,” Hurd says. “Since this room lacked natural light, we wanted to make it feel fresh, so we coated it in a powder blue color (Beach Glass by Benjamin Moore).”
The flooring is a cement tile in a deep blue with a white cross pattern. The hardware is antique brass. The faucet is polished nickel.
Designer tip. “To maximize space, we used an abundance of tucked-away storage solutions,” Hurd says. “We chose a rolling hamper that can roll under the countertop to store dirty or clean clothes while keeping the floor space open. The openings in the cabinetry above are large enough to fit a laundry basket to keep the countertop space open and free for folding at all times.”
Tile: Cement Cross in Federal Blue and White, Cle Tile; project photography: B2 Photography
Designer: Molly Hurd of Kipling House Interiors
Architect: Rehkamp Larson Architects
Contractor: Terra Firma
Location: Edina, Minnesota
Size: 54 square feet (5 square meters)
Homeowners’ request. “The homeowner was looking for a functional laundry room that could house hampers, a drying rack, an ironing board, a hanging rod and folding space in a very small footprint,” designer Molly Hurd says. “We wanted to incorporate each of these needs while still keeping the space open and airy.”
Special features. “The clients’ house is traditional with an approachable elegance,” Hurd says. “Since this room lacked natural light, we wanted to make it feel fresh, so we coated it in a powder blue color (Beach Glass by Benjamin Moore).”
The flooring is a cement tile in a deep blue with a white cross pattern. The hardware is antique brass. The faucet is polished nickel.
Designer tip. “To maximize space, we used an abundance of tucked-away storage solutions,” Hurd says. “We chose a rolling hamper that can roll under the countertop to store dirty or clean clothes while keeping the floor space open. The openings in the cabinetry above are large enough to fit a laundry basket to keep the countertop space open and free for folding at all times.”
Tile: Cement Cross in Federal Blue and White, Cle Tile; project photography: B2 Photography
7. Sunny Sanctuary
Designer: Leah Bolger Design
Architect and builder: Reynolds Architecture
Location: Glenview, Illinois
Homeowners’ request. “The homeowner was single at the onset of the project but popped the question during the planning of the house,” designer Leah Bolger says. “The laundry room was one of the two most important areas to the soon-to-be bride. She requested there be a window to allow for natural light, creating a happy, sun-filled setting. Equally important was to design a space with soft colors and patterns to create a lovely and calm setting. The space is appointed with built-in custom cabinetry, including laundry bins — darks, lights, delicates — drop-down drying rack and shelving.”
Special features. “One of the amazing special features about this laundry room is that it has two entrances,” Bolger says, “one from the upstairs hall and another from the primary closet, making it so convenient from the primary as well as a separate entrance serving all other areas of the second floor.”
The patterned floor tile is porcelain. The countertops are quartz.
Designer tip. “Don’t be afraid to introduce color for the cabinetry,” Bolger says. “If the cabinets are custom, allowing for unlimited color options, I recommend selecting the field tile first, as this material is more limiting.”
Project photography: Nathan Kirkman
More on Houzz
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Browse photos of newly featured laundry rooms
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Designer: Leah Bolger Design
Architect and builder: Reynolds Architecture
Location: Glenview, Illinois
Homeowners’ request. “The homeowner was single at the onset of the project but popped the question during the planning of the house,” designer Leah Bolger says. “The laundry room was one of the two most important areas to the soon-to-be bride. She requested there be a window to allow for natural light, creating a happy, sun-filled setting. Equally important was to design a space with soft colors and patterns to create a lovely and calm setting. The space is appointed with built-in custom cabinetry, including laundry bins — darks, lights, delicates — drop-down drying rack and shelving.”
Special features. “One of the amazing special features about this laundry room is that it has two entrances,” Bolger says, “one from the upstairs hall and another from the primary closet, making it so convenient from the primary as well as a separate entrance serving all other areas of the second floor.”
The patterned floor tile is porcelain. The countertops are quartz.
Designer tip. “Don’t be afraid to introduce color for the cabinetry,” Bolger says. “If the cabinets are custom, allowing for unlimited color options, I recommend selecting the field tile first, as this material is more limiting.”
Project photography: Nathan Kirkman
More on Houzz
Read more laundry room stories
Browse photos of newly featured laundry rooms
Shop for laundry room products
Designer: Paola Martinez of Olamar Interiors
Location: McLean, Virginia
Size: 196 square feet (18 square meters); 14 by 14 feet
Homeowners’ request. “This was a new-construction project and the owners are part of a large family — five children plus her parents, his mother and her brother live in this large home they built to house all of them,” says designer Paola Martinez, whose clients found her through Houzz. “They needed two washers, two dryers and plenty of space for the whole family’s clothing to be cleaned. The clients requested a happy, tropical-themed room that would remind the client’s mother of the Philippines, where she is from, as she is the member of the family that does, and enjoys doing, laundry for the entire family.”
Special features. “The most fun element is the wallpaper,” Martinez says. “It’s Thibaut’s Palm Frond in navy and green and I paired it with the beautiful blue-green in the cabinets and the fun faux encaustic floor tile.” The light fixture features strands of twisted jute.
Designer tip. “I love adding personality with wallpaper,” Martinez says. “Whether it’s one accent wall or an entire room, you can have so much fun by adding a unique wallpaper to your space.”
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