The laundry room: the place where everything comes clean. This most essential of rooms doesn’t have to be huge to be fantastic. Proof of this follows in this gallery of our favorite small laundry room ideas.
If you’ve ever lived in a home or apartment that lacked a laundry room, you know how valuable these spaces are—regardless of size. Nothing is better than being able to wash your own clothes whenever you need to, in your own space. No more searching for coins for the laundromat or hauling heavy baskets of clothing in and out of your home.
You may feel that there’s no room for a washer and dryer, especially if space is already limited in your house or apartment. However, that is almost never the case. We hope that these ideas show you how to add a laundry room or inspire you to give your current clothes-cleaning zone a laundry room makeover.
1. Small Laundry Room Ideas for Storage
As in any small space, a small laundry room presents certain storage dilemmas. It’s vital to have a place for everything related to clothes care, from detergent to dryer sheets. If possible, a laundry cabinet can be installed above the washer and dryer to hold laundry supply items behind closed doors.
A floating or wire shelf can also make the most of using wall space for storage. A shelf with a rod below provides laundry room space to hang up clothes that need to drip-dry or require ironing. Consider an ironing board that folds down from the wall instead of a separate one that will take up valuable storage space.
If you have a front-loading washing machine, you can place a board on top of your washer and dryer. This gives you counter space to fold clothes and a place to store your laundry basket. This type of project is easy for anyone with basic DIY and carpentry skills.
2. Embrace Modern Design Concepts
Modern small laundry room ideas bring the “less is more” approach to your laundry room space. Modern design has a clean, uncluttered feeling—perfect for laundry rooms. In fact, a small laundry space can actually appear larger with the neutral color palette and overall simplicity of modern design.
Metal laundry room cabinets or shelves add a modern touch to your small laundry room. Their reflective surfaces also expand a small laundry space visually. Empty your detergent pods into a decorative storage jar if you need to store supplies on an open shelf. A dark basement laundry room can brighten easily with modern laundry room decor touches.
Subway tile is a laundry room idea that adds a modern touch, as well as horizontal lines that visually expand the room. Even a tiny laundry room can become a beautiful work area with the right kind of tile and flooring. Put up a simple window treatment and hang a few black-and-white photos to modernize your laundry room.
3. Creative Cabinet Ideas for Compact Spaces
Most laundry rooms—even simple laundry closets—usually have one or two cabinets for storing cleaning supplies. If your laundry room layout lacks a cabinet, you can purchase a small floor cabinet to hold your supplies.
Under a utility sink is another good location for a laundry room cabinet. However big or small your laundry room cabinets are, organization is key to maximizing efficiency. Use baskets or bins to hold small items and keep laundry essentials organized. For instance, place all of your stain removal products in one basket and your sewing kit in another.
Ideally, keep everything you need for clothing care behind closed cabinet doors. This makes for a clean, uncluttered atmosphere in your laundry room. Making use of cabinet space also frees up valuable floor space. Open floor space is one design element that makes a small laundry room feel larger.
4. Smart Washer Placement
The washer is the star of every laundry room, but it can take up a huge part of your small laundry room layout. Fortunately, certain types of washers fit perfectly in small laundry rooms. A front-loading washing machine is ideal for a small laundry space because its flat top can double as a work surface.
It can be easier to use your front-load washer and dryer if they are on a raised platform. You can purchase ready-made laundry room platforms. These usually include drawers so you can store items beneath the washer and dryer.
If you have enough vertical space in your small laundry area, get a stacked washer and dryer unit. If not, you can forego having a tumble dryer and use a drying rack or clothesline instead. For a truly tiny laundry area, look for a small portable laundry machine. These mini washers take up very little room, but they can help you wash one or two small loads a day to keep your dirty clothes under control.
5. Streamlined and Practical Small Laundry Room Designs
Small laundry room ideas practically call out for simplicity. The last thing you want for a small laundry room is for it to feel claustrophobic. Keep clutter to a minimum and keep the room on focus with a simple, clean laundry room design.
A drying rack and an ironing board are two larger items that can clutter a small laundry room. If you can, store these items in your bedroom closet, walk-in pantry, or your garage. Or, install a drying rack that folds up against the wall. You could also install a ceiling-mounted model that pulls down when needed.
Subway tile, shiplap, and horizontal stripes are great small laundry room decorating ideas. Each of these expands the space visually without adding unnecessary detail.
Keep your color palette simple and neutral. If you want to use a bright color, that’s fine—just avoid busy patterns that distract from an overall simple vibe.
6. Light and Airy Decor Ideas
White is naturally an ideal color for any room dedicated to cleanliness. It is especially welcome in the small laundry room for its ability to brighten and expand the space. Even a small laundry closet feels clean and welcoming when it has white walls, white cabinets, and a white washer and dryer.
White doesn’t have to equal boring, even in the smallest of laundry rooms. Use textured white wallpaper or white beadboard to add crisp, color-free details. Follow farmhouse style and use natural wood shelves, wicker baskets, and dark metal cabinet hardware to break up an all-white background.
Black and white are a classic combination that works well in the laundry room. A small laundry room is a perfect place to install an expensive hand-painted tile or a black-and-white penny tile floor. Framed black-and-white photographs and black metal signs painted with laundry room sayings round out this classic design scheme.
7. Master the Art of Small Laundry Room Organization
Baskets are ideal for laundry room organization. For visual continuity, use the same style and material for laundry and storage baskets. Or, mix up textures and materials for a more eclectic, bohemian feeling.
Make your cleaning products disappear by transferring them to attractive containers. For example, put powdered laundry detergent in a glass cookie jar with an antique metal scoop. Hide laundry detergent pods inside a galvanized metal bin with a lid or in a ceramic crock. Liquid laundry detergent can be poured into unbreakable acrylic bottles and lined up on a shelf.
It’s important to make use of every square inch of storage space when you have a small laundry room. Hang your ironing board on the back of the door, or prop it between your washer and the wall. Use foldable laundry bags instead of baskets to transport clothes to and from the washer. Whether your washer is in your mudroom or its own little space, a bit of laundry room organization makes wash day a breeze.
8. Stacked Appliances for Space-Savvy Laundry Rooms
A stackable washer and dryer combination is perhaps the small laundry room’s best friend. These units’ narrow design will fit into just about any area where you have some extra space and access to water and electricity. They can be ideal in a mudroom, converted bedroom closet, or in your garage.
If you have the floor space, you can even put a stacking washer and dryer in a kitchen corner. Just hang a curtain to pull around it when you don’t want it out of sight. If you wish, hire a carpenter to build a small cabinet around the stacked washer unit. If there’s room to include a small pantry or storage shelves, all the better.
FAQs
What is the minimum size for a laundry room?
Ideally, a small laundry room should be at least 9 feet wide by 11 feet long. However, space constraints sometimes mean that you must utilize a much smaller closet or corner of an existing room. As long as your laundry area is big enough for a stacking washer and dryer, it will work.
What is the best kind of flooring in a laundry room?
Ideally, the flooring should be water-resistant. If you love the look of hardwood floors, choose a vinyl plank or tile flooring product that looks like hardwood. A small laundry room is a great place to install a high-end tile floor because so little of the expensive product is needed.
What paint finish is best for a laundry room?
Most people go with a satin finish paint in laundry rooms, bathrooms, and kitchens. It holds up well in active spaces, and most importantly, can be wiped clean easily.