Today, adding a family laundry room is quickly becoming a popular home improvement for many homeowners. The days of a pair of machines and a slop sink in an unfinished basement have given way to dedicated rooms upstairs in the living area. Like your kitchen, the laundry room is a high use space that can not only be functional, but can look great and add value to your home.

Dedicating a room in your home to all of the activities that surround doing laundry (washing, drying, folding, ironing, and sorting) can create a productive space that can cut the time spent on this chore. If you have the space in your home, a dedicated laundry room is a great addition. Let's take a look at seven recommendations you can incorporate into your design to create a functional space that will cut the time you spend doing laundry and add value to your home!

Creating a functional laundry

You need to put a little thought into your basic design. A good laundry room layout should make it easy to get your laundry into and out of the washing machine and dryer, be appropriate to the size of your house and be located in a room that fits your lifestyle and circumstances.

For example, creating a laundry room that is easily accessible to the kids rooms can help to keep your house in order, making it easier for your kids to get their dirty clothes out of their rooms and into a hamper! If you do laundry every day you'll want to keep the laundry room in a place that fits in with your daily traffic pattern. Sit down and map out how you'll use the space and really think about all of the activities that will take place like ironing, sorting, pre-treating.

The more you plan before you start to build, the better the outcome. If you are working with a designer, or design/build contractor they can help you to better define your wants and needs. Even if you don't have a room to dedicate, you can still create a fully functional laundry room in a small space or even a closet. With a little creativity and some planning a useful efficient laundry room can be yours!

Our 7 tips for a great laundry room design

1. Make it vibrant! - Keep your workspace bright and cheerful. Painting it a vibrant color like citrus tones or lime green can uplift your mood.

2. Add counter space – Counter space is important whether its for folding or placing your laundry basket or other items while you work. Create a custom look by adding a counter over your washer and dryer giving them a sleek built-in look.

3. Add cabinetry – Add kitchen cabinets around your washer and dryer. You can upgrade them with custom pulls and handles for a stylish look. Cabinets add valuable storage and keep your laundry room looking neat and organized.

4. Mount your washer and dryer creatively – If space is limited, consider stacking your appliances vertically. This is a great way to maximize your space. You can also mount them off the floor on custom drawers adding storage and making loading and unloading easier.

5. Incorporate creative storage – Open shelves, baskets and clothes bars are all great functional additions to your laundry room. Adding sorting bins for dirty laundry can save time. Have a minimum of three bins for whites, light and dark colors. Have the kids sort their laundry when they bring it to the laundry room to save even more time!

6. Use good lighting – Laundry rooms are often in dark windowless spaces. Good lighting is important. Add under cabinet lighting or large overhead fixtures to brighten the space. Good lighting helps you see stains that may need pre-treating before laundering. Be creative!

7. Add “hideaway” accessories – A wall or cabinet mounted ironing board is a great way to add functionality while keeping things organized and hidden when not in use. Clothing bars, sweater drying racks and other accessories can help maximize small spaces.

Taking the laundry out of the basement and adding a formal laundry room upstairs is a great upgrade that can not only make a regular chore more enjoyable, but can add value to your home. Whether you have a full room, a smaller space, or even a dedicated closet, with a little creativity and some planning you can add a useful efficient laundry room to your home.  

About Toulmin Kitchen & Bath Design - We're West Alabama's award-winning, premier kitchen and bath showroom. We're experts who are known for a design-build process that makes the construction process stress-free. Contact us to schedule an appointment for a design consultation.