The Laundry Room Is One Of Our Favorite Rooms–And Here's Why

“The number one thing people want in a remodel or new home is a dedicated laundry room on an upper floor—not in the basement,” says Eric Hagerman, content director at Consumer Reports. Because the laundry has evolved into a primary room in the house, its style often rivals that of the kitchen or master bath. “Clients want their experiences in these utilitarian spaces to be calming, well detailed, and free of clutter,” says Andrew Cogar, president of Historical Concepts, a planning and architecture firm based in Atlanta and New York.

Trends such as farmhouse sinks, retro light fixtures, navy cabinetry, open shelving, and quartzite countertops are not just for kitchens anymore. In this laundry room, designer Monica Stewart of The Misfit House in Athens, GA, added a low-mounted sink from Signature Hardware to not only use for soaking but also a kids’ mess station. She also suggests forgoing the washer and dryer pedestals to create more space for an accessible folding counter, and to keep the cabinets within arm’s reach.

Laundry rooms that are located adjacent to main-floor mudrooms and kitchens are also a popular option, as well as having two laundry centers for greater convenience. “We’ve been placing a stackable washer/dryer in a main-floor master closet and then putting the larger central laundry room in a spot upstairs that is closer to where all of the children’s bedrooms are,” says Jason Black of Artisan Signature Homes, a Southern Living Custom Builder member who’s based in Prospect, Kentucky.