20 Laundry Room Ideas We're Obsessed With

2021 Idea House Laundry Room
Photo: Photo: Marta Xochilt Perez; Design: Sarah Bartholomew; Styling: Page Mullins

If only there were a way to make laundry an enjoyable task. Just because it's a chore, the room itself shouldn't be a bore. What if we took a space about function and added whimsy, charm, and color to it? Enter our best laundry room ideas. Some of us loathe laundry so much that we end up putting it off, which results in complaints of no clean clothes to wear. Of course, the obvious solution is to do the laundry, but it is also a tedious task that takes hours (maybe a single hour if you have a fancy quick wash/dry setting on your machines.) But the room shouldn't suffer just because it exists for a purpose everyone dreads. We think laundry rooms should be cheery, fun, and inspiring to make up for the dull tasks they require. After starting the next load, put a pin in these inspiring rooms to inspire new ideas for the laundry room.

01 of 20

Dramatic Paint Color

Bold blue laundry room
Hector Manuel Sanchez; Styling: Page Mullins

Benjamin Moore's Slate Teal (2058-20) draws you into the small space in this Lowcountry laundry room. Custom cabinetry in the same dramatic shade adds extra room for miscellaneous storage. A window is always welcome as it lets natural light brighten this dreaded task.

02 of 20

No Laundry Room Required

Clutter Free Home the laundry
Photo: Laurey Glenn; Styling: Heather Chadduck Hillegas

This former coat closet now houses a front-loading washer and dryer. The painted louvered doors can close any time to conceal the dirty work. A deep-set hanging rack and white cubed shelves take advantage of the vertical space. White subway tiles along the back wall imitate the look of a separate room.

03 of 20

Add Style to Function

Idea House 2020 Laundry Room with Farmhouse Sink
Robbie Caponetto; Styling: Kendra Surface

In our 2020 Idea House, the Buchanan Construction team added custom touches like cabinetry paneled in warm faux leather and a built-in wooden bench. This functional nook is an ideal place to keep pet food, bowls, and leashes. Having the laundry room in such a spacious room helps lighten your stress load every time you enter.

04 of 20

Let the Sunshine In

The Laundry Room
Photo: Laurey W. Glenn

Chores are always more pleasant when you can look out a beautiful window. In this light-filled laundry room, designer Phoebe Howard chose green tile for the walls and stone countertops for the work surface. A coordinating fabric skirt underneath the sink provides extra storage.

05 of 20

Double Duty

Laundry Room
Photo by: Tria Giovan, Styling by: Matthew Gleason

We added space within the laundry room for budding gardeners in our Texas Escondido Idea House. Make the laundry room work as your very own flower shop. You can style and arrange while the washer runs with a farmhouse sink and plenty of counter space. A built-in bench provides a convenient place to set groceries and vases as you enter the home.

06 of 20

Wallpaper Wonder

Jacksonville, FL River House Striped Wall Laundry Room
Hector Manuel Sanchez; Styling: Barbara Schmidt

Who said the laundry room had to be boring? To keep this space from feeling cold, designer Stephanie Jarvis hung striped wallpaper that looks like it's been hand-painted. Thin, clay bricks in a traditional basketweave pattern make the floor feel like an old southern brick floor.

07 of 20

Make Room for Fido

The Details: Painted Ceiling
Photo: Erica George Dines; Design: Suzanne Kasler; Styling: Lindsey Ellis Beatty

In this Atlanta home, designer Suzanne Kasler created a built-in nook bed for a comfortable dog bed. A spacious sink and quality counter space leave plenty of room for folding laundry and other chores. High-gloss lilac paint adds interest to the ceiling and draws the eyes above.

08 of 20

Reinvent Cocktail Hour

Fran Keenan Birmingham Cottage Mudroom, Bar, Laundry Room
Photo: Hector Manuel Sanchez; Design and Styling: Fran Keenan

Designer Fran Keenan needed a multipurpose area: part laundry room, part mudroom, and part bar. The solution? She added a wall of cabinetry in the side hall off the kitchen. In that sliver of space, she hid a washer and dryer behind skirts made from Ikea fabric, set up a bar in the above cabinets, and placed a prep sink to the side.

09 of 20

Island Time

Sherwin-Williams Grecian Ivory (SW 7541)
Laurey W. Glenn; Styling: Liz Strong

When you're in a home by the sea, sheets and towels pile up. The design team chose stackable washer and dryer units for our 2019 Idea House in Crane Island, Florida. A handsome integrated farmhouse sink and slate counter hide dirt well while coordinating with the tile floor.

10 of 20

Keep Things Pretty

Hydrangea Wallpapered Laundry Room
Laurey W. Glenn

If you'll spend plenty of time in the laundry room, why not decorate the space to suit your taste? In her Nashville home, Sarah Bartholomew papered the walls with Quadrille's Climbing Hydrangea, and she keeps plants in the room. Above the washer and dryer, there's plenty of room to fold clothes or practice your green thumb.

11 of 20

Have Fun with Pattern

Red Laundry Room with Stacked Washer and Dryer
Alison Gootee; Design: Meg Kelly; Styling: Matthew Gleason

Just because guests may never see the space doesn't mean your laundry room can't match your style. Designer Meg Kelly used this whimsical wallpaper (Goa by Thibaut) as her design starting point. An easy-going green-and-white check print fabric hides extra storage space under the workbench.

12 of 20

Play with Appliances

2021 Idea House Laundry Room
Photo: Marta Xochilt Perez; Design: Sarah Bartholomew; Styling: Page Mullins

We all know how Southerners feel about a classic blue and white color combination. Have fun when choosing your appliances and use them as a statement in your laundry room. In our 2021 Idea House, Designer Sarah Bartholomew picked a large sink with hidden storage space to help rinse outdoor play messes quickly before washing.

13 of 20

Enjoy Eclectic Pieces

Alabama Cabin Laundry Room Painted Orange
Laurey W. Glenn; Styling: Kiera Coffee

If you collect art and have a few pieces that don't quite fit into the rest of your home, hang them in your laundry room for a touch of style in this private space. In their Florence, Alabama, cabin, EJ and Whit Brown display pieces from family, friends, and even thrift shop finds. For a sophisticated look, have your artwork professionally framed, she says.

14 of 20

Create Space for Your Lifestyle

White Laundry Room
Laurey W. Glenn; Styling: Buffy Hargett Miller

Plenty of under and overhead storage makes the laundry room in this 2020 Showcase House practical and functional for a busy family. Hanging storage for shirts and dresses, plus a large sink, make this laundry room a dream for any homeowner. The easy access to cabinets and L-shaped countertops elevate the space's functionality.

15 of 20

Indulge in Whimsy

No. 8 Indulge a Utilitarian Room with Whimsy
Photo: Eric Piasecki; Design: Ashley Whittaker; Styling: Heather Chadduck Hillegas

Designer Ashley Whittaker wasn't afraid to play around with prints and fun wallpapers in this laundry room. "You spend a lot of time in there, so why not make it pretty and fun?" says Whittaker. The tropical print wallpaper (Bamboo & Birds Beige by Bob Collins and Sons) has a glossy vinyl coating to protect it from moisture and water damage.

16 of 20

Go Big on Charm

Whitney McGregor Greenville, SC Laundry Room
Laurey W. Glenn; Styling: Lizzie Cox

This laundry room plays double-time as a mud room. Decorator Whitney McGregor kept the original terracotta floors on this enclosed porch turned laundry room space and painted the ceiling blue, making the room's atmosphere bright and airy without compromising practicality. Vintage prints, an easy-going house plant, and playful window shades ensure this laundry room is high in function and design.

17 of 20

Make it Vintage

Andrew Howard Home Laundry Room
Hector Manuel Sanchez; Styling: Liz Strong

This laundry room produces a nostalgic reaction to this space because of the checkerboard tile floors and mint green cabinets. The wallpaper adds to its charm but with an updated botanical pattern. Simple finishing touches like flowers and wicker baskets strengthen this laundry room's quaintness.

18 of 20

DIY Laundry Room

Laundry Room with Drying Rack
Liudmila Chernetska / Getty Images

Who needs a formal laundry room to create a pretty and practical space? Building a DIY laundry room can add quirkiness and a unique personality to your home. Without the constricting wall restraints, laundry rooms can extend over temporary cabinets. Also, you can tuck away this movable space when you don't need it.

19 of 20

Brighten with Color

Use All-Over Color in Small Spaces
Photo: Lucas Allen

Start your laundry chores in a brighter mood when stepping into a sun-yellow painted room. Yellow might not be an obvious choice for walls, but in a laundry room, there's space to experiment with bold, delightful colors. This space, paired with warm wood-toned cabinets, has a rustic charm that you can't help but smile when seeing.

20 of 20

Make it a Combo

Galley Kitchen Lights
Hector Manuel Sanchez; Styling: Frances Bailey

Love to cook, but hate doing laundry? Why not make laundry a little easier by doing it while cooking. Despite being a little more squeezed for space and storage, combining the laundry room and kitchen helps remove some of the isolation felt if you were stuck in a laundry room folding clothes all day. Everyone is always passing through the kitchen, so why not throw in a few loads of laundry while you are there?

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