10 Great Laundry Room Ideas

AlexisAnne If nothing else, make it a space that you love to look at and that really helps!A fresh coat of bright paint and some repurposed storage was really all that I needed to take my space from boring to amazing.
http://cleansmartsimple.blogspot.com/2011/07/laundry-room-re-do.html

Adam My laundry area is more of a pass thru so I don't even have space for any of these suggestions :( maybe the stacked shelving would work.

Jennifer Bishop Design Thanks for sharing AlexisAnne! I was looking for a good adjustable shelf --"real life" laundry room to use and yours would have been perfect.

Adam...I feel you! I have a stackable unit in a closet with no space on either side to do anything whatsoever. I was in complete laundry room envy doing this book.

the_misfit I love the hanging ladder idea for shirts and stuff. I may be on the lookout for one now. I have a beef with under-washer things, though. The house we moved into has front-loaders (which I don't like - this "special HE detergent" business is irritating, and I do not see how a washer that smells bad is an improvement over prior technology. Also, it's always trying to outsmart me. I could use my old-fashioned washer to soak items in bleach overnight, and no worries about dragging bleach-sodden clothes all over the house or emptying buckets - straight into the wash cycle it went. Now, my "soak" cycle is 11 minutes tops. NOT ACCEPTABLE. And what about that last sock you find ten seconds after you press "start"? Guess you'll be washing that...next week). And the front-loaders are on giant drawers, which I gather cost $200 apiece or thereabouts (ridiculous. There's NO technology involved). I'm told this is to save one's back from the strain of bending, but I've not found it a strain (granted, I'm still young). What I would really like is a useable counter-height space atop the machines - currently not available. So now I have to haul the offending drawers to the basement, after lifting the machines off of them. Talk about back strain!

In sum: down with the front-loader craze!

tamiw85 Thank you highlighting our laundry room. This project was a for a contemporary space for a show home tour. You may notice we installed a wrapping table area above the counter - and we received a lot of positive feedback about the shimmer screen from floor to ceiling - covering the HVAC installed in the room.

bethdoherty the_misfit - I hear you! Buying a new washer/dryer and I'm bucking the trend and going with top loaders for all the reasons you mention.

Ivanna Yavorenko You guys badly need an editor. Have someone check the grammar before posting!

ginamoffett Hey misfit...i am with YOU! Was feeling like white trash for still having a top loader until we move into some temporary housing that has a front loader that is not on the prop thing....UUUUUGGGHHHHH hate everything about it...can't wait to get out of temp housing (2 weeks) and get back to old timey top loading...

Jennifer Bishop Design I do agree with some of you about the front loaders and being stinky. The last place I lived had a front loading washer that I could not get clean and smelling good for the life of me. I scoured the internet for cleaning tips and used specially made products with no relief. If anyone has any miracle cures for that please post!

dzinegurl The only thing I like about the front loading washer is that you CAN put a countertop above it, and in my small laundry room/mud room, that regained space is gold. However I did laugh out loud about the comment re: the sock you find 2 minutes after you start the load - so true! I don't have the smell that everyone else experiences and think it may be because about every third load or so is white towels and I do add a wee bit of bleach. I think it helps kill the bacteria, but not so good for the environment.

jenifleur I have a front loader and I Love it! The only con is having to wipe down the door and rubber fittings after washing. And leaving the door open. Mine has a "clean" cycle where I drop an afresh tablet in once a month or so. Our water bills have decreased considerably. I try to use detergent that is free of dyes and perfumes since these chemicals are very hazardous and will eventually cause the stink that can occur in front loaders.
That's my take on it. Happy laundering!

wheatnz Thanks for all the great comments about front-loaders. My "regular" set is getting pretty old so I'll probably be replacing them soon, and plan to spruce up my laundry room at that time. I really like the laundry room photos with a countertop over front-load machines, but am not crazy about having a stinky washer. I've learned that the remedy is leaving the door open to let it air out ... whoa, that's a deal breaker! I have cats and an open door into a little cubby would be a major safety hazard for them. Front-loaders are expensive and now I know they won't work for me ... thanks so much for saving me from a huge mistake!

uliej I have a Fisher & Paykel He washer. It is about 5 yrs old and love it. It is a top loading . Spins clothes real good. No need in a 2nd. dryer, because it takes the same amount of time to wash a load as it does to dry one. Have never had a problem with smell, but I have always left the lid open so the washer can dry out. I understand with a front loading that might be a problem. I would highly recommend it to anyone. It cut my drying in half. Have saved alot in electric and water bills.

kaelakeys Love my front loaders. I have a countertop over them & love using it for folding. During the holidays it doubles as additional counter space. I have never had a problem with my washer being smelly, but I always leave it cracked open. Three cats in the house, but none have ever ended up in the washer. We keep the door closed to the laundry room.

myhouse Adam - here is an idea for a pass thru laundry area. There is a small counter for folding on the left of the stacked washer/dryer. Jennifer - my front loader used to smell horrible....until I had the filter cleaned out and switched to powder laundry detergent. It's been great ever since - and I run the cleaning cycle with bleach once a month.

Tszuji - Storage for Life One of the most under valued rooms in the home! There is nothing so pleasing as a utility or laundry room that is both functional and aesthetic. If you are fortunate enough to have one it can provide much needed storage space missing elsewhere in the home. Think over door storage, over machine storage, seagrass or wicker baskets (which now come in a lovely range of colours with chic liners to add that little flair!) Potentially a true haven in your home.

joeb9113 Small space? Stack the washer / dryer and add a nice cabinet and counter top for your utility tub. Makes nice use of a small room.

fetters Good ideas, and one thing to keep in mind when designing your laundry room - if you ever have to have a repair done on your washer or dryer, think about making it accessible to the repair person. Too tight fits make it really hard to remove washers/dryers, etc. and that's what needs to happen during repairs. Stay away from rugs underneath appliances as well; they make it really hard to slide machines out to work on. the double duty design above would make it super hard for anyone to work on these machines. Also the countertop design, make sure those machines pull out easily.

kungerman Does anyone know the source for the fabulous fabric bins in the aqua striped laundry room?

givemelibc I've had a front loader for 8 years and never a problem with stink, even though I only learned in the past few months that you should keep the door open - which we never do. We use detergent without dyes or fragrance (All Free & Clear) and perhaps that has made the difference.

Jennifer Bishop Design givemelibc--I just looked it up some info on the image and the bins were from TJMaxx which unfortunately might be hard to still find.

kartwil I am in the same situation as Adam, but I'll try painting as AlexisAnne suggested.

merilee13 Have a HE front loader....have never had a problem with stinky. I keep the door open when not in use (not practical, I realize, for everyone) and once a month I add a cup of white vinegar when I'm rinsing my towels. But I will say I'm not a fan of the front-loader, won't be buying another one.

pmmolten has anyone tried incorporating the Asko Dryer Cabinet into their laundry rooms to conserve on space for the hanging of delicate items?

lizdevries i'm doing a new build and planning the laundry room I'd like to put a counter over the washer and dryer front loaders, but am concerned about the awkwardness of pulling out the units should I need to. Do people use a counter that can lift off or is it hinged? Please send your ideas asap.
Maybe I should do the custom tower on the side of the units as this will completely hem them into the 6'5" wall space- making accessibility difficult?

embracegrace My favorite feature of our new laundry room is the cubbies for each person's laundry. I'm a firm believer that part of my job as a parent is to raise my son so that by the time he leaves home, he is able to (among other things) make several meals from scratch by himself, clean his own bathroom, and of course, do his own laundry. He's only four now, but he puts his dirty clothes in his cubby and helps me put his clean clothes away.

Our missing sock holder gets put to good use, too!

http://www.dejongdreamhouse.com/2012/07/upstairs-laundry-room-tour.html

embracegrace Also, here's a great link on cleaning your front loader: http://www.ecokaren.com/2009/06/front-loading-washer-maintenance/

We've had our front loaders (we have two) for just over a year. No stink here. We make our own detergent, add 1/2 cup vinegar to each load and wipe out the gasket.

tapd0g I've had my front-loader for a few years now and no problems with smell. Maybe it's particular models that are more susceptible but I manually spin the drum when I've taken everything out to clear any water that's left, then leave the door open. I also run the machine empty on the hottest longest setting with some biological f/loader detergent every so often (once a month is recommended for the model). And I clean the pump out regularly too. My house has damp problems and is prone to mildew so the last place I want mold is in the washing machine! So far, so good.