How tall are YOU? I’m short at 5‘2” and I was never able to make a counter over my front-loads work for me. It was uncomfortably high and I could only reach halfway back. It was ok for setting baskets on, of course, but not for folding.

5'10" Good question. :-)

Oh, if you are 5'10" there should be no issue at all. You could even add a pedestal to the units and be fine.

You also have the flexibility to hang your upper cabinets higher, to allow for more baskets.

One you put a counter over the w/d, that counter will be at around 43". That is just one inch higher than bar height.

How tall are your upper cabinets and what is your ceiling height?

ceiling is 9'. We can do whatever we need to for cabinet height.

I'd hang your 42" cabinets at the ceiling. Doing the math, this would give you around 23-24" for a shelf and baskets. Not enough for 2 basket shelves, but one basket shelf. Then you could add a second shelf that is not as high for soaps, etc.

Carefully measure and plan.

Be sure to think about the required semi annual maintenance that requires moving the machines. The top of front loafers is already a suitable folding surface. No counter needed.

These are all of the questions I ask a client when designing a laundry room. Just one example: a divider between the washer and dryer is, in my opinion, unnecessary and is a killer for maintenance people.

You'll need a shelf for the laundry baskets, but since you do little folding, could save costs and make maintenance easier by using a removable shelf instead of a counter.

I would definitely use 42" cabinets all the way to ceiling. More storage space and no need to dust above them.

I don't know who created the rendering, but make sure space is allowed behind for hoses, etc.

I’d ditch the counter altogether and get pedestals. How much bending down do you have to do when the washer and dryer are that low? From your image it looks like the washer and dryer are pushed back to the wall but is that how it will be in actuality? There will be hoses coming off the washer and ducting to vent the dryer. How will you have access to turn the water off to the washer?

Finally, I highly recommend buying pedestals. I personally have front loaders and am about your height. The pedestals are great for extra storage, but they perform another function: They heighten the level of the front doors. This eliminates bending down when loading and unloading. Both the controls and the front doors are at a better height.

Still, the top of the units are at an appropriate height: about 53". Baskets above that can easily be reached. Of course, this change changes other parameters. The baskets would need to stay at about 10" height and you'd go with 30" cabinets to the ceiling.

Measure, measure, measure.

A laundry room should be about function and safety as the first priority. It’s the origin of a lot of insurance claims.

Be sure to think about the required semi annual maintenance that requires moving the machines. The top of front loafers is already a suitable folding surface. No counter needed.

I agree with access for maintenance which is why our cabinets are hung on the wall and the self and divider unit is all one piece to slide out of the way. However folding on top of the machines has in my experience been a recipe for socks or other small items that slip between the machines or behind them, often never to be seen again. In addition, don't forget to access to your water shut off. Ours is directly behind one of the doors.

How do you plan to replace those burst prone hoses every couple of years? What about that drain hose? When you have to replace the machine, how will you access any of that to replace it all? Uninstall the entire thing? How is it designed to make any of that doable?

I know you don't want to believe it live-wire but it is no less accessible than it was before the cabinets and counter went in. If/when the day comes to replace the machines, as I said above, the shelf and divider 'legs' slide out in a unit, just like a table. Not brain surgery. The shut off is accessible in case of failure but if a pipe bursts in the wall it doesn't much matter if there's a shelf there or not - the machines are still in front of it - hence the shut off. But you get to do your laundry room your way and I get to do mine my way. Chocolate and vanilla. The OP was asking for information on folding area and space for a laundry basket.

so what's the ideal solution here? No counter, just upper cabinets? I could save money and do a top load washer, then. Some of the connections will be recessed into the wall.

There is a happy medium between form and function. You don’t need a counter, you can move your cabinets to the ceiling and have room for baskets.

The top load Speed Queen is the BEST as far as I'm concerned. Much ado is made about folding.Fold/hang as you remove from the dryer. and promptly . : ) Set the basket atop the closed washer lid.

I'm not much a fan of front load wash in general.I like water and agitation. Unless you dig ditches, 50 minute wash cycles are absurd, as are the ten teaspoons of water. Hate it.

My wash is as clean and white as snow in 25 minutes flat.. Yeah........commercial Speed Queen in our building.