Shop Products
Houzz Logo Print
joanne_stevens67

Laundry room design help!

JOANNE STEVENS
last month

Spent the weekend ripping cabinets off the wall and peeling wallpaper on our laundry room. Also removed chair rail. Looking for some design help. It is a rather small room. We have selected tile. I have to say much of the cabinets we had were unused partly because they were hard to reach. We also intend to remove the washing machine/dryer off their pedestals, as one is broken.
We also would like to put a butcher block counter on top of the washing machine/dryer.

  1. How many cabinets? Could we fit a shelf or two? What size?

  2. Would a farmhouse sink with 36” cabinet work?

  3. How best to hang ironing board and dog leashes?

  4. Could we fit a small storage bench on one side ?

  5. Color wall paint to go with tile ?

Many thanks for your advice!

Comments (12)

  • Joseph Babcock
    last month

    How big is the sink cabinet right now ? 36 + washer and dryer could be a tight squeeze, you would need filler/panels on each side to support the butcherblock which are about an inch, and you probably dont want the cabinet right up against the door (or there may be a door frame in the way)?

  • Joseph Babcock
    last month

    You might also think of stacking them at the end, though you would have to move plumbing - the space is very narrow so that reorientation would give you more loading/unloading clearance and you could put a longer counter / have more space for the sink.

  • JOANNE STEVENS
    Original Author
    last month

    The current sink cabinet is 32”.

  • Theresa Peterson
    last month
    last modified: last month

    Your "before" room is not only narrow, it's visually narrowed because it has so many things cluttering up the walls. My thoughts:

    - Could you bring the machines "forward" and add a closet at the end of the room? This'd allow you CLOSED storage for things like the ironing board. You could still hang coats on the door to the closet.

    - Do you actually use the sink? My mother had a sink in her laundry room while I was growing up, and we literally never used it. I've never had one as an adult /never wanted one. In my opinion, losing the sink would free up a good bit of space /allow you to do some of the other things you want.

    - No, I wouldn't go with a full-sized kitchen sink. Nor would I use a farmhouse sink, which would project into the narrow space. If you keep the sink, I'd downsize it.

    - Why do you want the butcher block countertop? For folding? if you keep the sink, could you get a sink-cover that'd allow you to make that area into a countertop?

    - Are you married to keeping those big machines? I had those big things, and -- when they died -- I replaced them with smaller, traditional machines that were common two decades ago. Not missing the monster-sized things at all.

    - You say you're not using the cabinets because you can't reach into them -- that's largely because these large machines make it harder to reach things above them. I'm only 4'11", and -- now that I have smaller machines again -- I can reach the bottom shelf of my cabinets. I keep emergency food storage in the upper shelves.

    - If you rearrange so you can reach into the cabinets, could you hang the dog leashes INSIDE the cabinets? Maybe a pegboard on the inside of a cabinet door?

    - No to a storage bench -- you don't have the space. Not unless you give up the sink /put the bench in its place. If you keep the sink, could you go with a trough sink and have open shelves for shoes underneath?

    - Someone suggested stacking the machines. Before you go that direction consider whether you're tall enough to adequately reach the dryer (I'm not -- again, 4'11"); go down to Lowes and reach into their machines. Also ask yourself, how will you pull stacked machines out from the wall to clean the lint? I'm all about fire safety.

    - You didn't mention the hang-to-dry space over the sink. Is this something you're currently using? I hang LOTS of stuff to dry, and I'd definitely use it, but -- if you're not -- this would be a great spot for a shelf.

  • Connecticut Yankeeeee
    last month

    If you’d consider it, look at smaller top loaders as Theresa has suggested. The laundry in my other house was as narrow as yours and we have big front loaders. I downsized to smaller top loaders and I made sure I could reach the dryer bottom. Mine are Samsung; great price from Costco but I would not recommend because the dryer has already been repaired once. I don’t miss the huge machines and am still able to wash king sized bedding.

  • JOANNE STEVENS
    Original Author
    last month

    Practically speaking I can’t afford to switch out our washer/dryer at this point but would consider it in the future. We do use the slop sink for things like cleaning paint brushes etc. I usually hang clothes on a separate drying rack and use a hanger hung on the rod over the sink to let things like bathing suits drip dry etc.

  • Mrs Pete
    last month
    last modified: last month

    Practically speaking I can’t afford to switch out our washer/dryer at this point but would consider it in the future. We do use the slop sink for things like cleaning paint brushes etc. I usually hang clothes on a separate drying rack and use a hanger hung on the rod over the sink to let things like bathing suits drip dry etc.

    - Using the machines you have until they won't go any more IS practical. Like Joanne, I don't miss my big machines at all. Just keep your space flexible so you could bring in machines of a different size in the future.

    - OP, how often do you clean paint brushes, etc.? Where else in the house could you do these messy chores? Which do you do more often, Come home /need space for shoes, etc. OR wash paint brushes and other messy things? The question is, what's the best use of the limited space you have?

    - If you're not using that drying rack, the space could be re-purposed into an open shelf for quick-grab items.

  • JOANNE STEVENS
    Original Author
    last month

    We probably use that sink once a week. My husband uses it to clean out aquarium etc so he is dumping buckets of water in there. Washing paint brushes not as often.

  • Theresa Peterson
    last month

    We probably use that sink once a week. My husband uses it to clean out aquarium etc so he is dumping buckets of water in there. Washing paint brushes not as often.

    So the two questions are:

    - Is that once a week use enough to justify the space the sink takes in this room?

    - If this sink weren't available, what other option would your husband have?

  • VAval
    last month

    It sounds like you need the sink. Done.
    Taking the units off the pedestals will certainly help the “reachability” (new word!) of the cabinets overhead, but you’re right, having cabinets way way up there is not really storage, it’s a pain. We decided to forego the useless sky high cabinets and added a soffit with the much more advantageous, in our mind, overhead lighting. And we love the folding service spanning the 2 units. I’d go for that. Our laundry rooms are a very different shape, but both small. I hope this fix helps you. Forgive the green 😂. I love green.

  • JOANNE STEVENS
    Original Author
    last month

    Absolutely need the sink. Can’t seem to see the pics you posted. Could you repost? Vaval

  • JOANNE STEVENS
    Original Author
    last month

    Nevermind! See it now