Home Home Organization 43 Laundry Room Ideas We're Loving A laundry list of inspiration for your next home makeover. By Katherine Owen Katherine Owen Katherine Owen is a writer and editor with a passion for home design. In her 10+ years of experience, she's covered everything from cozy Southern cottages to fresh farmhouses to sprawling mountain retreats. Her areas of expertise include home design and construction, gardening and pets. Her work has been featured in Southern Living, Birmingham Magazine, The Atlantic, Boulder Lifestyle, Log & Timber Home Living, and more. Southern Living's editorial guidelines Updated on March 15, 2024 Trending Videos Close this video player Photo: LAUREY W. GLENN; STYLIST: MATTHEW GLEASON 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. Your laundry 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. 20 Best Paint Colors for Laundry Rooms 01 of 43 Install Fun Flooring Cooper painted cabinets in the laundry room in Benjamin Moore's Gray Huskie, 1473. DANE TASHIMA; Styling: PAGE MULLINS A classic, large format checkerboard tile adds a playful feel to the hardworking space in this laundry room. To bring in color palette from the floor, designer Elly Poston Cooper splashed the cabinets with Benjamin Moore's Gray Huskie, 1473. 02 of 43 Incorporate Wood Paneling James Ransom While many laundry rooms are more for function rather than style, there are simple ways to have both. In designer Hannah Maple's laundry room, she uses wood paneling for wainscoting to add visual interest to a space she considers a "workhorse." 03 of 43 Choose a Dramatic Paint Color 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. 04 of 43 Think Smart in Tight Spaces 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. 05 of 43 Wow With Wallpaper 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. 06 of 43 Add Style To Function 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. 07 of 43 Let The Sunshine In 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. 08 of 43 Let It Play Double Duty 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. 09 of 43 Consider Every Little Detail At our 2023 Idea House in the Leiper's Fork area of Tennessee, designer Laura Hodges took a thoughtful approach to the hardworking space, outfitting it with beautiful details, like custom wooden countertops crafted by Grothouse, brass fixtures, woven shades, and a coat of Sherwin-Williams' Portsmouth (SW 9644) on the walls and cabinetry. 10 of 43 Make Room For Fido 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. 11 of 43 Reinvent Cocktail Hour 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. 12 of 43 Set The Room To Island Time 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. 13 of 43 Keep Things Pretty 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. 14 of 43 Have Fun With Pattern 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. 15 of 43 Enjoy Eclectic Pieces 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. 16 of 43 Create Space For Your Lifestyle 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. 17 of 43 Indulge In 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. 18 of 43 Go Big On Charm 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. 19 of 43 Make It Vintage 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. 20 of 43 Craft A DIY Laundry Room 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. 21 of 43 Brighten With Color 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. 22 of 43 Make It A Combo 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? 23 of 43 Create A Relaxing Retreat Charles Walton Sure, a laundry room needs to be utilitarian, but it can be beautiful too. Take the hard edges off this hard-working room by decorating it to be spa-like and serene. Here, a calming color palette, charming details, and dainty storage organizers ensure that this practical room is also perfectly pleasant. 24 of 43 Hang A Clothes Rack Photo: Laurey Glenn Once you launder and iron your best clothes, it just won't do for them to be thrown in a clean laundry pile or have to be smushed onto whatever available surface until you're finished with the rest. Instead, a convenient rod provides space for hassle-free hanging to preserve your starched oxford shirts, blouses, and formal wear. 25 of 43 Stick To Black And White Photo: Jeff Herr; Design: Monica Stewart, Misfit House A laundry room can be a jewel box even when lacking in bold, vibrant color. This one pleases with a simple palette that is striking but clean. Color only comes in to play through details and accessories such as potted plants. 26 of 43 Stash A Gift-Wrapping Station Photo: Kolanowski Studios Enhance the function of this hard-working space by adding another purpose to it. Dedicate a cabinet or drawer to everything you need to wrap gifts. With wrapping paper, ribbons, and cards, at the ready, you won't need to worry about preparing presents in a pinch eery time a birthday or the holidays roll around. 27 of 43 Arrange A Plate Wall Photo: Laurey Glenn Give your laundry room the same special treatment you give other rooms in the house. Just because you aren't welcoming guests to lounge by the laundry, doesn't mean that you can't decorate it with the same flair as your entertaining-ready dining room. You'll still be spending time in the laundry room, and should enjoy its looks just as much as anywhere else. 28 of 43 Create An Inviting Welcome Home Photo: Hector Manuel Sanchez; Styling: Buffy Hargett Miller If your laundry room doubles as a mudroom, make space for the stuff you and your family will need to come and go. Without ample storage opportunities, shoes, jackets, bags, and hats might be strewn about the room. Instead, hide away these things with bins, cabinet doors, and hooks so that these things aren't laying on the ground. 29 of 43 Hide Behind Closed Doors Brie Williams; Styling: Kendra Surface Every home has different needs and so many are arranged differently. For example, some homeowners find their laundry machines fit just off the kitchen or in another high-traffic zone of the house. If your laundry area is less of a room and more of a convenient crevice, tuck it away. In this case, barn doors can hide away the bulky machinery in a snap, and double as super trendy Modern Farmhouse decor. 30 of 43 Embrace Cottage Style Laurey W. Glenn; Styling: Kathryn Lott Cozy and cute, this laundry room has it all. Painted green, the cabinets are the peak style with spirited artwork to match. Warm and welcoming in more ways than one, this laundry room is also designed with adaptability in mind, as is the whole house. 31 of 43 Set A Focal Point PHOTOGRAPHY BY LAUREY W. GLENN; STYLING BY KENDRA SURFACE Color can be infused into the room in a myriad of ways. Splash vibrant hues onto the wall in paint or wallpaper, involve brightly colored storage options, paint the cabinets something cheery, or set your sights on the appliances themselves. The matching deep blue washer-dryer set in this room shine as the centerpiece, with subtle details around the room designed to match their colorful appeal. 32 of 43 Paint The Floor Photo: Laurey W. Glenn Don't stop adding interest to your laundry room at the walls—the ceiling and floors are open season, too. Painting the floors is an excellent way to add interest and makeover a space without construction. Decorate the laundry room floor with a checker print, pseudo-tiles, or any pattern you please. 33 of 43 Stack Up David Tsay Save space by arranging your machines in a balancing act. Have one installed on top of the other to preserve square footage that could instead be used for counter space for folding, a laundry sink, and storage space. 34 of 43 Suit Your Needs Chris Edwards; Styling: Kendra Surface In addition to washing and drying clothes, your laundry room may be a place of multiple purposes. In the case of this laundry room-mudroom hybrid, the designer had to get creative to manage all the needs of this room. Strong, conveniently placed hooks and lots of storage proved the solution to maxing out the requirements of the room. 35 of 43 Customize Your Space Laurey W. Glenn; Styling: Liz Strong Design a laundry room that suits your needs and tastes, but also one that will grow with you and your family. For one, this means not falling into micro-trend traps that will fade out of style. One way to ensure that your space will change with the times, is to include elements that may do so literally. Chalkboard paint allows these cabinet doors to be changed at a whim. 36 of 43 Incorporate Hard-Working Details Chris Edwards; Styling: Kendra Surface In a laundry room that's a tight-squeeze, there may not be room for too much embellishment. As such, designers have to take advantage of whatever little space they can work with. Choose details and accessories that prioritize both beauty and function so that you won't have to sacrifice one for the other. 37 of 43 Build In Stow-Away Storage Photo: Laurey W. Glenn With lots of laundry comes lots of storage space needed. Especially with a big, messy family, homeowners may find themselves in need of more storage opportunities and organizational tools to keep their laundry rooms in order. If space allows, a hollowed-out island with shelves opens up a world of storing possibilities, as well as extra counter space. 38 of 43 Sneak It In Photo: Francesco Lagnese Tucked away in a nook in the kitchen, this inconspicuous laundry area is pretty as a peach. While open shelves afford no secrets and are decorated carefully, the cabinet doors may be closed to keep your dirty laundry hidden. 39 of 43 Savor Small Space Laurey W. Glenn In this 660-square-foot cottage, ever inch matters. To save precious space, the washer and dryer are stacked and tucked away in the kitchen, parallel to the fridge. To make it all work, the designers used two standard cabinets to hide the machines and have wired in electrical outlets through the pantry. 40 of 43 Don't Break The Bank Kip Dawkins; Design by Ashley Hanley While the heavy machinery will likely cost a pretty penny, other aspects of the laundry room may be decorated without spending too strenuously. The need for many storage solutions, for example can be solved by a quick and economical trip to Target, designers' favorite spot of affordable organizers. 41 of 43 Invest In An Outdoor Laundry Room Photo: Dasha Wright; styling: Lynn Nesmith Outside, this Watersound, Florida beach house delights with open-air showers, veiling a laundry room inside. It's perfect for washing sandy suits and towels. 42 of 43 Max Out Space Molly Culver In the corner of this untiring laundry room, a small work space adds even more function to the space so that the homeowner can escape there for whatever chore necessary. Luckily, this space isn't all work and no play, however. Vibrant wallpaper in a playful pattern along with green-painted drawers and bright decor add up to a lively laundry room. 43 of 43 Play With Appliances 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. Was this page helpful? Thanks for your feedback! Tell us why! Other Submit