13 Inspiring Laundry Rooms That Will Help Make Yours a Favorite Place in the Home

Jacksonville, Florida–based designer Andrew Howard brought a storied South Carolina estate back to life last year, and its laundry room ended up topping our Best VERANDA Rooms of 2019 list.

This room is the perfect blend of traditional and trendy, with earthy cabinetry (Pearle Green by Benjamin Moore), gold fixtures, and Studio Four wallpaper inspired by the intricate tile work of Morocco. And yet, it all feels subtly southern!

Although there was plenty of space to separate the washer and dryer, stacking them on top of each other allowed for even more storage to help everything have a place in this home. These gorgeous Chesapeake Tile & Marble floors tie the whole room together, bringing a lovely balance of feminine and masculine design.

Flanigan has more space to work with in this second laundry room project. But this room is more than just a pretty face — it’s designed to be durable for any mess that comes its way.

“There’s no reason a space made for everyday tasks, like a laundry room, can’t be beautiful. For this room, I focused on choosing finishes and materials that will withstand wear and tear,” Flanigan says. “Virginia Mist granite countertops lend strength to the muted cabinetry and antique brass fixtures.”

This beautiful charcoal washer/dryer duo actually found its proper place in designer Susan Ferrier’s closet. She worked closely with Calais McGuinness of California Closets to make this room as functional — and fashionable — as possible.

After analyzing Ferrier’s schedule, McGuinness decided storing the washer and dryer in Ferrier’s closet in the same space where she picks out her clothes every day made the most sense for her. Gorgeous curtains utilized throughout the rest of the closet are a simple solution for hiding the stacked washer and dryer, allowing them to blend in with the rest of the space. Now there’s no excuse not to toss in a load at the end of the day, no matter how much you despise doing laundry!

"I wanted to have a laundry that didn’t feel like a utility space, hence the artwork,” says Kate Walker, of Kate Walker Design, based in Victoria, Australia. “It makes it a really considered room, one that’s beautiful to be in, and I get lost in that painting when taking care of the boring laundry duties!”

Walker says designing this ever-important space for her home meant prioritizing function, as this space wasn’t exactly massive. It also serves as the family entrance and mudroom, where shoes, school bags, and sports gear often find their homes, so built-in storage space was essential for her laundry room.

Walker says she personally loves having a washer and dryer separated by a sink so that you can take the clothes out of the washing machine and into the sink to sort before tossing items into the dryer or hanging them up to dry. She also has a built-in drying room, which is ideal for those with busy schedules who don’t typically have time during the day to take washing off the line.

Leave it to iconic French designer Jean-Louis Deniot to masquerade this bar and laundry room in a client's Parisian pied-à-terre as a true work of art. He playfully described this gold-and-silver-leafed space “a mini nightclub.”

The machines and soap are hidden behind the lower doors, while the upper doors hide the booze and all the glasses,” explains Deniot in our January/February 2020 issue. Whether you’re working within a smaller space, second home, or are just looking to utilize more space for entertaining, opting for a statement room that doubles as both a bar and laundry room is quite a stunning solution to any and all of these problems.

Atlanta-based designer Clary Bosbyshell lets her laundry room double as a potting room for arranging and planting flowers.

“Because laundry is not my most favorite chore, I wanted to make my laundry room a beautiful place,” Bosbyshell says. “I wallpapered the room, then added cabinetry and new hardware to have a place for storage. I love having a sink because the space can then double as my flower-arranging room as well.”

There’s also plenty of room for your favorite furry friend to lounge nearby as you sort laundry or dream up a new bouquet for the dining room.

This charming, rustic laundry room belongs to Heather Chadduck Hillegas, of Heather Chadduck Interiors in Birmingham, Alabama.

“It seemed appropriate to decorate with black and white in the laundry room of our 100-year-old farmhouse,” she says. “The custom concrete sink was designed especially for the space and makes the narrow room more functional.”

The elegant sconces are original to the house, while Hillegas used Peter Fasano’s chicken wire “coup” wallpaper on the ceiling and as curtains. And no farmhouse laundry room is complete without an oversize sink!

Most of us can agree with Meera Pendrad, of First Sense Interiors, when she says she wanted to design a laundry room that actually got her excited to spend time in the space (even if it was to do laundry). It was also important for her to make the most of an odd, narrow room.

“Too many utility rooms are unloved and stark as people think they are just a room for chores,” the Nottingham, England–based designer says. “But isn’t that the very reason they should be pretty rooms, so chores don’t feel like chores?”

Pendrad also had a long hanging rack installed along the wall of the room to ensure she’d have plenty of space to hang-dry clothes. Extra storage and shelving ensure there’s plenty of room to keep the rest of the house organized, while fresh flowers, gold fixtures, and gorgeous Mistral countertops offer a bright and airy feel.

This serene space was designed by Shea McGee of Studio McGee, based in Salt Lake City.

“The client wanted a lot of natural light to flood the space, so first we started with these beautiful, large windows,” McGee says. “The whole home was done in neutral, warm tones, and we wanted to bring that through to the laundry room for a softer moment.”

McGee says they brought functionality and efficiency to the room with plenty of storage and counter space, while instilling visual interest by separating upper cabinets with open shelving to display vintage art work and laundry essentials in glass jars. The family's hamper slides perfectly underneath a countertop instead of being in the way.

Emily Henderson of L.A.-based Emily Henderson Design says having a “jumping off” piece is always nice to easily navigate a design. In her case, it was the retro plaid blue tile that set the tone for establishing her laundry room as a peaceful, breezy space with a vintage feel.

“When it comes to designing laundry rooms, I like to keep things calm and light because doing laundry is anything but those things,” says Henderson. “So, keeping the color palette light with hits of blue — my favorite color — was an easy choice. Then from there, you need to think about organization. I worked with the wonderful people at California Closets for my current laundry room, which made all the difference in maximizing the space."

Thinking through your storage needs, or consulting with an expert, is a great way to ensure your laundry room will meet your needs. Henderson proves your laundry room can also be a fun place to showcase art, bringing in more vibrance and color.

This bright and cheery laundry room was designed by Lisa McDennon of Lisa McDennon Design. The Orange County, California–based designer says dreaming up this room was a true battle of the sexes.

The clients for this Laguna Beach design project agreed on everything design-wise, except the use of heavy pattern and wallpaper, so this beautiful laundry room got to be the wife’s heavy-patterned, wallpapered paradise! The laundry room is the perfect place to experiment with pattern and color, whether you're content with your personal style or exploring your tastes.

“I think anyone would love to spend time doing laundry in this space,” McDennon says. “The vaulted ceilings, the beautiful light pouring into the steel and glass window, and the layering of the soft and bold patterns really coordinate well with each other without overwhelming this fairly small space.”