Homeowner’s Workbook: How to Remodel the Laundry Room

By: Mitchell Parker

“What’s funny about laundry rooms is that we’re in them a lot, yet we approach these spaces as an afterthought,” designer AJ Margulis says.

It’s true. There’s no standard laundry room size, shape or layout. Often these utility spaces are created in awkward leftover areas after every other room in the home has been planned out. Or they’re banished to dark corners of basements and garages. And yet you’ve probably noticed you’re spending a lot of time in that confined area. Shouldn’t that space warrant extra attention?

This step-by-step workbook will help you think through your options and plan some ways to make your laundry room function better and look nicer.

Step 1: What Are You Hoping to Achieve?

Why have you decided to remodel your laundry room? And what’s important to you? The answers to these questions will inevitably affect your decisions and, above all, your budget. Are you simply after more function? Or are you hoping to make the space look nice too?

Do you plan on working with the space you have? Or are you relocating your laundry room to another part of your house? Buying new appliances and adding some paint or wallpaper is one thing; knocking down walls, rerouting plumbing and building an entirely new room is another.

Another question you should ask is, “Why now?” It’s good to think about why this is the right time to remodel or redecorate your laundry room. Is this a one-off project or part of a larger remodel? If you plan on eventually tackling a larger project, such as a kitchen or master bathroom, it could be more cost-effective to wait and do everything at once, when you’ll probably already have a contractor, tile installer and other professionals on site doing work.

“If you already have a painter coming in or a tiler for your kitchen, get a quote for other spaces too, like your laundry room,” says designer Kirsten Krason of House of Jade Interiors. “You can get a better deal if they are doing more work instead of coming back a year later and doing a separate room.”

How Do You Want the Space to Function?

Laundry rooms aren’t always just about washing and drying clothes. “People tend to store all kinds of things in their laundry rooms, from batteries to flashlights to dog food,” says designer Margaret Donaldson.

So while you’re planning, think about the other functions you want your laundry room to serve and make sure you create room for those things. Many people also make their laundry room function as mudrooms; storage rooms for vacuum cleaners, brooms and sports gear; butler pantries; command centers for organizing family calendars and mail; home offices; craft rooms; pet rooms; and more.

The laundry room shown here was part of a new home and features custom cabinets, granite countertops and blue and green tile laid in a chevron pattern.

How Do You Do Laundry?

The way you wash, dry and fold clothes will dictate how your new space functions.

How often do you do laundry? Once a week or every day? If you have a large family with multiple hampers, maybe you want to set up a system of individual baskets that better organizes laundry for each member of your family.

Where do you fold clothes? Do you prefer to fold everything in the laundry room and then carry it to the bedrooms? If so, adequate counter space will be important. Maybe you want to consider a large island if your budget permits.

Or maybe you like dumping clothes onto the sofa so you can watch TV while you fold. If that’s the case, maybe counters aren’t vital for you and you’d rather use the space for something else, such as more storage cabinets.

Where to Put the Laundry Room

Also, if you like to hang up clothes right away, maybe you’ll want to make sure you get a hanging rod in your space. Have lots of delicates? Perhaps drying racks are in order. Do you iron often or prefer to use a steam setting on your appliances?

When do you do laundry? If it’s during the day, does your space have natural light? If not, could you consider adding a window? If you prefer to do laundry at night, maybe adequate artificial lighting is more important to you.

If you’re worried that your laundry habits might not be the most efficient way of doing things and you’re unsure of how you can make them better, it’s probably a good idea to bring a professional onboard for help. He or she can help you think through the way your space should function and even offer up solutions you might not have considered.

Tip: Any room can be a selling feature, make the best of each space! Dana Davis