Small space laundry room ideas for smart solutions with big impact is exactly what one designer did when she created an entirely new laundry room utilizing the space she had.
My friend Diane Karmen is an interior designer and I happen to love everything she does! We shop together, and we both love shades of black and white. We often show up wearing the same thing…which is not hard to do when we typically wear jeans and a T-shirt, but I’m talking about the exact same T-shirt.
Diane has an incredible eye and is a great source of inspiration, so when she started talking about her laundry room makeover…I knew it would be more than a makeover and enviable. The decor is both warm and modern and free of clutter.
Doing laundry is always going to be a chore. But having a nice, functional laundry area does make it just a bit more enjoyable.
Here’s what Diane did to create her new laundry room.
Use the space you have
Diane’s laundry closet/small laundry space was in their upstairs hallway behind dated bi-fold doors. Going back 20+ years, when they renovated and added on to the kitchen, she knew they had the option to create a larger laundry room.
At the time, they just weren’t ready for another big project, but it was something she had in the back of her mind…knowing there was some space under the eave of the house that could possibly be used for a real, dedicated laundry room.
After talking to a few contractors and her original architect, who is a good friend, it turns out she was right! They were able to remove an old roof under the eave that was not supporting anything but had just been buried away behind walls. This created an additional space of about 10′ x 6′ which for the layout of a laundry room is quite significant. The former laundry closet was converted to a walk-in closet.
The space before the remodel
Diane struck gold when she found an extra room in their house! As a designer, she carefully planned out every aspect of the laundry room design to make it the functional laundry room and hallway she had always wanted.
1. Adding counter space and shelving
Along one wall, Diane added a countertop and shelves above the counter (I love open shelving) for some extra storage space. It’s also a great space for a few towels.
Since there was no natural light, Diane also added two Tilt Cone Sconces from Cedar & Moss to add some warmth to the room. Underneath the counter, she left the space open and used two Steele Canvas roller canvas bag bins for laundry baskets/hamper.
There is still plenty of floor space, and the floor tile is black, white, and gray, which adds some nice texture to the room.
2. Stainless steel sink with Lulani Nassau pull-out faucet
Along the wall next to the counter space, she added white cabinetry with drawers for smart storage solutions and a stainless steel sink. Diane used a Lulani pullout faucet in Steel Black. It’s the look she wanted, with the ease of the pull-out faucet to rinse the sink after use. It comes in several different finishes.
Next to the cabinetry for all the laundry room essentials (stain removers, dryer sheets, detergent) are the washing machine and dryer. And if you were really tight on space, you could also do a stacked washer and dryer and take advantage of the vertical space.
3. Wall hanging dryer rack
On the open wall, she installed a Swedish Utility Rack/drying rack from Schoolhouse Electric. It’s a nice design element and also the perfect accessory for hanging fine washables and exercise clothes.
4. The hallway
As with most home renovation projects – especially older homes – one project leads to the next, as it did in this case. The hallway was once a dark space with textured walls, and without ventilation, it was terribly hot in the summer. They opted to install a Mitsubishi Electric split heat and cooling unit mounted strategically in front of the door to the laundry room. So, it keeps the laundry room cool while keeping the upstairs hallway cool as well.
Diane wanted to install a wide shiplap as she used it in other parts of her home, but her contractor came up with an idea to get the look of a shiplap, but for less money. He used MDF and cut grooves 8″ apart, making it look like it’s shiplap, but it’s just one piece of wood.
The matte black Emtek Hardware, the floor thresholds painted gloss black, and the large Alabax lights make this space shine!
Emtek Hardware in Matte black & Large Alabax Schoolhouse Electric lights make a big impact in Diane’s hallway.
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It’s all in the details
a. Cedar & Moss Sconce // b. measuring cup (sold out; this one is similar) // c. Flush Mount Light from SchoolHouse Electric // d. Wool Dryer Balls // e. Anchor Hocking Glass Jar // f. Swedish Utility Rack // g. under-mount stainless sink // h. Nassau Pull-Out Faucet// i. Emtek Pocket-Door Hardware // J. Emtek Cabinet Edge Pulls // k. Emtek Round Knob // l. Steel Canvas Laundry Bin // n. Cashmere Brush // o. Laundress Sweater Comb // p. Murchison-Hume Laundry Soap
To find a dealer that sells Emtek Hardware near you, click here.
Want to see more of Diane Karmen’s Home?
Diane and her husband have lived in their home for 26 years. They have raised their two sons, who now live in LA. So now it’s just her and her husband, and she has the perfect laundry room…finally.
Kitchen
Outdoor Space
Guest Room
If you are local to the Fairfield County, Connecticut area, Diane highly recommends her electrician, JBG Electric. @jbgelectriccorp.
Thank you, thank you for this post! My husband and I are in the tail end of upstairs bathrooms renovations but I would love to do our laundry room next!! Our laundry room is a little larger than the one pictured but just like hers it has no natural light and you have to walk through there to get to the garage. Needless to say, love the drying rack, lights and flooring.
Hi Roberta! How nice to have an even bigger laundry room! I do loe tht drying rack as well! Schoolhouse has so many beautiful things!