3 Laundry Room Solutions for Small Spaces
Think you don’t have enough room in your apartment for a separate space for laundry? Think again!
Here are 3 examples of smart solutions to create a functional, modern laundry room even in smaller homes.
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I love a good design challenge! And given that New York City apartments tend to take up a smaller footprint than most homes, there are usually a few trade-offs to make when it comes to certain amenities.
A laundry room, for example, is considered more of a luxury than a necessity, which sadly means that washers and/or dryers get squeezed into kitchens or hallways, for example - which can be both messy and unattractive - and a distraction from what could be an otherwise beautifully designed space.
In our ‘Prospect Park West Refresh’ project, the washer/dryer was originally in the kitchen. Something about clean clothing and cooking just don’t mix!
We moved a kitchen wall, and then shifted the bathtub in the generously sized bathroom. This allowed space for a perfectly functional laundry room to be built into the existing bathroom, complete with a window, and floor-to-ceiling, built-in shelves to organize linens and laundry supplies. Adding a sliding door keeps the laundry accessible, but also subtle and out-of-sight when desired. I like stackable models for their sleek look and compact, footprint - usually available in a 24” or 27” width in electric or ventless.
And the best part? There was still room in the bathroom for a luxurious walk-in shower!
Opposite the stacked washer + dryer, we installed floor to ceiling, built-in shelving to organize linens and laundry supplies in Prospect Park West.
With a slim footprint that took very little space in a luxurious bathroom, we created a fully functional yet hidden laundry room.
This now unrecognizable area is where we built our beautiful new laundry room in Prospect Park West!
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Just because it’s a laundry nook doesn’t mean it should feel like a chore to do laundry!
Instead of thinking of laundry rooms as forgotten ‘work’ areas that need to be hidden away…celebrate them! It’s where clean, fresh smelling clothes happen, so why not have some fun…?
Floral wallpaper is one of my favorite ways to add charm and delight to unexpected areas in the home. Some of my favorite sources for stunning, floral-themed wall coverings are: Hygge and West, Trove, and Serena and Lily.
Powder rooms and laundry rooms are two of the best places to add a whimsical touch of wallpaper, and because the walls themselves in these rooms are generally low traffic spots, it’s a great place to invest in some artistic wall coverings.
Here is an example from our recent project in Larchmont, New York - a beautiful area of Westchester, right outside of New York City.
Charming Laundry Nook with wall organizers in Larchmont, New York.
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This laundry room is one of my favorites! Even though it was completed a few years ago as part of our ‘Carroll Street Cool’ project, it’s still quite memorable for an example of a modern take on a laundry room. Combining functionality with the luxurious feeling of a walk-in closet, it makes ‘work’ into a much more pleasant and serene experience.
Shiny, brass accents keep things feeling fresh and clean, and if space is available, certainly consider devoting enough to your laundry room to really be able to stay organized (and to be able to close the door and hide it away when things are messier)…
Combo laundry room / walk-in closet in our ‘Carroll Street Cool’ project.