I don’t love laundry, but I do love a laundry room that doesn’t stress me out. A dark, cramped space just makes a boring chore worse. The right setup, though, can make the whole thing feel calmer, easier, and waymore manageable.
I wasn’t expecting to care this much about a laundry nook, but u/MadDrewOB made the case for treating it like real decor, especially since it’s basically a mudroom that sits in full view of the kitchen.
The tight, built-in look feels oddly luxurious, like the washer and dryer got promoted to “appliance furniture,” and those perfectly sized basket cubbies scratch a very specific organizing itch. I do get the anxiety about future appliance sizes and losing folding space, but the trade-off reads intentional: less clutter, more flow, and a clean, finished look. And I’m with them on the sage green too. It’s not a “trend panic” color to me, I’d paint it and happily leave it for years.
This makeover from u/balanoff feels like the perfect example of “laundry room, but make it livable.” The black tile instantly makes the whole space feel intentional instead of builder-basic, and the built-ins solve that very real modern-house problem where you somehow have a big square footage number but zero useful storage.
Raising the washer and dryer is such a quietly smart move too because it creates room for a basket underneath and saves your back during the daily grind. I do have a tiny worry about future maintenance access, but the overall effect is bright, tidy, and genuinely easier to live with.
This space feels more like a calm, sunlit pantry than a laundry room, and that’s exactly why it works. The warm wood, shiplap, and open shelving set such an easy, breathable vibe, but it’s really the woven baskets that soften everything. I know they’re not as durable or wipeable as plastic bins, but I’d happily use them for towels and dry storage just for how much warmth they add.
What I love about u/BigmacSasquatch’s setup is how clean and built-in it looks without feeling fussy, just smart carpentry that makes a narrow room instantly more usable. I honestly wish I had the kind of skills to install a shelf like this myself without having to hire men over. It does come with real-life trade-offs like visible cords, airflow questions, and the mild dread of moving machines later for repairs, but the function and finish are so satisfying.
u/egibbys absolutely pulled a sneaky one here, because you scroll thinking it’s just “nice shelves, nice paint,” and then boom… the cedar wall shows up like a plot twist. It instantly warms the whole laundry room up and makes it feel less like a utility closet and more like a little spa corner you don’t mind standing in.
I also like that the styling stays simple: clean white cabinets, open shelves that aren’t overstuffed, and just enough greenery to soften all the hard edges. The cedar is the star, and it earns it. Bonus points for the practical nerd details too, like the vinegar + steel wool wash for that soft, weathered tone, and the fact that the wood held up fine in their dry climate.
Not every home has the luxury of a full laundry room (or even space for both machines), so I really appreciate setups like this that make a single washer feel intentional, not like a compromise. The warm wood counter and that soft sage cabinet color instantly calm the whole corner down, and the woven baskets make it feel collected and cozy instead of “random storage.”
u/bradleygkv’s laundry room reno as a Christmas present for his wife is one of those “wait… why does this feel like a boutique hotel?” upgrades. The butcher block warms everything up, the shelves keep it airy, and the whole setup looks calm in a way that almost makes laundry feel less annoying.
One thing I have to ask myself is “can she even reach those shelves?” This is the kind of space where the top shelf becomes “seasonal decor + backstock you forget exists” and the real MVP is the counter staying clear.
Also, the removable countertop idea (felt strips) is genius for future repairs, and a hanging rail would bring back that missing “hang-to-dry” function without ruining the clean look. Bonus: if you’re still using rubber washer hoses, upgrading to braided stainless is a boring little change that saves a lot of stress later.
Even if closed cabinets don’t feel as light or trendy as floating open shelves, I’m firmly on team doors here. I love how setups like this keep the visual noise in check, no mismatched detergent bottles, no half-used sprays ruining the mood.
Proof that a laundry room doesn’t have to feel sad or purely utilitarian. The deep blue paint paired with that leafy wallpaper completely shifts the mood, and the framed prints plus warm lighting make it feel calm instead of chore-heavy.
What really stands out is the editing, hiding the chaos behind doors and keeping only the useful, calming pieces in sight. It feels mentally lighter, not just prettier. You can tell this was hard-earned, and that’s exactly why it feels so satisfying.
Excellent work from likemelikemenot4ever
Soft florals and warm wood instantly make laundry feel less like a chore and more like a quiet reset moment. The open shelf styling really nails the balance here, glass jars keep things visible and tidy, while woven baskets soften the look and make everything look more stylish.
Going from a scary, unfinished basement to something bright and genuinely usable is what impressed me most about u/stereo_mike_’s laundry room. Paint does most of the heavy lifting here, especially on the floor and walls, and the shiplap ceiling is such a smart, budget-friendly way to deal with an ugly overhead. The mix of IKEA cabinets and a repurposed countertop feels practical but still intentional, not like a temporary fix. I also appreciate how clean and restrained it is, nothing overdesigned, just thoughtfully upgraded.
u/Ginger-Engineer really went all in here, and it shows. Even though the washer and dryer sit just out of frame, this part of the laundry room feels more like a custom kitchen zone than a utility space. The cabinetry is substantial and intentional, the kind you build once and live with for decades, not something you swap out later. I love that contrast between knowing the machines are nearby while this area gets to be calm, polished, and quietly impressive.
Meanwhile, all I managed to do in a weekend was roll around in bed and let Netflix autoplay judge my life choices, so seeing u/ihearttombrady pull this off feels both inspiring and mildly offensive. What I like most is how real the whole makeover feels, not flawless, not overly precious, just smart decisions made under pressure. The tile choices, the calm blue walls, the hanging rod between cabinets, all of it feels designed for actual laundry chaos, not Pinterest perfection. You can read more here.
This tiny laundry room makeover is such a good reminder that you don’t need a huge space (or even a full washer–dryer spread) to make laundry feel manageable. Stacking the machines was the smart move here, especially when storage is tight and every inch matters.
The clean cabinets and calm, happy color instantly make the room feel bigger, and the built-in counter creates a legit folding zone without eating up floor space. I also love that they planned for real-life stuff like access panels and vent/hookup reach, because pretty is nice, but practical wins.
I get way too excited over soft lighting, thrifted finds, and rearranging furniture at 2am. I’m here for the cozy chaos, the little corners that feel just right, and making a home that feels like you. Not fancy. Just real.