Brunswick Parlour transforms a Victorian cottage into a hard-working, personalised home for a family of four. Our clients loved the character of their Brunswick terrace home, but not its inefficient floor plan and poor year-round thermal control. They didn't need more space, they just needed their space to work harder. The front bedrooms remain largely untouched, retaining their Victorian features and only introducing new cabinetry. Meanwhile, the main bedroom’s previously pokey en suite and wardrobe have been expanded, adorned with custom cabinetry and illuminated via a generous skylight. At the rear of the house, we reimagined the floor plan to establish shared spaces suited to the family’s lifestyle. Flanked by the dining and living rooms, the kitchen has been reoriented into a more efficient layout and features custom cabinetry that uses every available inch. In the dining room, the Swiss Army Knife of utility cabinets unfolds to reveal a laundry, more custom cabinetry, and a craft station with a retractable desk. Beautiful materiality throughout infuses the home with warmth and personality, featuring Blackbutt timber flooring and cabinetry, and selective pops of green and pink tones. The house now works hard in a thermal sense too. Insulation and glazing were updated to best practice standard, and we’ve introduced several temperature control tools. Hydronic heating installed throughout the house is complemented by an evaporative cooling system and operable skylight. The result is a lush, tactile home that increases the effectiveness of every existing inch to enhance daily life for our clients, proving that good design doesn’t need to add space to add value.

Estate Lane

Golden Builders Group, LLC

Photo of a small transitional single-wall dedicated laundry room in Dallas with flat-panel cabinets, white cabinets, laminate benchtops, grey walls, laminate floors, a side-by-side washer and dryer, brown floor and white benchtop.

Rickmansworth Property Development

Chantel Elshout Studio

Contemporary laundry and utility room in Cashmere with Wenge effect worktops. Elevated Miele washing machine and tumble dryer with pull-out shelf below for easy changeover of loads.

Victorian (Contemporary Style) Extension

Sally Feeney Interior Design Pty Ltd

Spacious family laundry
Design ideas for a large contemporary u-shaped dedicated laundry room in Melbourne with a single-bowl sink, white cabinets, laminate benchtops, blue splashback, subway tile splashback, white walls, medium hardwood floors, a side-by-side washer and dryer, brown floor and grey benchtop.

Rumley Lofts Renovation

Haven & Co.

D&M Images
Inspiration for a small industrial single-wall laundry cupboard in Other with white cabinets, laminate benchtops, laminate floors, a stacked washer and dryer, grey benchtop, white walls and brown floor.

Buchanan Renovation

Ferguson Construction

This home renovation project included a complete gut and reorganization of the main floor, removal of large chimney stack in the middle of the dining room, bringing floors all to same level, moving doors, adding guest bath, master closet, corner fireplace and garage. The result is this beautiful, open, spacious main floor with new kitchen, dining room, living room, master bedroom, master bath, guest bath, laundry room and flooring throughout.

Laundry Room Remodel

User

Design by Lisa Côté of Closet Works
Design ideas for a mid-sized modern dedicated laundry room in Chicago with flat-panel cabinets, white cabinets, laminate benchtops, grey walls, vinyl floors, an integrated washer and dryer, brown floor and white benchtop.

Light Modern Condo

DK Homes

Designed for entertaining and family gatherings, the open floor plan connects the different levels of the home to outdoor living spaces. A private patio to the side of the home is connected to both levels by a mid-level entrance on the stairway. This access to the private outdoor living area provides a step outside of the traditional condominium lifestyle into a new desirable, high-end stand-alone condominium.

Southern Charm

Jonathan Miller Architects

Design ideas for a country utility room in Other with a farmhouse sink, recessed-panel cabinets, white cabinets, white walls, dark hardwood floors, a side-by-side washer and dryer, brown floor, laminate benchtops and grey benchtop.

Stanley Residence

Jennifer Langford AIA CNU PA

Mark Koper
Mid-sized contemporary galley dedicated laundry room in Other with shaker cabinets, white cabinets, laminate benchtops, white walls, concrete floors, a side-by-side washer and dryer and brown floor.

Citylife Penthouse Apartment Laundry

Nicola Manning Design

Photography - Mark Scowen
Photo of a small contemporary single-wall dedicated laundry room in Auckland with a single-bowl sink, flat-panel cabinets, white cabinets, laminate benchtops, white walls, laminate floors, a side-by-side washer and dryer and brown floor.

Ascot Residence, Perth

Chalmers and Co Design

Timber benchtops warm up the otherwise clean white laundry. The long bench and overhead storage cupboards make a practical working space. Interior design by C.Jong Photography by Pixel Poetry

Basement Laundry Room, Summit NJ

CBH Architects

This large, light laundry room provide a great oasis for laundry and other activities. Kasdan Construction Management, In House Photography.
Photo of a large transitional galley utility room in Newark with a farmhouse sink, open cabinets, white cabinets, laminate benchtops, yellow walls, porcelain floors, a side-by-side washer and dryer and brown floor.

Lancaster Basement Remodel with Laundry Room

McLennan Contracting, Inc.

Rich "Adriatic Sea" blue cabinets with matte black hardware, white formica countertops, matte black faucet and hardware, floor to ceiling wall cabinets, vinyl plank flooring, and separate toilet room.

Beaches 3rd Floor Master Bath & Laundry

Carter Fox Design Build

This Toronto Beaches master bath remodel involved a complete redesign of the 3rd floor. Carter Fox expanded the bathroom and converted an unused bedroom to create a walk-in closet with laundry facilities. Photo by Julie Carter

Contemporary NZ Laundry Room

Fraemohs Homes

Space efficient New Zealand laundry configured for front loading washer and dryer. Convenient overhead storage and hanging rail.
Design ideas for a mid-sized contemporary single-wall dedicated laundry room in Christchurch with a drop-in sink, open cabinets, white cabinets, laminate benchtops, white walls, ceramic floors, a side-by-side washer and dryer and brown floor.

Embracing Space

7 Towns

Inspiration for a large contemporary galley utility room in Melbourne with porcelain floors, brown floor, a drop-in sink, open cabinets, light wood cabinets, laminate benchtops, an integrated washer and dryer, white benchtop and white walls.

Landa River House

Parker Homes

Photo of a small country galley dedicated laundry room in Austin with a drop-in sink, shaker cabinets, white cabinets, laminate benchtops, white walls, vinyl floors, a side-by-side washer and dryer, brown floor and black benchtop.

Arthur Addition

Imagine Inc — Home & Commercial Design

Large traditional single-wall utility room in Toronto with a double-bowl sink, louvered cabinets, beige cabinets, laminate benchtops, grey walls, dark hardwood floors, a side-by-side washer and dryer, brown floor and beige benchtop.

Rickmansworth Property Development

Chantel Elshout Studio

Contemporary laundry and utility room in Cashmere with Wenge effect worktops. Elevated Miele washing machine and tumble dryer with pull-out shelf below for easy changeover of loads.

Laundry Room Design Ideas with Laminate Benchtops and Brown Floor

Laundry designs seldom receive the attention they deserve, especially considering how often they’re used. A well-planned laundry, complete with built-in cabinets, a laundry sink, washing machine and clothes dryer, can serve many needs. It can help simplify your household chores; store drying clothes and cleaning products; and can even provide a spot for you to groom pets. Because of its hardworking, multipurpose potential, a laundry renovation is a worthwhile investment. Smart laundry designs have layouts that save you time and effort. For example, a washing machine and clothes dryer should be positioned next to one another or stacked, and laundry baskets and hampers should be within easy reach; while an ironing board should be stowed by a power point. Ample storage, bench space for laundry baskets and practical lighting are also essential. Browse the photos on Houzz for efficient laundry ideas, from layouts and storage to appliances, and strike up a conversation with the designers of your favourite laundry renovations. For more laundry ideas, browse the Stories section on Houzz.

How do I add storage to my laundry?

A combination of storage solutions is key to running an efficient laundry. Include shelves above or beside the washing machine to store washing detergent, softener and other cleaning products; and laundry bins for dirty clothes. Consider a custom-built cupboard for an ironing board, so it can easily fold out when you need it, or mount the ironing board directly to the wall or on the back of a door. A retractable clothesline is a handy addition to dry delicate clothes, while a clothes hanger mounted to the wall is ideal for hanging freshly pressed shirts.

What else can I use my laundry for?

Multipurpose laundry rooms or utility rooms can help save valuable space in your home. The laundry sink can be used to bathe your furry friends; your laundry cupboard can store sports equipment, gardening tools and umbrellas; and a spare nook can be filled with a desk and chair to create an office space while you wait for your load to finish. If your laundry is at the front of the house, consider using it as a drop station for mail, mobile phones and keys. Include a bench seat or stool, wall-mounted hooks for bags and a coat stand and it can even be used as a place to get the kids organised before you walk out the front door.

How can I decorate my laundry?

Laundries are usually filled to the brim with appliances and storage, so take advantage of your walls when decorating and use cheery paint colours or wallpaper to make doing the chores more pleasant! Fun signs, posters, murals and wall decals will also add character to the space. Think of your storage as decor, too – look for bins and baskets with decorative touches, and use brightly-coloured or patterned hangers.