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.

Peachwood House

Demardi.

Laundry. Elegant simplicity, dominated by spaciousness, ample natural lighting, simple & functional layout with restrained fixtures, ambient wall lighting, and refined material palette.

Ballard Home Remodel

Potter Construction Inc

Dale Lang NW Architectural Photography
Photo of a small arts and crafts galley dedicated laundry room in Seattle with shaker cabinets, light wood cabinets, cork floors, a stacked washer and dryer, quartz benchtops, brown floor, beige walls and white benchtop.

Laundry Spaces

Rachael Elise Design

Inspiration for a small single-wall laundry cupboard in Dallas with grey cabinets, wood benchtops, beige walls, ceramic floors, a side-by-side washer and dryer, white floor, brown benchtop and wood.

Chestnut Street Project

North Fork Design Co.

This is an example of a small transitional single-wall dedicated laundry room in Boston.

Laundry Hidden Under Stairs

Brickhouse Kitchens and Baths

Design ideas for a small traditional laundry cupboard in Baltimore with shaker cabinets, white cabinets, wood benchtops, medium hardwood floors, a side-by-side washer and dryer, brown floor and brown benchtop.

Williams Wood Rd.

Structural Dimensions, Inc.

Small traditional single-wall dedicated laundry room in Minneapolis with wood benchtops, yellow walls, porcelain floors, a side-by-side washer and dryer, black floor and brown benchtop.

Kristen's Laundry Room

Grassroots Design

JVL Photography
Inspiration for a small contemporary single-wall dedicated laundry room in Ottawa with flat-panel cabinets, white cabinets, wood benchtops, grey walls, light hardwood floors, a side-by-side washer and dryer and beige benchtop.

BOSCH Compact Laundry Room

K&N Appliance Gallery

The pop of color really brightens up this small laundry space!
Photo of a small contemporary single-wall dedicated laundry room in Houston with flat-panel cabinets, laminate benchtops, multi-coloured walls, a stacked washer and dryer and blue cabinets.

Laundry room

Dutchman Furniture LLC

Design ideas for a small contemporary single-wall dedicated laundry room in Atlanta with an undermount sink, flat-panel cabinets, white cabinets, solid surface benchtops, white walls, a side-by-side washer and dryer, beige floor, green benchtop and porcelain floors.

Candlewood Cottage Redux

At Home Design LLC

Mudroom converted to laundry room in this cottage home.
Inspiration for a small transitional single-wall utility room in New York with an undermount sink, raised-panel cabinets, grey cabinets, quartz benchtops, grey walls, porcelain floors, a stacked washer and dryer, grey floor and white benchtop.

Glenelg

Urban Habitats

Colindale Design / CR3 Studio
Photo of a small beach style l-shaped dedicated laundry room in Adelaide with a drop-in sink, white cabinets, wood benchtops, white walls, ceramic floors, a side-by-side washer and dryer, brown benchtop, flat-panel cabinets and grey floor.

Fitzroy North House

MMAD Architecture

Laundry at top of stair landing behind large sliding panels. Each panel is scribed to look like 3 individual doors with routed door pulls as a continuation of the bedroom wardrobe Image by: Jack Lovel Photography

2017 Spring Remodelers Showcase

Knight Construction Design Inc.

Small country single-wall utility room in Minneapolis with a drop-in sink, white cabinets, laminate benchtops, beige walls, porcelain floors, a side-by-side washer and dryer and recessed-panel cabinets.

Neal

Planning and Building, Inc

Inspiration for a small transitional l-shaped dedicated laundry room in Miami with a drop-in sink, shaker cabinets, white cabinets, marble benchtops, white walls, a side-by-side washer and dryer, dark hardwood floors, brown floor and white benchtop.

Eagle Rock Remodel

Landmark Building Inc

Inspiration for a small contemporary single-wall dedicated laundry room in Los Angeles with shaker cabinets, blue cabinets, quartzite benchtops, white walls, ceramic floors, a stacked washer and dryer and white floor.

Family Farmhouse

Adams + Beasley Associates

Richard Mandelkorn A newly connected hallway leading to the master suite had the added benefit of a new laundry closet squeezed in; the original home had a cramped closet in the kitchen downstairs. The space was made efficient with a countertop for folding, a hanging drying rack and cabinet for storage. All is concealed by a traditional barn door, and lit by a new expansive window opposite.

Laundry/ Mudroom Maximized

Closet Organizing Systems

All cleaning supplies fit perfectly in their own spot and hidden by beautifully ivory glazed melamine cabinets Donna Siben/ Designer
Inspiration for a small traditional laundry room in Chicago with raised-panel cabinets, white cabinets, granite benchtops, ceramic floors and a stacked washer and dryer.

Parkway Avenue

Bone and Blanc Interior Design Studio

This is an example of a small beach style laundry room in Newcastle - Maitland.

Laurelhurst Storybook Residence

Board & Vellum

The artful cabinet doors were repurposed from a wardrobe that sat in the original home.
This is an example of a small transitional laundry room in Seattle with a single-bowl sink, recessed-panel cabinets, marble benchtops, white splashback, white walls, ceramic floors, brown floor and beige benchtop.

Small Laundry Room Design Ideas

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.