During a home renovation, the priority rooms are usually kitchens and bathrooms—but what about a laundry room makeover? “The kitchen is great and all, but many of us spend more time in the laundry room than anywhere else in the home—and this is the true she shed and, yes, man cave,” says Leigh Spicher, national director of design at homebuilder Ashton Woods, who argues that this is the most important room in the house.
Spicher, who is based in Longwood, Florida, admits that she’s come across many clients who pay no attention to the design of the laundry room because it’s not visible to guests. “This is a big mistake people make with designing homes in general, and we should design our spaces for how we live our lives, not what guests see,” she says.
It's understandable that jumping into a laundry room makeover can seem like an unnecessary investment—after all, kitchen renovation mistakes and bathroom blunders are quite costly to fix. Worry not. AD has you covered when it comes to laundry room makeover mistakes. Here are 11 reno errors you can avoid when designing a laundry room. Happy washing.
Neglecting the location
Don’t just put a washer and dryer in a closet or basement and call it a day. “The biggest mistake people make when designing a laundry room is underestimating its use,” Spicher says. The location of the laundry room should actually be a strategic decision that will allow this space to be used as efficiently as possible. If you have a one-story home, your choices are more limited, but location still matters. “Back in the day, laundry was relegated to parts of the home where nobody wanted to go, like the unfinished cellar or, of all places, the garage,” explains Atlanta-based Jay Kallos, senior vice president of architecture at Ashton Woods. There was actually some logic to putting the laundry room in the garage. Kallos says the idea was to get the heat from the dryer out of the house, but admits that mixing clean clothes with lawn mowers, grease, and grim, just may not have been the best light bulb moment. “Luckily, the idea of the family foyer and mudroom has taken hold and the laundry now is located where it needs to be—closer to where the dirty clothes originate,” he says.
According to Nadia Watts of Nadia Watts Interior Design in Denver, if the laundry room is on the lower level, you can dedicate more space to it. If it’s on the upper level near the bedrooms, she says less space may be available. But here’s the flip side: “I find that having the laundry room by the bedrooms is actually most helpful for the person using the space daily since your clothes, bedding, and towels are all located nearby, so this makes putting things away quite easy,” she adds.
Making the space too small
This is a laundry room, not an area that you’ll actually live in. However, Kallos warns against skimping on space, especially when you’re designing the laundry room from scratch: “Laundry rooms are typically six feet by six feet. Make that square footage work for you.” While this size is enough space for your washer and dryer, he recommends going for eight feet by eight feet instead. “You can add two walls of counters, a much-needed sink, and critical drying space—which makes this an even more valuable space.”
Skipping the essentials
Washing machine? Check. Dryer? Check. But those are only two of the essential items that you’ll need in your laundry room. “Not installing an exhaust fan is a major problem, because some laundry rooms can get stuffy, plus the smell of detergents can be overwhelming,” says Christopher Grubb, president of Beverly Hills–based Arch-Interiors Design Group, a commercial, residential, and hospitality interior design firm.
And there’s another essential that homeowners tend to forget about: “For a second-floor laundry room, a pan under the washing machine with a drain line in case of water overflow is the best safeguard to avoid water damage to upstairs and downstairs floors,” Grubb says. “In a one-story home, a floor drain is also advantageous as it prevents damage to floors should the washing machine leak.”
Ignoring functionality
You already know you want to use this space as the laundry room. However, you still need to figure out the best way to maximize the space. For example, Libby Rawes of Sharp + Grey Interiors in Philadelphia recommends considering if you’d like to have a spot to wash your dog, or a place to kick off muddy boots. “If you have a dual-purpose space, make sure to think through how you can use it to its fullest and provide enough room for each use.” She recommends being very clear on how you plan to use the room and then prioritizing the most important functions.
Buying items piecemeal
Sales don’t last forever, so there’s a tendency to purchase items when you can find them at a good price. However, Pattie Kelly, interior decorator at Inspired Home Interiors in Chesterfield, Virginia, warns against this strategy. “It’s not easy, but resist the urge to buy up all the cute baskets for your new laundry room before you know what you’ll actually store in them,” she says. “Taking the time up-front to think through your needs for the space and then planning out the items and where they’ll go in order to meet those needs will save you time, frustration, heartache, and money down the road.”
Forgetting the utility sink
The laundry utility sink is actually an essential laundry room item. Yes, adding it in may require structural and plumbing work, but it’s worth it for when something special got a good splash of red wine or the kid’s baseball uniform needs a good soak, Spicher says. It’s also ideal for washing a [petite] dog. This is literally a room where you wash stuff, so make sure you can do so with ease—anyone who’s had to schlep stuff in and out of a bathtub will agree.
When you do install a utility sink, make sure it’s not too close to the wall. You’ll likely have some water splashing as you scrub away stains and that can leave ugly marks,” warns designer Eddie Rider of Eddie Rider Designs in Raleigh, North Carolina. “Also, don’t forget to put a smaller drying bar near the sink for a cleaning towel,” he adds.
Skimping on lighting
One reason laundry rooms tend to look so drab is the unimpressive lighting in that room. “Inherently, laundry rooms are workhorse spaces, often relying on fluorescent lighting or a single flush mount to light the space,” says Jess Weeth, owner and principal designer at Weeth Home in Rehoboth Beach, Delaware. However, by adding decorative lighting, Weeth says you can provide a level of coziness that makes you actually want to spend time there. “Consecutive pendants can add drama to a hall laundry, while a pretty sconce can highlight a design detail like open shelving to make the space feel more like an intimate room and less like just a bank of cabinetry.”
Not employing multiple appliances
Washers and dryers aren’t cheap–but when you weigh how much they cost against how much value they provide, the idea of doubling your appliances isn’t as expensive as it might first sound. “With the primary suite on the second floor, 50% of buyers want the laundry room upstairs as well, and 50% of them want it downstairs,” says Kallos. “The easiest way to break the tie is to offer a laundry room on both floors.”
To make the double-laundry idea work, Kallos suggests that the upstairs laundry room shares a wall with the primary suite. “Think of adding a ‘back’ door to the laundry room that gets you into the primary closet or bath and closet hall so you can easily put clothes away or dash in to quickly iron a shirt or get rid of a stain,” he says. You can also put in stacked units in an area that is adjacent to each bedroom grouping. “The kids can do their own laundry, and sheets and towels do not have to move too far from their origination point to get clean,” Kallos adds.
Even if you decide that one laundry area is enough, Kallos recommends considering multiple units if you have the space. “You can cut your work time in half by installing two washers and two dryers or, if space is limited, at least two dryers, as typically the drying cycles take longer than the washing cycles,” he says.
Selecting the wrong building materials
You might not want to splurge on Carrara marble when it comes to your laundry room countertops, but going über-cheap may be impractical as well. “Try to create a space with style, and staying power,” Rawes explains. “It’s also important to use durable materials that can withstand heavy use and clean up nicely,” Rawes explains.
Spicher adds that your laundry room countertops need to be work surfaces that can get wet. “It’s also good to choose a granite or quartz that can withstand high heat, in case you iron on it from time to time.”
Miscalculating storage
“Detergents, bleach bottles, fabric softener, pretreats, even cleaning supplies and assorted tools find their way onto shelves and counter spaces that are better served for sorting and folding,” says John Starck of Showcase Kitchens in Manhasset, New York. Do not underestimate the need for space when it comes to your laundry room makeover.
Employ creative laundry room storage solutions. “Slide-out shelves in lower cabinets (similar to a kitchen) add comfort when trying to reach things in the very back,” says Grubb says, who recommends 14-inch deep upper cabinets instead of the standard 12-inch variety. Not only will you have more space for economy-size cleaning products, you’ll have more space on top for folding sheets and towels. Raising the cabinetry from the standard 18-inch-high version to 20 inches, or even 24 inches, will eliminate the need to lean over, making folding even easier, Grubb adds.
Adding a wall-mounted drying rack can give your laundry space even more utility without unnecessary clutter. “Large racks made of wood and accordion racks made of stainless steel that fold out of the way are all desperately needed and often missing in a laundry room,” Rider says.
Failing to see the possibilities
“When people renovate, they often treat the laundry room like a utility closet when it is so much more and adds to the value of your home,” says Esther Dormer, of Dormer Design in Pittsburgh. “Think big, bright, and fun. Add mirrors, lights, tables, and perhaps even a tea kettle and tea so you can better enjoy your ironing.”
With a little thought and creativity, you can turn your laundry room into one of your favorite rooms in the house. “This is a safe space to go bold and make it fun, so don’t be afraid to use a bright color on the walls or cabinets, a bold wallpaper on the ceiling, or an interesting patterned tile on the floors,” Kelly says. At the very least, you can add some color with the appliances. Spicher just splurged on a red washer and dryer, and it makes doing laundry a little more joyful.
