53 Small Laundry Room Ideas That Are As Stylish as They Are Functional

Add Color and Pattern

Making a few confident decor choices can transform a small utility space, making it feel more like a well-appointed room than just a place to do the laundry.

This small laundry room from Casa Watkins Living has a practical layout embellished with colorful, bold patterned wallpaper and an inexpensive bamboo lattice pendant light that makes it feel more dynamic, finished, and integrated into the decor of the home.

Accent With Gold

Blogger Ursula Carmona of Home Made By Carmona ran floor-to-ceiling storage along one full wall of her small, narrow laundry room.

Then she installed glossy black stacked washer-dryers on the far wall to save space.

The small laundry sink and cabinetry are accented with gold-toned hardware to match the overhead pendant light, and to add some warmth and bling to this compact but high-functioning space that's infused with a touch of glam.

Go Big With Wallpaper

When your laundry room is located in plain sight just off of another room, there are two ways that you can approach the interior design.

One is to create a cohesive look between adjacent spaces by using the same finishes and materials.

The other is to give the laundry room its own distinct personality. In this small laundry room, interior designer Sarah Sherman Samuel ran the washer and dryer along the same wall as the kitchen appliances for practical and aesthetic reasons.

But she chose to make the laundry room a destination in itself, with large-scale floral wallpaper from Ellie Cashman that is a feast for the eyes and a distraction from the task at hand.

Try a Space-Saving Cabinet

If you've got the plumbing and enough square footage for a washing machine, no space is too small for a mini laundry room.

This discreet, pint-sized Swedish laundry cabinet from Fantastic Frank is topped with a butcher block countertop for extra functionality.

Use a Mood-Boosting Color

You can use bathroom or kitchen cabinetry to add storage to a small laundry room. This cozy and colorful laundry room from deVOL Kitchens features classic Shaker cabinetry and a wooden backsplash installed to the height of the cabinetry, painted in a luminous, feel-good vintage pink.

The contrasting black countertops add plenty of space for sorting and folding large loads of laundry.

And the pink and black color palette has a throwback feel that give it a timeless appeal.

Mix Contrasting Materials

There's no reason that your laundry room can't be as polished as the rest of your interior.

In this small laundry room from Brophy Interiors, a minimalist design and mix of contrasting warm natural hardwood and cool-toned stone create a serene zen feel.

There's plenty of storage seamlessly built into the narrow, L-shaped room to keep it all feeling streamlined and clutter-free.

Black accents add sophistication, and a tile backsplash carried to the ceiling surrounding the window above the sink makes the room feel larger.

Carve Out a Laundry Niche

Having access to in-house laundry is a luxury in most parts of the world. But you don't need a dedicated laundry room to get the job done.

In this small Swedish apartment from Fantastic Frank, the laundry room is conveniently tucked into a corner of a small bathroom next to the shower.

With a wood countertop for sorting and folding and built-in shelving, this petite laundry room alcove maximizes every inch of the multifunctional space.

If you only have room for one machine, you can choose a combo washer/dryer unit, or save energy, extend the longevity of your linens, and be kind to the planet by skipping the dryer and hanging them on a rack or clothesline instead.

Make a Laundry Room Mudroom

In this light-flooded combination laundry room/mudroom from interior designer Stefani Stein, built-in cabinetry running up to the ceiling provides plenty of open and closed storage.

A stacked washer-dryer combo saves space, and copper accents and a mixed pattern tile backsplash add style.

Install a Sink Nook

In this narrow laundry room from Kate Lester Interiors, the sink is set into a recessed alcove at the far end of the room, maximizing what could have been wasted space, and helping to keep the small space from feeling cramped.

Giving the sink its own dedicated corner leaves room for more counter space over the washer-dryers that run along the side wall.

Hang Stormy Wallpaper

This small but eye-catching laundry room was designed by interior designer Sarah Sherman Samuel for a client who enjoys doing the laundry, actress Mandy Moore.

The compact laundry room in Moore's midcentury house in Los Angeles has white appliances and sleek countertops that provide plenty of space for folding.

White cabinetry flush with the ceiling and a single floating wood shelf provide storage.

And the walls are covered in dreamy Fornasetti wallpaper in a moody black-and-white storm cloud pattern that makes the room come alive.

Use Wall Hooks for Storage

In a small laundry room, it's important to look for opportunities to utilize every nook and cranny to maximize functionality and create dedicated zones for sorting, folding, pre-treating stains, and other laundry room activities.

In this small pink laundry room from deVOL Kitchens, a petite folding area is built to hug the irregular angles of the walls, outfitted with wall hooks for easy storage, and finished with a timeless butcher block countertop that is practical and adds warmth.

Repurpose a Hall Closet

If your laundry space is a closet in a pass-through corridor or hallway, it can be tempting to neglect it from a decorating perspective.

But those who love their homes know that every last square inch of space deserves a little love.

This small laundry room closet from Emily Henderson Design has pretty blue-and-white wallpaper on the back wall to add interest and distract the eye when the doors are left open.

Back-of-door storage is a convenient spot for hanging cleaning equipment like mops and brooms, making the space double as a utility closet.

While it's a good idea to light the inside of your laundry closet whenever possible, you can also install a wall sconce outside above the opening of the closet doors as seen here, which will brighten the area enough to make it functional at night or during the daytime in a hallway without natural light.

Add Touches of Color

This sunny Southern California laundry room from Mindy Gayer Design Co. has white walls and appliances, natural wood and woven accents, and a hint of color to keep it from feeling sterile.

The lower cabinetry is painted a soft shade of pastel blue, and a soft geometric patterned rug in shades of pink and blue adds warmth, interest, and personality, and can be changed out easily to create a different mood.

Incorporate Boho Style

Interior designer Sarah Sherman Samuel remodeled this small laundry room with custom-designed wallpaper with a graphic black-and-white pattern, IKEA cabinets, dark appliances, and a high-quality birch plywood countertop sealed with polyurethane that creates an affordable countertop space for sorting and folding laundry.

A leaning ladder styled with beach towels and a sun hat, natural woven baskets on the countertop for easy access storage, and a dark red vintage-style rug on the floor add a hint of boho style and just a touch of color.

Add DIY Touches

This cheerful little laundry room from A Beautiful Mess has bright orange paint, DIY open shelving custom-built for supplies and laundry basket storage, and black electrical tape dots and stripes on the washer-dryer that add a fun graphic touch that barely costs a dime.

Hang Some Photographs

Blogger Ursula Carmona of Home Made By Carmona whipped her small pass-through laundry room into shape with warm medium-toned gray paint on the walls, framed laundry-themed photography, a striped rug, and built-in cabinetry above the washer-dryers that runs to the ceiling to provide ample storage space.

Hang Cafe Curtains

This small laundry room from Most Lovely Things has stacked washer-dryers, a wall-to-wall drying rod, wall hooks, and curtains that add privacy to both the lower half of the window and the under-counter storage area.

A sober neutral palette of gray, white, and black creates a timeless feel, and a hanging spider plant in the window adds some welcome greenery.

Play With Patterns

Interior designer Meg Kelly of Clella Design converted the unused garage in a Nashville, TN home into a primary bedroom en suite complete with a custom-designed built-in closet and a small laundry room.

The compact space is decorated with colorful patterned wallpaper, large checkered curtains to conceal the contents of built-in cabinetry, decorative lighting, and framed art, injecting it with loads of personality and cheerful energy despite its limited size.

Lay Herringbone Floor Tiles

Laying the floor tile in a herringbone pattern that runs toward the window at the far end of this small laundry room from Kate Lester Interiors creates a sense of movement that makes the space feel larger.

The soothing greenish gray paint on lower cabinets creates a soft fresh feel that is soothing and serene.

Give It a DIY Makeover

This laundry closet DIY makeover from A Beautiful Mess has a gleaming tile backsplash in soft shades of pink, a birch plywood folding station above the washer-dryer, a faux fiddle leaf fern, and custom shelving in shades of fresh soothing pink that provide storage and tie it all together.

Hang a Pendant Light

The lightly star patterned tile backsplash in this laundry room from Mindy Gayer Design Co. runs all the way to the ceiling, making it practical and decorative at the same time. A globe pendant light hung over the small sink creates a focal point.

Save Space in the Bathroom

This small Stockholm bathroom from Fantastic Frank includes an under-counter washing machine adjacent to the sink that accommodates a small, front loading washing machine.

Hide It With a Barn Door

This efficient laundry closet from Mindy Gayer Design Co. has stacked washer-dryers that disappear behind a Shou Sugi Ban barn door with a burnt wood finish.

Hang a Sign on the Door

Blogger KariAnne Wood from Thistlewood Farm gave her laundry room pride of place with a vintage laundry sign on the door and a black-and-white penny tile flower mosaic on the floor.

Mix Open and Closed Storage

This laundry room from Mindy Gayer Design Co. has built-in upper and lower cabinetry with a mix of open and closed storage that maximizes every inch of space. Stacked tile adds a modern touch.

Create a Closet Laundry

This space-saving laundry closet tucked behind a door along a wall of closed pantry storage from Marie Flanigan Interiors features a stacked washer-dryer combo, built-in shelving, and a drying rod.

Choose a Cool Palette

Interior designer Mary Jo Fiorella of Fiorella Design created a small, functional laundry room with minty pastel green built-in cabinetry contrasted with a dark gray stacked washer-dryer combo, a dynamic gray-and-white geometric patterned tile backsplash, and bronze cabinet pulls, sink hardware and a brass drying rod to add warmth.

Mix Warm and Cool Tones

In this small laundry room from Mindy Gayer Design Co., cool tile, stone, and tones of silver, white, and gray are contrasted with warm pale wood cabinets.

Try Patterned Floor Tiles

This small laundry room from Interior Impressions has gray walls, stainless steel appliances, a free-standing sink, a wall-mounted drying rack, and a patterned floor tile to add color and interest to the functional space.

Hang Up Some Plants

This small but light-flooded laundry room from A Beautiful Mess has marble countertops, plenty of storage, and thoughtful decorative touches like wicker baskets, gold hooks, cabinet pulls, sink hardware, and hanging plants in the corner of the room that maximize vertical space.

Make It Elegant

Sometimes the best place to put the washing machine is wherever space and plumbing hookups allow.

This compact European water closet/laundry room from Fantastic Frank pairs the dirtiest place in the house with the cleanest, while elegant wallpaper elevates the space.

Add Whimsy

This laundry closet from Hungerford Interior Design is hidden behind pale wood doors, but the whimsical black-and-white dog-themed wallpaper adds a graphic note and an unexpected surprise every time you open the door to put a load in.

Hide It With a Curtain

This built-in cottage laundry alcove from Kate Marker Interiors is hidden behind a curtain that conceals it from view until laundry day rolls around again.

Hide in Plain Sight

Having a washing machine in even the tiniest studio apartments is a norm rather than a luxury in Paris.

This hidden micro laundry closet is built into a custom wall of storage in a 183-square-foot studio designed by Parisian interior designer Geraldine Laferté, demonstrating that there's no such thing as not having enough room for a dedicated laundry space.

Contrast Dark and Light

The under-counter washer and dryer in this small laundry room from Kate Marker Interiors disappear behind custom cabinetry when not in use. Illustrated wallpaper adds interest and contrast with the dark painted cabinetry and appliances.

Try Statement Wallpaper

A small laundry room is a great place to experiment with fun patterns, colors, and other decor that might feel like a bit too much in a larger room.

In this laundry room from Gail Davis Designs, multi-colored wallpaper with an abstract pattern steals the show and elevates the mood.

Create a Storage Closet

Add extra storage to a laundry closet so that you have all of your supplies at hand. This laundry closet from Kate Marker Interiors has stacked washer-dryers and plenty of storage with shiny black lacquer louvered doors to make it all disappear in a flash.

Try an Open Alcove

If you keep it neat and tidy, a well-designed open alcove without doors will make it easy to access without fussing with doors.

This alcove laundry room from Albie K. Buabeng for Emily Henderson Design has a contemporary look with black appliances and graphic wallpaper in a black-and-white pattern.

Try Floral Wallpaper

This bright and cheerful laundry room from Interior Impressions went from drab to fab with colorful wraparound floral wallpaper.

Pair Blue and White

Sydney, Australia-based interior designer Joanne Yeomans of Issy & H Creative utilized stacked washer-dryers and built-in cabinetry to maximize space in this small laundry room.

A fresh palette of white and robin's egg blue, a petite farmhouse sink, and black-and-white floor tile in a dynamic pattern add style.

Add Coastal Style

Graphic wallpaper in a subtle light blue and white pattern makes this small Southern California laundry room from Mindy Gayer Design Co. feel polished while retaining a light and coastal feel.

Try a Pocket Door

A pocket door is the key to making this laundry room from Kate Marker Interiors functional and easy to use.

Try a U-Shaped Layout

The U-shaped layout of this compact laundry room from Mindy Gayer Design Co. combined with cabinetry that runs to the ceiling maximizes every inch of space, while the all-white palette makes the windowless room feel bright despite the lack of natural light.

Install Folding Doors

Fold-away cabinet doors are a space-saving trick that works well in a small laundry room like this one from Lindye Galloway Studio.

Mix Paint and Wallpaper

Assertive green paint on the cabinets and a graphic wallpaper pattern on the wall accented with a gold trophy head gives this small laundry room from Kim Armstrong Interior Design a big dose of personality.

Add a Farmhouse Feel

This modern farmhouse laundry room from Kate Marker Interiors uses wood accents to add warmth to the black-and-white palette and includes storage that runs to the ceiling to maximize vertical space.

Hang a Ceiling Drying Rod

This combination mudroom laundry room from Whittney Parkinson Design has rosy paint on the cabinetry, black-and-white checkerboard tile flooring, and a wooden drying rack hung from the ceiling to save space.

Add a Surprising Detail

This small laundry room from Kim Armstrong Interior Design contrasts navy and white cabinetry and appliances with a bright yellow backsplash of off-kilter slanted stripes that wakes up the design.

Light the Countertops

This small laundry room from Interior Impressions uses under-counter LED lighting to make the countertops in windowless room more functional while spotlighting the patterned tile backsplash.

Choose Cool Neutrals

This black, white, and gray Huntington Beach, CA laundry room from Brophy Interiors uses a cool contemporary palette and includes plenty of counter space and storage.

A tile backsplash that runs from countertop to ceiling on both walls makes the narrow space feel airier.

Use Rustic Wood Tones

This rustic small laundry room from Rockport Building Partners has rich stained wood cabinetry and a gray stone farmhouse sink that provides a contrast with the pastel tones of the adjacent kitchen.

Use Under Stairs Dead Space

Sydney, Australia-based interior designer Joanne Yeomans of Issy & H Creative utilized the dead space under the stairs to create a custom-built stealth laundry room that disappears when not in use.

Behind one door is a laundry sink, built-in shelving, and a pretty tile backsplash.

Add a Mini Backsplash

The stacked washer-dryer is hidden behind another door in
this clever under-stairs laundry room from Sydney, Australia-based
interior designer Joanne Yeomans of Issy & H Creative.

A mini backsplash of fish scale tiles in a deep teal green adds charm.