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

By
Kristin Hohenadel
Kristin Hohenadel
Kristin Hohenadel
Kristin Hohenadel has written on design for publications including the New York Times, Interior Design, Slate, Fast Company, and the international editions of Elle Decor.
Learn more about The Spruce's Editorial Process
Updated on 10/29/24
small laundry room ideas

Design by Emily Henderson Design / Photo by Tessa Neustadt

With enough ingenuity, organization, and attention to detail, there is no reason that a small laundry room can't be as functional and attractive as a larger one. From clever layout and storage such as built-in cabinetry or DIY floating shelves to paint, backsplash and floor tile, decor touches, and lighting, there are plenty of ways to make your space more functional and enjoyable to use.

Check out these small laundry rooms that maximize both space and style.

  • 01 of 53

    Stack a Washer-Dryer

    small laundry room ideas

    Ursula Carmona of Home Made By Carmona

    Install stacked washer-dryers to save space in a small laundry room. Blogger Ursula Carmona of Home Made By Carmona ran floor-to-ceiling storage along one full wall of her small, and accented laundry room cabinetry with gold-toned hardware to add a touch of glam.

  • 02 of 53

    Hang Laundry Room Wallpaper

    small laundry room wallpaper ideas

    Casa Watkins Living

    Hang laundry room wallpaper to personalize your space. Casa Watkins Living decorated this space with bold blue patterned wallpaper and an inexpensive bamboo lattice pendant light that makes it feel more in tuned with the boho-style decor in the rest of the house.

  • 03 of 53

    Install a Space-Saving Cabinet

    small laundry room storage ideas

    Fantastic Frank

    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.

  • 04 of 53

    Employ Laundry Room Curtains

    laundry room under-counter curtain ideas

    Becca Interiors

    Trade cabinet doors for budget-friendly curtains to hide appliances or supplies. Becca Interiors chose a paisley pattern for this under-counter curtain to complement this earth-toned space.

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  • 05 of 53

    Use Under-Cabinet Lighting

    small laundry room lighting ideas

    Amy Leferink at Interior Impressions

    Optimize lighting in a windowless laundry room to make it functional. Amy Leferink at Interior Impressions installed under-cabinet LED lighting to brighten this small laundry room that highlights the patterned tile backsplash.

  • 06 of 53

    Apply Mood-Boosting Wall Paint

    small laundry room paint color ideas

    Brexton Cole Interiors

    Paint your laundry room in a mood-boosting color that will distract from its smaller size. Brexton Cole Interiors decorated this space in a rosy shade of pink for an uplifting feel.

  • 07 of 53

    Lay a Laundry Room Area Rug

    small laundry room rug ideas

    Mindy Gayer Design Co. / Photo by Lindsay Stetson Thompson

    Add personality to a small laundry room with a colorful or patterned area rug. Mindy Gayer Design Co. finished this small, light-flooded laundry room with a soft geometric patterned area rug in shades of pink and blue.

  • 08 of 53

    Contrast Materials

    small laundry room cabinetry ideas

    Design by Laura Brophy Interiors / Photo by Tim Hirschmann

    Mix contrasting materials—there's no reason that your laundry room can't be as polished as the rest of your interior. Laura Brophy Interiors mixed warm natural hardwood and cool-toned stone create a serene zen feel in this minimalist modern laundry room.

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  • 09 of 53

    Add a Colorful Backsplash

    small laundry room backsplash ideas

    Kim Armstrong Interior Design / Photo by Michael Hunter

    Give the small room a jolt of color on the backsplash. 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.

  • 10 of 53

    Hide the Laundry Room

    small apartment laundry room

    Geraldine Laferté

    Tuck the laundry away. 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.

    Tip

    Instead of a dryer, opt for a washer-dryer combo unit, or save energy, money, and increase the lifespan of your linens and clothes by skipping the dryer altogether and hanging your laundry on a drying rack instead.

  • 11 of 53

    Create a Bathroom Laundry Niche

    small bathroom laundry room combo

    Fantastic Frank

    Employ a small-scale appliance to find laundry space. Having access to an in-house laundry is a luxury in most parts of the world. Fantastic Frank tucked a laundry corner into a corner of this small Swedish bathroom that gets the job done.

  • 12 of 53

    Maximize Storage in a Mudroom Laundry Room

    small laundry room mudroom ideas

    Design by Stefani Stein / Photo by Tessa Neustadt

    Maximize space in a smaller combination laundry room/mudroom with smart storage solutions and layout. Interior designer Stefani Stein ran built-in cabinetry up to the ceiling to provide plenty of open and closed storage in this space.

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  • 13 of 53

    Include a Laundry Room Sink Nook

    small laundry room sink ideas

    Kate Lester Interiors

    Use irregular walls or alcoves to maximize space in a small laundry room. Giving the sink its own dedicated corner leaves room for more counter space over the washer-dryers that run along the side wall in this narrow laundry room from Kate Lester Interiors.

  • 14 of 53

    Add Shelving to a Hallway Laundry Closet

    small laundry closet ideas

    Emily Henderson Design / Photo by Tessa Neustadt

    Don't neglect a hallway laundry closet from a storage and decorating perspective. Emily Henderson Design gave this one a little love with blue-and-white wallpaper to distract the eye when the doors are left open, with back-of-door storage for hanging cleaning equipment like mops and brooms.

  • 15 of 53

    Fit In an Under-Stairs Laundry Room

    small under-stairs laundry room

    Design by Issy & H Creative / Photo by Tealily 

    When building a new laundry room, look for hidden pockets. Interior designer Joanne Yeomans of Sydney, Australia-based Issy & H Creative utilized the dead space under the stairs to create a custom-built stealth laundry room that disappears when not in use.

  • 16 of 53

    Include Laundry Room Plants

    small laundry room decor ideas

    A Beautiful Mess

    If your laundry room gets plenty of natural light, decorate it with plants. 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.

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  • 17 of 53

    Install Peg Rail Storage

    small laundry room wall storage

    deVOL Kitchens

    Utilize vertical space by hanging inexpensive wall hooks or peg rails on the wall above the countertop. In this small laundry room from deVOL Kitchens, a folding area is built to hug the irregular angles of the walls, and outfitted with peg rails painted in the same color as the walls.

  • 18 of 53

    Opt for Pendant Lighting

    small laundry room lighting ideas

    Mindy Gayer Design Co. / Photo by Vanessa Lentine

    Hang a pendant light to define space in a small laundry room. Mindy Gayer Design Co. created a focal point over the small sink with a globe fixture.

  • 19 of 53

    Decorate With Storm Cloud Wallpaper

    small laundry room wallpaper ideas

    Sarah Sherman Samuel

    Create a moody look in a compact space with Fornasetti wallpaper in a storm cloud motif. This laundry room was designed by interior designer Sarah Sherman Samuel for actress Mandy Moore, a client who enjoys doing the laundry.

  • 20 of 53

    Try Boho-Style Decor Accents

    small boho-style laundry room

    Sarah Sherman Samuel

    Add boho-style decor touches to your laundry room for a breezy feel. Interior designer Sarah Sherman Samuel styled a decorative ladder with beach towels and a sun hat and placed natural woven baskets on the countertop for easy access storage.

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  • 21 of 53

    Hang Laundry Room Wall Art

    small laundry room wall art ideas

    Desiree Burns Interiors

    Create a focal point in your laundry room with framed art or photography. Desiree Burns Interiors added color to this modern all-white space with botanical-themed wall art in a sleek white frame.

  • 22 of 53

    Employ Color and Pattern

    small laundry room design ideas

    Design by Clella Design / Styling by Matthew Gleason / Photo by Alison Gootee

    Give a small space a big personality with color and pattern. Interior designer Meg Kelly of Clella Design decorated this garage turned laundry room with colorful patterned wallpaper, large checkered curtains to conceal the contents of built-in cabinetry, decorative lighting, and framed art.

  • 23 of 53

    Choose Herringbone Floor Tiles

    small laundry room flooring ideas

    Kate Lester Interiors

    Tweaking the layout of your floor tile can make a small laundry room more dynamic. 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.

  • 24 of 53

    Select an Under-Counter Washer

    small laundry room layout ideas

    Fantastic Frank

    Save space in a small bathroom laundry room combo with an under-counter washer. In this Stockholm bathroom from Fantastic Frank, an under-counter washing machine adjacent to the sink accommodates a small, front-loading washing machine.

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  • 25 of 53

    Install a Laundry Room Barn Door

    small laundry room barn door ideas

    Mindy Gayer Design Co. / Photo by Vanessa Lentine

    A space-saving laundry room door will make your space more functional. Mindy Gayer Design Co. chose a dramatic Shou Sugi Ban barn door with a burnt wood finish to conceal this modern laundry closet.

  • 26 of 53

    Hang Laundry Room Door Sign

    small farmhouse laundry room decor ideas

    Thistlewood Farms

    Hang a sign on your laundry room door to mark the spot. Thistlewood Farms hung a vintage laundry sign on the door of this whitewashed laundry room and butler's pantry that is finished with a black-and-white penny tile flower mosaic on the floor.

  • 27 of 53

    Create a Cool-Toned Palette

    small laundry room color palette ideas

    Fiorella Design

    Combine mint green and dark gray for a cool-toned laundry room palette, like this space from interior designer Mary Jo Fiorella of Fiorella Design. Aged brass, bronze, or copper fixtures will add warmth.

  • 28 of 53

    Include Budget-Friendly DIY Decor

    small diy laundry room ideas

    A Beautiful Mess

    Get creative with budget-friendly DIY to make a small laundry room more fun. A Beautiful Mess built DIY open shelving for supplies and laundry basket storage, and used black electrical tape to create dots and stripes patterns on the washer-dryer.

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  • 29 of 53

    Tuck In a Laundry Closet

    small apartment laundry closet ideas

    Marie Flanigan Interiors

    Create a double-duty laundry closet in an apartment or guest cottage to maximize space. This space-saving laundry and pantry closet from Marie Flanigan Interiors features a stacked washer-dryer combo, built-in shelving, and a drying rod.

  • 30 of 53

    Add a Small Farmhouse Sink

    small laundry room sink ideas

    Mindy Gayer Design Co. / Photo by Lane Dittoe

    Install a small but deep farmhouse sink to make a compact laundry room more functional. Mindy Gayer Design Co. mounted the plumbing fixtures on the wall to save space.

  • 31 of 53

    Use Glass Storage Containers

    small laundry room storage ideas

    Mindy Gayer Design Co. / Photo by Vanessa Lentine

    Display and store laundry supplies in glass containers on the countertop for a decorative and practical solution, like this space from Mindy Gayer Design Co.

  • 32 of 53

    Opt for a Freestanding Sink

    small laundry room flooring ideas

    Amy Leferink at Interior Impressions

    Add a standalone sink to a small laundry room for extra functionality. Amy Leferink at Interior Impressions chose a freestanding sink to match the appliances in this space finished with colorful patterned tile flooring.

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  • 33 of 53

    Hang Whimsical Wallpaper

    small laundry room wall decor ideas

    Hungerford Interior Design / Photo by Janice Nicolay

    Hang whimsical wallpaper to create an accent behind laundry closet doors that will put a smile on your face every time you open it. Hungerford Interior Design paired black-and-white dog-themed wallpaper with blonde wood cabinetry for a fun modern look.

  • 34 of 53

    Use a Laundry Cabinet Curtain

    small laundry room curtain

    Kate Marker Interiors

    Hide a laundry alcove with a curtain instead of a door to save space and money. 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.

  • 35 of 53

    Go Bold With Floral Wallpaper

    small laundry room with bold wallpaper

    Sarah Sherman Samuel

    When your laundry room is located in plain sight just off of another room, you can create a cohesive look between adjacent spaces by using the same finishes and materials. Or you can take a cue from interior designer Sarah Sherman Samuel and give the space its own identity with large-scale dark floral wallpaper from Ellie Cashman.

  • 36 of 53

    Combine Wainscoting and Wallpaper

    small laundry room wainscoting ideas

    Kate Marker Interiors

    Double up on decor in a small laundry room by combining painted wainscoting with wallpaper. Kate Marker Interiors complemented dark paint and black-and-white illustrated wallpaper with star patterned tile flooring for a neutral look with plenty of interest.

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  • 37 of 53

    Jazz Up a Tiny Laundry Room

    small space laundry room ideas

    Fantastic Frank

    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 is elevated with elegant wallpaper and marble floor tiles.

  • 38 of 53

    Feature Statement Wallpaper

    small laundry room with statement wallpaper

    Gail Davis Designs / Photo by Rayon Richards

    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. Gail Davis Designs energized this space with multi-colored wallpaper in an abstract pattern.

  • 39 of 53

    Maximize a Laundry Supply Closet

    small laundry room supply closet

    Kate Marker Interiors

    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.

  • 40 of 53

    Install a Vertical Tile Backsplash

    small laundry room backsplash ideas

    Issy & H Creative

    Draw the eye upward in a small laundry room with a vertical tile backsplash. 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.

    Continue to 41 of 53 below
  • 41 of 53

    Try Bold Floral Wallpaper

    small laundry room with colorful wallpaper

    Amy Leferink at Interior Impressions

    Add color and pattern to a cookie cutter space to lift your mood. This bright and cheerful laundry room from Amy Leferink at Interior Impressions went from drab to fab with colorful wraparound floral wallpaper.

  • 42 of 53

    Open Up a Laundry Alcove

    small laundry room alcove

    Albie K. Buabeng for Emily Henderson Design / Photo by Ellie Lillstrom

    If you keep it neat and tidy, a well-designed open alcove will make it easy to access without fussing with doors. Albie K. Buabeng for Emily Henderson Design decorated this contemporary space with black appliances and graphic wallpaper in a black-and-white pattern.

  • 43 of 53

    Create a Coastal Laundry Room

    small coastal laundry room ideas

    Mindy Gayer Design Co. / Photo by Vanessa Lentine

    Use subtle patterns and soothing pale colors for a coastal feel. Graphic wallpaper in a subtle light blue and white pattern makes this small Southern California laundry room from Mindy Gayer Design Co. feel polished.

  • 44 of 53

    Try a Pocket Door

    small laundry room pocket door ideas

    Kate Marker Interiors

    Install a pocket door that disappears into the wall when open to make a small laundry room like this one from Kate Marker Interiors functional and easy to access.

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  • 45 of 53

    Choose an All-White Palette

    small all-white laundry room

    Mindy Gayer Design Co. / Photo by Vanessa Lentine

    Choose an all-white palette to make a small windowless laundry room feel bright despite the lack of natural light. 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.

  • 46 of 53

    Use Folding Cabinet Doors

    small laundry room with folding cabinet doors

    Lindye Galloway Studio

    Fold-away cabinet doors are a space-saving trick that works well in a small laundry room. Lindye Galloway Studio hid the appliances behind folding doors that mimic the upper cabinetry in this small but functional space.

  • 47 of 53

    Combine Paint and Wallpaper

    small laundry room paint and wallpaper ideas

    Kim Armstrong Interior Design / Photo by Michael Hunter

    Create a maximalist feel in a small space with bold 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.

  • 48 of 53

    Include Farmhouse Accents

    small laundry room with wood shelving

    Kate Marker Interiors

    Add a warm feel to a black-and-white laundry room with wood accents, like this modern farmhouse space from Kate Marker Interiors.

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  • 49 of 53

    Install a Ceiling Drying Rack

    small laundry room ceiling rack

    Whittney Parkinson Design

    Save space with a ceiling-mounted drying rack. 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 that maximizes vertical space.

  • 50 of 53

    Tile a Full-Wall Backsplash

    contemporary small laundry room

    Design by Laura Brophy Interiors / Photo by Ryan Garvin

    A tile backsplash that runs from countertop to ceiling will help make a narrow laundry room feel airier. Laura Brophy Interiors used pale gray vertical stacked tiles to complement black cabinetry in this contemporary space.

  • 51 of 53

    Design a Rustic Laundry Room

    small rustic laundry room

    Rockport Building Partners / Photo by Sarah Szwajkos

    Choose natural wood cabinetry to design a rustic laundry room. Rockport Building Partners contrasted rich stained wood cabinetry and a gray stone farmhouse sink with the painted pastel tones of the adjacent kitchen cabinetry.

  • 52 of 53

    Add a Laundry Closet Backsplash

    small laundry room backsplash tiles

    Design by Issy & H Creative / Photo by Tealily 

    A mini backsplash of fish scale tiles in a deep teal color will add charm to a small laundry room like this under-stairs space from Issy & H Creative.

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  • 53 of 53

    Make a DIY Laundry Closet Folding Table

    small diy laundry room makeover

    A Beautiful Mess

    A little decoration can go a long way to elevate a small laundry room. A Beautiful Mess gave this laundry closet a DIY makeover with pink backsplash tile and wall paint, a birch plywood folding station above the washer-dryer, a faux fiddle leaf fern, and custom shelving to provide storage.

How Do You Design a Small Laundry Room? 

Design a small laundry room that will work with your layout and available space with elements like floor-to-ceiling cabinetry to maximize vertical space or stacked washer-dryers to save floor space.

Decorate your laundry room with as much creativity as any other room in the house, adding bold wallpaper, layered lighting, custom storage, a patterned tile backsplash, or a striking paint color.

How Do You Fit a Laundry Room in a Small Space?

To fit a laundry room in a small space, choose smaller appliances, opt for stacked washer-dryers to maximize floor space or fit neatly into a closet, or repurpose existing kitchen cabinetry to create a laundry corner in your kitchen if plumbing allows. 

Or you can design a stealth laundry space hidden behind louvered closet doors, a barn door, a secret cabinet, or fitted into the dead space under the stairs.