Toss in a few of these design tips and give laundry rooms a fresh spin
Traditionally, laundry rooms are a space focused on chores where work must be done. But today’s homeowners want a space that fits in with the rest of their home and offers a visually appealing backdrop to washing, folding, and sock-matching. We checked in with area experts on ways to blend beauty with functionality, and their ideas may have you looking forward to laundry day—or at least escaping to the laundry room with a good book.
Tips for Laundry Rooms
A few key trends and features in today’s laundry room designs that we’ve noticed are:
- Bold colors and/or color drenching – Whether through paint or wallpaper, bold choices add personality and can actually make doing laundry feel a bit more fun. Don’t forget artwork! This helps to elevate and personalize the space for families that spend more time here, creating more of a sanctuary for them.
- Luxurious Finishes – Think high-end tile, hardware, and plumbing fixtures—much like what you’d find in high-end custom kitchens and bathrooms.
- Custom Cabinetry – Soft-close drawers, updated cabinet fronts, and functional inserts like drying racks or integrated ironing boards are becoming the standard.
- Greenery – Adding plants helps bring a touch of the outdoors in, making the space feel fresh, vibrant, and more inviting.
Laundry rooms today are a lot larger and in more convenient spaces than the old way of layout and design. Today’s laundry rooms are more than just functional—they’re thoughtfully designed, elevated spaces that people actually enjoy using.
Kerry Howard, Howard House Interiors
In general, we have seen more and more clients wanting to see personality in their laundry rooms. When designing your home, it’s really easy to put this utilitarian space at the bottom of the priority list, but you quickly realize that you want to feel at home in a room that you end up spending a lot of time in throughout the week.
Amanda Louise Campbell, Amanda Louise Interiors
This laundry room design blends fun and functionality with a burst of color to make chores feel less like work. Bright, patterned wallpaper is used on one of the walls, while cheerful multicolor cubes add personality and extra storage. Open shelving keeps laundry essentials within easy reach. A sink adds practicality, while wall-mounted drying racks makes air-drying a breeze. You can add finishing touches like labeled baskets and under-cabinet lighting to ensure the space is as efficient as it is uplifting.
Ivet Ivanova, BOGARI Furniture
The laundry room is a place where you spend a lot of time, so don’t forget to make it feel like a space you want to be in. You can use wallpaper and pretty textiles to make the space feel elevated and inviting. Always make sure you have space to fold clothes, so you don’t have to take your clean laundry somewhere else to do so. We recently added a fold-down ironing board with a pretty fabric to disguise it to a client’s laundry room. Just because it’s a space designed for utility doesn’t mean it can’t be beautiful. Thoughtful design can turn even the most functional room into one that’s a joy to spend time in.
Kathleen Reynolds, Kathleen Reynolds Interiors
It seems that more and more our clients are asking for dog-wash stations to be included in the laundry room. Some are even including areas for their pets’ beds along with food and water areas.
We are seeing more color and playfulness with wallpapers and flooring. Why shouldn’t you enjoy being in a happy spot while doing mundane tasks? We’re seeing requests for more storage areas, including some that include drink stations and coffee bars. Since this is essentially the back entry to the home, in some cases, attention to detail is becoming more prominent.
Cheryl Smith, Cheryl Smith Associates Interior Design
When we design laundry rooms, many of our clients want to incorporate hidden space for hanging clothes to dry. In this home, we integrated wire mesh panels on the front of the cabinet doors to allow air to pass through and installed a hydraulic pull-down hanging rod inside. A painting from local artist Laurie Buck brightens this functional space.
Molly Dearybury, Wright Design
Color-drenching may be a current trend, but it’s also a timeless way to make a bold statement—and it’s now making its way into unexpected spaces like the laundry room. We’re seeing moody hues, rich textures, and high-impact design elements take center stage in this once-overlooked area. Homeowners are embracing personality through unexpected touches such as crystal hardware, statement wallpapers, metal accents, and unconventional materials. Details like keyhole cut-outs in cabinetry are gaining popularity, adding both charm and visual interest.
At the same time, there’s a growing demand for clever additions that boost functionality and efficiency. Dog-wash stations are increasingly in demand, especially when space allows within the laundry room. Thoughtful additions like built-in pull-out steps make it easier for aging pets to access the wash area—and make the task more comfortable for owners, too. Collaborating with a skilled cabinetry trade partner can make all the difference in optimizing layout and customizing features. Ultimately, the laundry room is becoming a design destination in its own right—much like the powder room—with homeowners eager to make it both beautiful and practical.
