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The word room implies space, the ability to move about freely, the chance to spread out a little. Closet, on the other hand, signifies a lack thereof (especially if it’s not preceded by adjectives like dream or walk-in). This difference really becomes apparent when the only place to wash, hang-dry, and fold your laundry is a pint-size cupboard that could easily be mistaken for a pantry.
Renters and small-space dwellers know the drill: If you have an in-home washer and dryer, odds are the bulky machines are hiding behind an accordion door in the hall or, worse, out in the open in the kitchen. The question isn’t whether or not cleaning your clothes in such a teensy spot is doable (spoiler: they’re totally functional) but rather, are you using what you’ve got to its full potential? Don’t go airing your dirty laundry—follow these genius tips for working in tight quarters.
Carve Out Space Under the Stairs
Don’t let the area underneath your stairs go to waste. The sloped “ceiling” might not make it suitable for a powder room, but it’s pretty perfect for a side-by-side laundry set-up. Joanne Duong Bartels and Luke Bartels painted their nook a soft mauve color and clad the bi-fold doors in grooved panels so when they’re closed they blend in with the surrounding millwork.
Top It with a Hanging Rod
Design blogger Juliet Russel admits she doesn’t even miss having a dedicated laundry room with this decked-out closet located in the corner of her great room. It has all the makings of an efficient space: a surface for folding clothes, plenty of storage, and a rod where she can hang items that are mid air-dry.
Put an IKEA Pegboard on a Sliding Track
Aden Wang only had a sliver of space between his stacked washer-dryer and the wall but it was nothing IKEA’s Skådis pegboards couldn’t handle when combined with soft-close drawer tracks. He added some of the Swedish retailer’s accessories to hold awkward things like his steam cleaner attachments, duster, and Swiffer Sweeper.
Take the Doors Off and Skirt the Issue
DIYer Erin Zubot thought about hiding her entire laundry closet nook with a full-length curtain, but instead embraced one that just covers the machines for a very English country-inspired look. To install it, she added ceiling-mounted tracks from IKEA on the underside of the countertop and then had her mom sew two panels out of some William Morris quilting fabric.
Cover It With a Curtain
If your only option is to do your laundry in your living room, consider cleverly disguising the area with a simple white curtain. Designer Lena Bruno suspended a swath of fabric from a ceiling track in this West Footscray, Australia, house so that when guests come over, smelly gym gear won’t be the topic of conversation.
Make It About Wallpaper, Part 1
One advantage of positioning front-load appliances side by side is that you can do your folding on top. The downside: All you see are two giant chunks of metal when you swing open the doors. Designer Cameron Ruppert took a design-focused approach in this vibrant Washington, D.C., home by placing one machine on top of the other, tucking them in the corner, and letting a botanical print and featherlight fixture take center stage.
Make It About the Wallpaper, Part 2
Nestled behind Atlanta-based designer Jessica Davis’s grooved walls? A washer and dryer. The pocket doors open up and slide into the nook to create an open workspace. A splash of floral wallpaper from Spoonflower provides a rush of energy. And adding a sink made treating stains even easier.
Use Every Available Surface
Emily Henderson’s upstairs hall closet is basically an all-in-one chore zone. After covering the nook in a whimsical ocean wave wallpaper (the print instantly makes it a pleasant place to be) and lining the interior with open shelves in which to stock detergents, dusters, and lint rollers, the designer added two over-the-door-hangers, one for holding a mop and broom and the other featuring a fold-out drying rack.
Upgrade the Finishes
This discreet alcove was an unused kitchenette before Sydney-based designer Lynne Bradley upgraded it with pink marble counters, ambient lighting, and paneled wood door fronts. The elevated materials and sleek mounted clothing rod make handwashing less of a bummer.
Replace the Doors
Bifold doors are never as seamless to open as you think. Kristin Jackson of Hunted Interior replaced her clunky black ones with a standard white style (she and her husband constructed the pieces themselves), then filled the center panels with perforated screens covered in cane webbing. When shut, no one will ever guess what lurks behind them.
Give It More Responsibility
Photographer Elizabeth Messina’s utility closet does double duty. Along with housing her washer and dryer, it also includes shelves for extra dishware and cleaning supplies. With the help of a brass pot filler, she can tackle stains or fill a jug of water for the dining table on the fly.
Take Advantage of Height
This clever arrangement by Studio McGee is a testament to the vertical stack. The designers saved space in the kitchen by going up rather than across—and there was even room for a small shelf of essentials at the tippy-top.