Discover 11 clever ways to make a small laundry room look bigger and more functional. These tips and tricks will help you maximise your space, and make it a nicer place to do your laundry. Whether you live in a small home or apartment, these ideas will help you transform your tiny laundry room into a spacious and stylish area.
There’s something special about having a well-organised, spacious laundry room, right?
Unfortunately, though, not all of us are blessed with a generous laundry room where we can easily move around without knocking over a detergent bottle!
The question of how to make a small laundry room look bigger is a tricky one for sure, but here are all the tricks and ideas you can use to expand yours visually (without knocking down walls!).
So, shall we roll up our sleeves and get started?
Things To Consider When Looking At Expanding Your Laundry Rooms Perceived Size
You’ll need to keep a few things front of mind when you want to look at expanding the sense of space in your laundry room.
1 – What items do you need to store in the space?
Although less stuff means more space, the laundry room is a practical space that will have quite a lot to store in it.
It’s worth checking that everything you need in there is there, and also declutter anything that you don’t need in there. Then you’ll know exactly what you’re working with.
2 – What activities do you need to do in the space?
As with the stuff needed in the space, there are also activities to do in the room that will need space. Things like hanging washing to dry, ironing, folding clothes etc…
All these activities will need certain equipment and tools, and, as said previously, space!
3 – What space Are You Working With?
How much floor space, wall space etc… has it got? Are there windows? Where are the doors?
The answers to these questions will start to help you work out where to put things where they fit and will work best to maximise available space.
After all – you want your laundry room to feel spacious, despite it having little room.
Make It Feel Right…
Overall, increasing the sense of space in a room comes to understanding how the space is perceived, rather than actually is.
You see, our brains interpret the space around us not just through the physical dimensions but through other sensory factors.
These include the colours we see, the light that illuminates the area, and even how our furniture is arranged.
To illustrate the power behind this, look at this photo:
Although the room is painted white, is clean and clutter free, and the machines are stacked to give more floor space – it feels cramped for some reason.
Looking more closely, the reason is that the machines are covering some of the window. This has two negative effects on the room.
Firstly it looks like they’ve been cramped into the space as there was no room elsewhere (because why else would you choose to cover a window?).
Secondly – the light coming in from the window is being obstructed.
The room could feel much more spacious with a really quick change around…
The beauty of interior design is that it’s about manipulating elements to create a perception of space, even when there isn’t much to begin with!
Please remember that any design changes that are suggested below aren’t just for aesthetics. They have that elusive ‘perception’ in mind at all times.
So now you know all the things to think about with your Laundry room – and any restrictions your specific space has – it’s time to start making those walls expand (figuratively speaking, only!).
Related: How To Make A Small Room Look Bigger – 31 Easy Ways To Use For Any Space In Your Home
11 Tips To Make Your Laundry Room Look and Feel Bigger
To maximise the feel of the little space you have in your laundry room, you should do the following:
#1 – Declutter
Here’s the golden rule to follow: Every item in your laundry room should have a dedicated place; if it doesn’t, it might be time to rethink its presence.
Start by taking stock of what’s in your laundry room right now.
Be ruthless in your evaluation—do you really need six different stain removers? And how about that shirt you’ve been meaning to mend since 2018?
Get rid of anything that doesn’t REALLY need to be there.
Related: Find Out Exactly What To Declutter From Your Utility Room Right Now
#2 – Remove Window Dressings
Bright, well-lit spaces tend to feel larger because light opens up the area and makes the boundaries seem further apart.
If you’re fortunate enough to have a window in your laundry space then try and allow as much natural light in as possible.
As it’s a functional room, use blinds or shutters. If you want privacy at all times (your window may be within sight of the street, for example) then you could consider window film. They’re a brilliant solution that allows light in while keeping prying eyes out.
#3 – Get Light And Space From Inside
Whether you’ve got a window in your laundry room or not, it doesn’t hurt to get more light from inside the house.
You can do this by installing a glass panelled door.
Not only will light come in from the adjoining room, but you’ll also get the feeling that the room is larger than it is when the door is closed – as you’ll be able to see straight through it!
#4 – Use Built In Units
As with a kitchen, the best way to maximise space in the laundry is to have built in storage.
This means you can use every square inch (including awkward corners, or space between your machines) and make it suit the stuff you need to store AND allow for as much floor space to be left for moving around and doing those daily laundry chores easily.
#5 – Go Shallow & High
Along with maximising the space with built in units, you’re best to make any storage go from the floor to the ceiling.
The height of a room is often wasted, and can be so useful!
The trick really is to maximise floor space by making the units as shallow as possible while still allowing you to store everything well.
#6 – Stack Your Machines
The largest items in your laundry will usually be your washer and dryer.
These take up a lot of floor space, and so why not stack them on top of each other so they only take up a fraction of the space instead?
This obviously only works for some types of machines (NOT top loading), and if you’re quite tall (so you can reach the top machine easily).
So if you can’t, or don’t want to go the whole way of stacking them, another trick is to raise them onto some extra storage underneath them.
This can work well for having a basket that you can pull out and fill with your washing from the machine, for example, and keeps a bulky basket out the way (although a foldable basket helps with that!).
#7 – Think About Your Ironing Board
Traditional ironing boards can be bulky and space-consuming.
How about changing to a fold-down model you can mount to a wall or the back of a door? When not in use, you can simply fold it away!
Or get a smaller version that can be put onto a worktop when needed.
Both would take away the need for a large cupboard to store a full sized one in…
#8 – Use Foldable Storage
Yes, a laundry room will need space to hang and dry items regularly – but not all the time.
As such, why not free up space by having pull down racks, fold away dryers etc…?
#9 – Use Colour Well
When it comes to creating the illusion of a larger, functional space, colour plays a surprisingly influential role.
Light, bright hues reflect more light, making any room feel airier and larger. Meanwhile, darker colours tend to absorb light, making a space feel smaller than it actually is.
Now, I’m not suggesting you go all white walls and white cabinets (unless that’s your thing, of course!).
There’s a whole spectrum of light shades that can work wonders in a small laundry room design.
Try pale blues, soft greens or even light greys; these colours tend to visually ‘push’ the walls outwards, making your room feel more spacious.
And here’s a lesser-known trick: painting your ceiling a shade lighter than your walls can create a ‘gradual, vanishing’ effect, making it seem higher than it is.
A little optical illusion never hurt anybody, right?
TIP: Don’t think that you can’t use dark walls though… I’m a BIG fan of dark walls, and think that when done right they can make a room feel larger. For a laundry room you may want to look at pairing white cabinets with a darker wall colour. If you use dark sparingly it can look great, and not make the walls feel like they’re coming in on you at all.
#10 – Light Everywhere
The laundry is a functional space, and so having good lighting is vital (how else will you see crease when ironing, or stains when washing?).
You’ll want something bright enough to prevent shadows (nothing makes a room feel smaller faster than gloomy corners) but not so harsh that it feels like you’re in a surgical suite.
Overhead lighting is great for general illumination, but also consider adding task lighting—say, under shelves or cabinets. This can help reduce shadows and create a layered lighting effect, adding depth to your room.
If you’re feeling a bit playful, LED strip lights can be a great addition. They’re energy-efficient, and you can tuck them into hidden spots for that subtle glow.
#11 – Go Minimal
The less there is out on surfaces, not only the easier it will be to get your laundry done, but it all also look more streamlined and spacious.
Double win!
And there we have it! A host of practical solutions on how to make a small laundry room look bigger!
You can drastically enhance the sense of space by utilising light colour schemes, strategic lighting, adequate storage, and carefully chosen appliances.
Don’t underestimate the power of these simple adjustments!
Each change, however small, contributes to creating an airy, organised room that makes laundry chores a tad more enjoyable.
So, why wait?…
