How do I design my laundry room to be functional?

A functional laundry room starts with a well-thought-out layout. Measure the available width, height and depth first, and note where the tap, drain, sockets, doors and windows are.

Then think about your usual laundry routine: washing, drying, sorting, folding and putting away. Position the washing machine and dryer so you can use them easily, and make sure there is enough worktop and storage around the appliances.

Step 1: measure the room properly

Go through the available space carefully and note:

• width, depth and height

• the position of doorways (important for delivering the appliances) and windows

• sockets

• the position of the water and drain connections

• obstacles such as a boiler, fuse box or pipework

Step 2: choose your basic layout

Then decide how you want to arrange things:

• appliances stacked, which works well in narrow rooms, or side by side with a continuous worktop in wider rooms

• tall cabinets for extra storage

• base cabinets with a worktop

• special modules for laundry baskets or an ironing board, for example

If you put the appliances in a cabinet at working height, you bend less when loading and unloading and you use the space underneath for storage or pull-out laundry baskets.

Step 3: think about ventilation, lighting and storage

A laundry room that works well also takes this into account:

• Ventilation: washing machines and dryers give off a lot of moisture. Arrange mechanical ventilation or a window you can open regularly, to prevent mould and stale smells.

• Lighting: good general lighting, plus task lighting under the wall cabinets if you want, so you can see whether stains have really gone.

• Storage: keep detergent and cleaning products in closed wall cabinets, out of reach of children, and use labelled baskets to keep track.

Step 4: fill the gaps

Fill any unused gaps neatly with our cabinet filler strip or with loose panel material. That gives you a flush, finished result without visible seams.

Want to be sure everything fits? Request personal advice with no obligation, or take a look at our inspiration page.