Laundry Room Layouts That Actually Work: 6 Floor Plans Tested

Testing What Works in Laundry Room Design

I’ve designed and built laundry rooms in closets, corners, basements, and dedicated spaces. After living with the results—and hearing feedback from clients who use these rooms daily—patterns emerge. Some layouts work. Others look great in drawings but fail in practice.

Here are six floor plans I’ve actually tested, with honest assessments of each.

Layout 1: Side-by-Side with Folding Counter

Washer and dryer sit side by side against one wall with a continuous countertop above. This works when you have at least 60 inches of wall width. The counter provides immediate folding space, and items can air-dry on the counter surface.

Verdict: The most functional layout for medium-sized spaces. Requires 24-36 inches of clear floor space in front for loading and unloading.

Layout 2: Stacked Units in a Closet

A stacked washer-dryer fits in a closet as narrow as 32 inches wide. Add bifold or pocket doors to hide the equipment. This works for apartments, condos, and homes where a dedicated laundry room isn’t possible.

Verdict: Space-efficient but limiting. No folding surface, reduced capacity, and repairs require moving heavy stacked units.

Layout 3: Galley Configuration

Washer and dryer face each other across a 42-48 inch aisle, with counter space above each. This makes sense in longer, narrow spaces like converted hallways. The facing arrangement allows easy transfer between machines.

Verdict: Underrated layout that works well when properly proportioned. Anything less than 42 inches between machines feels cramped.

Layout 4: L-Shaped with Sink

Machines occupy one leg of the L; a utility sink and counter fill the other. This configuration shines for households that hand-wash delicates, treat stains, or need a secondary cleanup station. The sink adds $400-800 but transforms functionality.

Verdict: My recommendation for any new construction or major renovation. The utility sink eliminates trips to bathroom or kitchen.

Layout 5: Corner with Hanging Space

Machines tuck into a corner with a tension rod or permanent rod spanning the adjacent wall for hanging air-dry items. This layout prioritizes hanging space over folding surface.

Verdict: Excellent for households with significant air-dry laundry. Less functional for families who mainly use the dryer.

Layout 6: Dedicated Room with Island

In spaces over 80 square feet, a central island provides folding surface, storage below, and separation between clean and dirty sides of the room. This layout requires careful planning for traffic flow and adequate clearances.

Verdict: Luxury-level functionality, but only works with sufficient square footage. Forcing an island into a small room creates more problems than it solves.

The Universal Requirements

Every functional laundry room needs: adequate lighting over the work surface, at least one counter for folding, floor-to-ceiling storage for supplies, and easy-clean flooring. Get these basics right, and any layout can work. Miss them, and even the best floor plan disappoints.