There’s nothing like having a newborn to make you appreciate a well-designed laundry area. Ours works fine, but it doesn’t exactly qualify as “nice,” so we decided it’s time for a proper overhaul.
We’ve made some small improvements already: the blue trim was repainted, the old blue bi-fold doors came down, the flooring was replaced, hallway walls got a fresh coat of paint, and we even ended up replacing the appliances unexpectedly.
Back when we painted the trim and doors upstairs, I sprayed those bi-folds white and stored them away. Every few months Sherry and I talk about rehanging them, but we always conclude it’s nicer to keep the area open. We generally prefer small spaces that feel open rather than closed off — bathrooms aside. In our first house we even removed the bi-fold wall in favor of a more open laundry setup.
We often rely on low-cost, short-term updates to improve rooms while we save for a full renovation, and this small laundry corner should be affordable — especially since we already have new appliances. The challenge has been deciding what we want it to become. There’s value in planning: not so much that you never act, but enough so you don’t rush into choices about layout, materials, and finishes without thinking them through.
This weekend we spent time with family, enjoyed a neighborhood party, and did a lot of thinking — no demo, no construction, although we did go tile shopping.
First, we seriously considered this approach:
Option #1: Take inspiration from our first house’s laundry makeover by removing the cased opening and shifting the appliances to free up wall space. The current opening cuts off part of the laundry area and leaves dead space beside the appliances because they’re centered in the opening. Removing that wall would create room for more storage, both on the wall and below. Here’s a rough idea of that concept:
With the wall removed we could prettify the back wall — add a tile backsplash to bring texture and reflect more light into this dark hallway end, install a floating shelf, upper cabinets, and a nicer light fixture.
On the other corner we imagined adding a base cabinet with drawers, topped with a small countertop remnant for extra surface area and storage.
We also considered adding a pretty door with a large frosted pane in the hallway — letting light pass while offering the option to close the room to dampen sound and hide machines while they run. We like the idea of turning the nook into a proper laundry room rather than just a spot at the end of the hall.
This would help the long hallway feel less cavernous, but we’re not fully committed. If we love the finished back wall we might think it’s silly to hide it, and the washer/dryer aren’t particularly loud since the upgrade — another reason we hesitate to reinstall doors.
The main drawback is circulation: adding a hallway door would create two doors to pass through to reach the storage room beyond, which we plan to convert into a TV/bunk room. Currently you walk down the hall and open one door to enter that space; with a new laundry door you’d have to pass through the laundry room to get to the room beyond, which could feel awkward.
Which brings us to…
Option #2: Keep the cased opening as it is, and focus on finishing the back wall: add tile, floating shelves, some cabinetry, and updated lighting. This preserves the polished framed look and still gives the nook a finished appearance. The advantage is flexibility — we can always change course later. If we decide to remove the cased opening and add a frosted door, Option #2 can evolve into Option #1. Or we could install nicer bi-folds, rehang the originals, or simply leave it open.
Seeing inspiring finished laundry nooks convinced us that a framed opening with thoughtful finishes can look great. If a small laundry nook with bi-folds can appear this polished, that’s compelling evidence in favor of keeping the opening.
UPDATE: There have been lots of suggestions — from adding a pocket door behind the guest room, to repurposing the guest closet, to moving the washer and dryer and changing door locations, or installing a barn/slider. We’ve addressed many of those ideas in the comments with pros and cons.
Back to tile shopping: although this won’t be a wet area (no sink), we wanted tile for its luxe feel, durability, and light-reflecting qualities. Because the area is small we could splurge a bit on something nicer. We considered several options:
1. A mini-subway marble looked classic and elegant, but felt too basic for what we wanted. 2. A small-scale colored hex tile was fun, but the deep tones risked making the space feel darker. 3. A dramatic large-scale tile was stunning in person but pricey and too large in scale for the small wall. 4. Penny tile in a milk color was charming, but we wanted something different than what we used in our last kitchen. 5. White lantern tile was pretty, but the bright white clashed with the exact tone of our washer and dryer. 6. A light marble herringbone tile offered the right scale and tone — it reflected light beautifully without being overly shiny and complemented our white machines.
Spoiler: we chose the light marble herringbone. It felt high-end, the price was right after a discount, and there were only a few boxes left — so we grabbed them.
That’s where the laundry project stands: deciding between opening up the space or finishing the existing framed nook, picking the tile, and planning shelves and cabinetry. Next up is finalizing storage details and starting the tiling. What did you do this weekend — family time, travel, or plenty of thinking? Sometimes the planning is the most important DIY task of all.