There’s nothing like a newborn to make you appreciate a nicer laundry area. Ours works perfectly well, but it’s always felt a little plain, so we’ve decided it’s time for a proper makeover.
We’ve made small improvements so far: blue trim was painted, old blue bi-fold doors came down, the flooring was replaced, and the hallway walls got a fresh coat of paint. We also unexpectedly needed new appliances, which actually helped the redesign because they’re already in place.
Those bi-fold doors were sprayed white after we painted the trim and doors upstairs, and they’ve sat in storage ever since. We often debate whether to rehang them, but usually decide we prefer the open feel. Small spaces tend to feel better when they’re open rather than closed off—bathrooms being the main exception. In our first house we even removed a bi-fold wall in favor of a more open laundry arrangement.
We like doing inexpensive Phase 1 updates to improve a room while planning a larger renovation, and this laundry corner should be relatively affordable since the appliances are new. The main challenge has been getting fully aligned on what we want: the thinking phase has been substantial. It’s important to think through layout, materials, and function before committing to a build—even if that means spending an entire weekend brainstorming instead of doing physical work. We did go tile shopping, which helped clarify our vision.
Here are the two main options we weighed.
Option #1: Remove the cased opening and shift everything to create more usable space. This would eliminate dead space beside the appliances (which currently must sit centered in their opening) and open up wall space for additional storage above and below. With that wall removed, we could install a tile backsplash to add texture and reflect light, plus floating shelves, upper cabinets, and a new light fixture to elevate the whole area.
On the opposite corner we envisioned a base cabinet with drawers and a short countertop remnant for added workspace and storage.
We also considered adding a door in the hallway—a pretty door with a large frosted pane would let in light while still allowing the option to close the laundry room for noise control. It would create a more defined laundry room feel instead of a laundry spot at the end of a hall.
However, a major drawback is circulation to the storage area beyond. Right now you open a door at the end of the hall to reach the storage room, but adding a frosted door would require walking through the laundry room to get to that space — potentially awkward once the storage room becomes a finished TV or bunk room.
Option #2: Keep the cased opening and focus on upgrading the back wall. Adding tile, floating shelves, cabinetry, and new lighting would give the nook a finished, intentional look while preserving the open flow of the hallway. This approach is flexible: we can always decide later to remove the opening and add a different door or install nicer bi-folds if we prefer to close the space. Option #2 can evolve into Option #1 down the line, making it a low-risk way to improve storage, style, and function now.
Seeing small laundry nooks that look polished even with bi-folds convinced us that keeping the opening framed can still feel intentional and attractive.
UPDATE: There have been many suggestions—from adding a pocket door or a sliding barn door to moving the washer and dryer or reworking the guest closet—so we’ve considered multiple circulation and layout tweaks. Those ideas are being discussed and evaluated in the planning stage.
As for tile, we shopped several options to find a material that would reflect light and add elegance without overwhelming the small space. Although the area won’t see water like a shower or full backsplash behind a sink, tile felt like the most durable, luxe choice that we could DIY. We wanted something that brightened the end of the hallway and coordinated with our white appliances. Here are the options we debated:
1. Mini-subway marble: elegant and classic, but a little too basic for this project.
2. Small hex tile in deep tones: playful at the scale we liked, but the dark colors risked making the nook feel dimmer.
3. Large-format decorative tile: stunning in person but expensive and too large in scale for a small wall.
4. Penny tile in a milk tone: charming and glossy, but we wanted to try something new after recently using penny tile in another project.
5. White lantern tile: crisp and beautiful, but the bright white didn’t match the exact tone of our washer and dryer, making them look mismatched.
6. Light marble herringbone: a perfect fit. The scale felt right for the wall, the variety of tones added depth, and the finish reflected light without being overly shiny.
Spoiler alert: we chose the herringbone marble. It felt high-end, matched our appliances, and was priced right for a small area.
So that’s the current plan: finalize decisions about shelving and cabinetry, then start tiling the back wall to brighten and elevate the space. We’re leaning toward a finished, stylish nook that improves storage and visual appeal while keeping our options open for future changes. What did you do this weekend—family time, travel, or lots of planning? Sometimes the thinking is just as important as the building when it comes to a successful DIY overhaul.