25 Small Laundry Room Ideas with a Top Load Washing Machine (2024)

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Kristin Hohenadel

25 Small Laundry Room Ideas with a Top Load Washing Machine (1)

Kristin Hohenadel

Kristin Hohenadel has written on design for publications including the New York Times, Interior Design, Slate, Fast Company, and the international editions of Elle Decor.

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Updated on 03/21/23

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25 Small Laundry Room Ideas with a Top Load Washing Machine (2)

When designing a small laundry room, there are plenty of good reasons to choose a top load washing machine. These old school machines may not be as trendy as today's supersized front-loading washing machines, but they may be your only option if you're outfitting a shallow laundry closet in an older apartment or home. And while a top load washing machine can't maximize vertical space like a stacked washer dryer combo, it may be the best choice for a small or narrow laundry room that doesn't have a lot of wiggle room.

While choosing a top load washing machine limits the possibility of installing a countertop above the machines and will force you to sacrifice some of the above-machine space to allow room to open and close the lid, that's nothing that some clever laundry room shelving can't solve.

Check out these stylish, high-functioning small laundry rooms that feature top load washing machines out of necessity or by choice for inspiration on how to integrate them into your decor.

  • 01 of 25

    Hide With a Beaded Curtain

    25 Small Laundry Room Ideas with a Top Load Washing Machine (3)

    A Beautiful Mess added wall-mounted open shelving above this top load washing machine to keep laundry essentials at arm's reach without interfering with opening and closing the machine. The same forest green and bright white color scheme and flooring is carried through to the adjacent kitchen for visual continuity, and a wood bead curtain hides the laundry room without a cumbersome door.

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  • 02 of 25

    Add Custom Cabinetry

    25 Small Laundry Room Ideas with a Top Load Washing Machine (4)

    In this laundry room makeover from Melissa Roberts Interiors, cabinetry and walls were painted in the same shade of white, a vertical chevron patterned glass tile backsplash was carried all the way up to the ceiling, and custom cabinetry houses storage and conceals plumbing and electrical hookups.

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  • 03 of 25

    Galley Style

    25 Small Laundry Room Ideas with a Top Load Washing Machine (5)

    Blogger Carissa from Bless This Nest transformed her small galley-style laundry room with fresh blue paint on walls and cabinets, swapped out the florescent lighting for an inexpensive chandelier, added open shelving with decorative wall brackets and created a DIY thrift store wooden ladder drying rack by adding hooks and attaching it to wall studs.

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  • 04 of 25

    Modern Farmhouse Style

    25 Small Laundry Room Ideas with a Top Load Washing Machine (6)

    This small laundry room makeover from Cherished Bliss included adding warm gray cabinetry above the washer and dryer and a chunky wood shelf to store everyday items and help conceal plumbing connections. A painted faux mosaic tile floor stencil adds a decorative note, and a letterboard sign above the washer keeps it real.

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  • Conceal With Cabinet Doors

    25 Small Laundry Room Ideas with a Top Load Washing Machine (7)

    This top load washer dryer combo hidden behind a stained wood cabinet from Marie Flanigan Interiors creates an efficient laundry corner in a guesthouse that fades into the background when not in use.

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  • 06 of 25

    Decorate the Walls

    25 Small Laundry Room Ideas with a Top Load Washing Machine (8)

    This laundry room makeover from Stay Home Style was a quarantine DIY project that added function and style to a small laundry room. Blogger Ashley Whatley used a one-inch brush to create a matte black brushstroke pattern on the wall behind the top load washing machine as an easy affordable alternative to hanging wallpaper. Then she added stained pine shelving to create wall-to-wall storage that maximizes the small space.

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  • 07 of 25

    Industrial Style

    25 Small Laundry Room Ideas with a Top Load Washing Machine (9)

    A Beautiful Mess chose a free-standing stainless steel sink for this industrial-style laundry room. Since this is a pass-through space connected to the garage and a powder room, the same black, white, and green color palette is carried throughout the house. The top load washer, dryer, sink, ceiling-height cabinetry, and drying rod maximize space on a single wall.

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  • 08 of 25

    Use Traditional Colors

    25 Small Laundry Room Ideas with a Top Load Washing Machine (10)

    This small laundry room from Pizzale Design Inc. uses a traditional color palette of brown and gray, with stainless steel appliances and two types of tile on the backsplash and flooring to add variation.

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  • 09 of 25

    Incorporate Personal Touches

    25 Small Laundry Room Ideas with a Top Load Washing Machine (11)

    Blogger Kathy Baugher of Up to Date Interiors used leftover paint and wallpaper to give her laundry room an easy DIY makeover. She mixed her own paint color to match the wallpaper, adding wall-to-wall cabinetry and a floating shelf to display sentimental decor objects relocated from elsewhere in the house, including a vintage basket and gold box from her grandmother.

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  • 10 of 25

    Hang a Pendant Light

    25 Small Laundry Room Ideas with a Top Load Washing Machine (12)

    This petite and polished laundry room from Charbonneau Interiors has a top load washing machine, marble effect quartz countertops and matching backsplash, gold hardware, dark blue cabinetry, and a globe pendant light that hangs in front of the arched window to add some glamour.

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  • 11 of 25

    Install a Peel and Stick Tile Backsplash

    25 Small Laundry Room Ideas with a Top Load Washing Machine (13)

    Lydi Out Loud gave her tiny laundry room some love with a peel-and-stick subway style wall tile backsplash and a mix of open and closed storage that adds function and style to the small space without breaking the bank.

    The 7 Best Removable Wallpapers of 2024, Tested and Reviewed

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  • 12 of 25

    Decorate the Laundry Closet

    25 Small Laundry Room Ideas with a Top Load Washing Machine (14)

    Blogger Ashley from Cherished Bliss swapped her oversized modern washer dryer for an old school top load washer and dryer combo to make her rental laundry closet into a functional space. Then she added a chunky stained wood shelf lined with linen storage boxes, a wicker basket with wood-top glass storage jars for supplies, a cute lamp to add some ambient lighting, and a laundry sign to help camouflage hoses and cords.

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  • 13 of 25

    Make Room for a Drying Rod

    25 Small Laundry Room Ideas with a Top Load Washing Machine (15)

    In this shallow laundry closet sandwiched into a corner of an eat-in kitchen behind bi-fold doors from Elizabeth Burns Design, a top load washer and dryer set was the only kind that fit. Burns gave it a budget makeover by covering the back wall with peel and stick black-and-white buffalo plaid wallpaper, replacing builder grade wire racks with a small cabinet and drying rod, and adding antique brass cabinet pulls for warmth.

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  • 14 of 25

    Include a Central Island

    25 Small Laundry Room Ideas with a Top Load Washing Machine (16)

    While this laundry room from Whittney Parkinson Design is large enough for any kind of appliances, the designer chose to install a top load washing machine, building cabinetry around the appliances that provides clearance for the lid and space for a shelf behind the machines for housing supplies in clear glass storage jars.

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  • 15 of 25

    Add Beadboard Wall Trim

    25 Small Laundry Room Ideas with a Top Load Washing Machine (17)

    Blogger Jen Woodhouse installed beadboard wall paneling and custom floating shelves to add style and functionality to this small laundry room in one of the most heavily trafficked areas of her home.

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  • 16 of 25

    Go Vertical

    25 Small Laundry Room Ideas with a Top Load Washing Machine (18)

    Blogger Abby Lawson from Just a Girl and Her Blog gave her small laundry room a makeover with stainless steel appliances, wood-effect floor tiles, vertical shiplap painted pale blue, a mix of open and closed storage, and a gold-rimmed mirror and decorative brass and glass dome ceiling light fixture.

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  • 17 of 25

    Choose a Black and White Palette

    25 Small Laundry Room Ideas with a Top Load Washing Machine (19)

    This laundry room from Charbonneau Interiors features a strict black-and-white palette down the black hangers on the black drying rod. Tall white painted cabinetry that runs to the ceiling maximizes vertical storage, and patterned tiles add interest to the floor.

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  • 18 of 25

    Keep It Renter-Friendly

    25 Small Laundry Room Ideas with a Top Load Washing Machine (20)

    Blogger Kathy Baugher of Up to Date Interiors cheered up the laundry room in her rental apartment in Japan by decorating the top load washing machine with gold polka dot decals leftover from her daughter's room makeover. An installation of wall baskets conceals plumbing fixtures and cords.

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  • 19 of 25

    Save Space by Stacking

    25 Small Laundry Room Ideas with a Top Load Washing Machine (21)

    In this kitchen pantry laundry room closet from Marie Flanigan Interiors, open shelving and a small drying rack is built around a stacked top load washer dryer combo that makes efficient use of space.

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  • 20 of 25

    Make a Multipurpose Mudroom

    25 Small Laundry Room Ideas with a Top Load Washing Machine (22)

    This compact laundry area from KG Designs is confined to the back wall of a combination mudroom and laundry room space. A top load washer and dryer set, a row of wall-to-wall cabinetry, patterned backsplash tile, and a small countertop space for folding laundry blends in with the neutral decor of the space.

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  • 21 of 25

    Decorate With a Wall Map

    25 Small Laundry Room Ideas with a Top Load Washing Machine (23)

    Blogger Diane Henkler of In My Own Style spray painted the wooden louvered doors of this diminutive laundry closet, added a top load washing machine and dryer and a row of upper cabinets, and papered the walls with nostalgic National Geographic maps sourced online to add some bright color and inspire daydreaming of elsewhere while doing chores.

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  • 22 of 25

    Make It Multifunctional

    25 Small Laundry Room Ideas with a Top Load Washing Machine (24)

    A top load washer and dryer with wall-mounted cabinetry and a small countertop to house everyday supplies creates a functional laundry corner in this multifunctional utility room from Charbonneau Interiors that shares space with a giant extra refrigerator and the dog's bowls.

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  • 23 of 25

    Add a Powder Room

    25 Small Laundry Room Ideas with a Top Load Washing Machine (25)

    For this combination downstairs powder room and laundry room from Finding Lovely, cabinets were painted in the same shade of warm gray as the adjacent kitchen, and illustrated floral wallpaper elevates the decor.

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  • 24 of 25

    Keep It Colorful

    25 Small Laundry Room Ideas with a Top Load Washing Machine (26)

    Blogger Rhoda from Southern Hospitality turned her bare bones windowless upstairs laundry room into a colorful space thanks to paint, cheerful patterned wallpaper, and a vintage yard sale glass front wood cabinet mounted above the top load washer dryer that crates a space to display decorative items.

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  • 25 of 25

    Stay Minimalist

    25 Small Laundry Room Ideas with a Top Load Washing Machine (27)

    This laundry room from Hannah Tyler Designs is as clean and minimalist as a freshly laundered white shirt, with pristine white walls and cabinetry, a top load washing machine and dryer, and a simple globe pendant light.

How do you hide a top load washer?

You can hide a top load washer behind the cabinet doors of a tall cupboard, behind folding doors in a shallow laundry closet, or behind a curtain.You can also hide a top load washer beneath a butcherblock countertop on a wall in the kitchen by cutting a piece of matching countertop to fit the front and top, and adding hinges to the top piece so that it can be lifted out of the way when it's time to load or unload the machine, and will make the machine disappear when not in use.

How much room do you need for a top load washer?

The key to making sure your top-load washer fits in your space is to check that you have enough clearance to comfortably open the door for loading and unloading laundry. It is recommended that you leave between 16 and 18 inches of space above the top of your top-loading machine to ensure that it's comfortable to use.

25 Small Laundry Room Ideas with a Top Load Washing Machine (2024)

FAQs

How much room do you need for a top load washer? ›

A standard capacity top load washer is 27 inches wide, 36 to 42 inches in height and 25 to 28 inches in depth. Allow for an open-door clearance of at least another 24 inches. Make sure to include the height of any washer and dryer pedestals.

How do you hide a top loading washing machine? ›

How do you hide a top load washer? You can hide a top load washer behind the cabinet doors of a tall cupboard, behind folding doors in a shallow laundry closet, or behind a curtain.

What is a good size for a small laundry room? ›

What is the standard size for a laundry room? The average laundry room size is between 50 and 100 square feet. However, it's normal for larger homes (3,000+ sq. ft.) to have laundry rooms that are 100-150 square feet.

What does 10 lbs of laundry look like? ›

ROUGHLY 7 SHIRTS, 5 PAIRS OF PANTS, 10 TEES, 4 PAIRS OF SHORTS, 5 TOWELS, 20 SOCKS, and 15 UNDERGARMENTS.

What is a good size washer for a family of 4? ›

As a rule of thumb, bigger families (over 3 people in total) will require a 4 to 4.5 cubic feet washer for optimal effectiveness. For reference, 4 cubic feet can wash up to 16 pounds while a 4.5 cubic feet machine can wash 20 pounds of laundry.

Which is better top loader or front loader washing machine? ›

If a front-loading washer fits your home, we think it's a better choice than a top-loader for most people. Front-loaders remove tough stains more easily, using less water and energy—even compared with newer high-efficiency top-loaders.

Are top load washers hard on clothes? ›

Front load washers have these other benefits: They clean better and are gentler on clothes. The agitator in a top load machine can be harsh on clothes and fabrics, causing more wear and tear and stretching of delicate fabrics.

Why do top load washers exist? ›

Top load washers with agitators can be much cheaper than high-efficiency and/or front load washers. Though models vary greatly, many top load washers have shorter cycle times. Water evaporates upward out of the machine very easily, reducing the risk of mold or mildew.

How do I add space to my tiny laundry room? ›

One such idea is to install shelves above the washer and dryer, creating additional storage space without taking up floor room. You might also consider folding station carts on wheels, which make it easy to move laundry from the machine to the table for folding.

What makes a perfect laundry room? ›

'A laundry room should ideally have a separate washer and dryer, a tall laundry closet with an internal divide for the ironing board to stop it falling over each time you open the door, laundry room shelves for cleaning products, and a sink is handy for soaking and hand washing,' advises Richard Moore, who also ...

How much does it cost to build a small laundry room? ›

According to House Beautiful, the average laundry room size is 35 square feet and costs $230 per square foot. The average cost of a laundry room addition is $5,000 – $8,000. A laundry room remodel cost falls in a similar range with an average cost of around $6,000.

Where is the best place to put a laundry room in a house? ›

Putting a laundry room near your kitchen is a popular choice. This works particularly well in an open-floor-plan or one-story home. It keeps the laundry room near the areas of your home where you are living and working every day. Be sure to give the laundry room doors so you can contain any laundry-related clutter.

Do I need a door on my laundry room? ›

You don't need a vented laundry room door if the space is set up properly. Because washers and dryers create a lot of humidity, ventilation is a consideration. Louvered laundry room doors provide this easily, with open slats in the door to allow air to flow out as needed.

Will a 27 inch washer fit through a 27 inch door? ›

Standard models are 27″ wide. Even a small house door of 30″ should have the clearance to fit a washer through it. You might need to take the whole door 's framage off. Your front door might not be a standard door framage .

How much space do you need to fit a washing machine? ›

Side-by-side installation

You will want to have enough room, at least 550 mm, to fully open the doors. Plus, there should also be a 25 mm gap between the walls, as well as in-between and above the appliances.

How much space do you need for a washing machine? ›

Washing machines require adequate clearance at the sides to ensure proper ventilation and access for maintenance. It is recommended to leave at least 2,5cm of space on either side, allowing air to circulate freely and allow for a little movement.

How much space do I need for a washer? ›

Washer and Dryer Sizes

All washer and dryer pairs vary in size, but the standard dimensions for pairs placed side by side are about 27 inches in width and around 35–43 inches in height. So, your designated laundry room needs at least a 54-inch space at the very minimum.

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