Last Updated on March 3, 2024
Check out the incredible before and after of this simple small coastal laundry room makeover.
I didn’t grow up in a house with a real laundry room. Our little laundry area was positioned at the end of our kitchen and there were constantly loads washing and drying. My mom was trying to keep clothes clean for herself and 3 girls, so our house ALWAYS smelled like laundry soap. I think this is a big part of the reason why I am so obsessed with laundry (and the smell)! It’s so nostalgic for me.
The laundry room is one of my favorite rooms in the entire house. I want a laundry room that is clean, beautiful, and functional. When we moved into our latest house, it had a small laundry room that needed some serious updating. The walls were yellow, and the tile was old and dingy. I’m also pretty sure the washer and dryer were from another decade.
Small Coastal Laundry Room
Our laundry room measures 6’ x 7’, which isn’t very big. But what our small laundry room does offer is some pretty amazing storage. There are cabinets along the wall above the washer and dryer as well as a long cabinet with multiple shelves right next to the laundry room door.
Above the washer and dryer, I store everything from cleaning products to medical supplies. In the long cabinet by the laundry room door, I store laundry soap, extra paper towels, and extra cleaning products that will eventually end up under sinks throughout the house.
Originally, there was also a shelf that ran underneath the cabinets along the washer and dryer wall. We ripped that out, since I planned to buy pedestals for our washer and dryer, which would make them too tall to fit that shelf. I also removed a standing center cabinet between the washer and dryer which looked really odd and felt unnecessary given all the other storage we had.
Coastal Laundry Room Mood Board
Behr Frost Paint | Samsung Washing Machine | Samsung Dryer | Touchless Trash Can | Floor Tile | Rattan Basket | Steele Laundry Cart
Before I tackle any design project, I always build a mood board. This helps me visualize how everything will come together and coordinate. I make dozens of swaps during this process to find the items that work perfectly. Even with something as simple as a laundry room, build a mood board before you make any final decisions to make sure you’re truly happy with the finished results.
White Coastal Laundry Room
I painted the laundry room walls before we even moved in. I wanted that yellow gone immediately! There is a lot of navy blue throughout our home, and I considered painting our laundry room navy. But because the room was so small, I didn’t want to make it feel even smaller.
I opted for Behr Frost in a matte finish. It’s a white shade that has a hint of gray undertone. I knew I wanted to do a fun blue and white tile in here and thought this paint color would help the tile be the focal point.
We do all of our own painting, with the exception of our kitchen and wet bar cabinets. Every wall in the house we painted ourselves. We even painted the cabinets in our basement. If you want to save money during home improvements, painting is a relatively easy thing to take on yourself. Leave the harder work (like tiling) to the professionals. (although I want to learn how to do that too!)
“If you want to save money, painting is a relatively easy thing to take on yourself!”
Laundry Room Floor Tile: Coastal Tile
For the laundry room floor tile, I chose a blue and white tile in a floral geometric design. I am so obsessed with it that I also used it in our basement bathroom renovation!
Maybe some designers would scoff at the idea of using the same tile in 2 different rooms, but I have always done this! I have classic white subway tile in every single bathroom in the house and used the same floor tile in different rooms in my last house too!
Don’t be afraid to use the same tile in multiple places. If you love it, you love it! It also helps tie different spaces together under one consistent theme.
Front Loading Washer & Dryer with Pedestals
Oh man, I have had some serious debates over this one. My mother and sisters are very anti-front loading washers. A lot of people have strong opinions about front vs. top loading as well as the brands they stand behind. I love front loading washers, and I also love Samsung.
We have had our Samsung washer and dryer for 3 years and haven’t had a single issue. Also, our front loading washer does not smell – EVER! I know this is a concern for some people, but I think technology has come a long way since the early front loaders. The Samsung gas dryer is great also.
If you don’t have pedestals on your washer and dryer, you are missing out! It’s a total game changer. Not only do they raise your washer and dryer up over a foot, so you don’t have to bend over, but they’re also great for extra storage.
Steele Laundry Basket
I have been lusting after Steele laundry baskets for years, and I finally broke down and bought one. I looked for dupes and couldn’t find anything that even came close. Steele has a ton of different laundry basket options, but they don’t come cheap!
I chose the Steele elevated truck on wheels style 3 BU with a canvas basket. It has a ton of storage, and the wheels make it super easy to maneuver around. I tuck it in front of our washer so I can easily toss dirty clothes in.
They also make a wood lid as an optional add-on that helps hide your dirty clothes. If you prefer to keep your dirty clothes out of sight, definitely add this on. It’s a small price to pay for dirty laundry perfection. You can also put baskets or laundry soaps on top for extra storage!
I paid over $200 for this laundry cart and lid, which my husband thought was insane. I guess he’s not wrong, but I plan on having this for a LONG time. I have probably gone through 2-3 other (much cheaper) laundry hampers over the years, so I look at this as an investment.
Touchless Trash Can
I used a small wicker trash can in our last laundry room, but I was emptying it constantly. I knew I wanted a bigger one for this laundry room, but the only space I had for a trash can was on the left side of our dryer. The space was tight with only 13” of room.
Luckily, I found the perfect narrow 13 gallon trash can at Amazon (12.6″ diameter). It has a touchless sensor, so I can throw away handfuls of dryer lint without having to touch a thing!
I’m really happy with how this coastal laundry room turned out. We didn’t invest a ton of money, but it made a huge difference in how this small laundry room looks and functions. I hope this post provided some good coastal laundry room inspiration for your space!
Discover similar posts:
→The Laundress Detergent Review
→Coastal Bathroom Ideas
→Stunning Coastal Kitchen Design
This post is about a coastal laundry room makeover.
