Renovating
7 Alternative Places to Put Your Washing Machine
You’ve decided to move your washing machine out of the kitchen, but where should it go? Check out these options
There are lots of reasons you might consider shifting your laundry appliances from the kitchen to another part of your home, and it’s usually perfectly possible from a plumbing point of view, but where would be the best location? These 7 rooms offer alternatives for a utility area. Do consult a professional first, however, who will advise on any relevant safety considerations, as well as the feasibility of any extra plumbing required.
More in this series: Find out the practicalities of relocating your machine in How to Move Your Washing Machine Out of the Kitchen
More in this series: Find out the practicalities of relocating your machine in How to Move Your Washing Machine Out of the Kitchen
From this angle, the ingenious display shelving created to add depth is easier to see, as well as how neat the area looks when the doors are closed.
Sneak it into your bathroom
There’s a good chance that by tapping into existing pipework, you’ll make the job not only simpler, but cheaper, too.
Partly for this reason, it’s common in many other countries for the washing machine to be positioned in a bathroom, and this Slovakian design, by Goldfish-Interiors, illustrates just one way to do it. An integrated washer has been built into a vanity unit next to three big drawers, which ensure the room retains some useful storage. It’s also concealed behind a coordinating door, making it easier on the eye.
There’s a good chance that by tapping into existing pipework, you’ll make the job not only simpler, but cheaper, too.
Partly for this reason, it’s common in many other countries for the washing machine to be positioned in a bathroom, and this Slovakian design, by Goldfish-Interiors, illustrates just one way to do it. An integrated washer has been built into a vanity unit next to three big drawers, which ensure the room retains some useful storage. It’s also concealed behind a coordinating door, making it easier on the eye.
If you have a bit more room in the bathroom, a taller laundry cupboard is worth looking into. Here, Canadian design firm Two Birds Design has made the arrangement as compact as possible, while managing to fit in a washing machine and dryer, as well as a shelf for laundry accoutrements and enough space on top of the two appliances for handling clothes.
Note also a key design detail you’ll be grateful for in a full-height laundry cupboard: lighting. Consult a qualified electrician about the very specific options for power sources in a bathroom.
Note also a key design detail you’ll be grateful for in a full-height laundry cupboard: lighting. Consult a qualified electrician about the very specific options for power sources in a bathroom.
Make more of a landing
Do you have a landing that’s not pulling its weight? You don’t need a vast space to be able to fit in a washing machine.
By way of inspiration, this sleek sliding door conceals a generously sized mini utility area at the top of the stairs in a house designed by GO LOGIC. The door, which is on a track, opens over the stairs, making very efficient use of the available space.
Note the handy hanging space; your designer will be able to advise on how best to swerve damp from drying clothes accumulating in this sort of set-up.
Do you have a landing that’s not pulling its weight? You don’t need a vast space to be able to fit in a washing machine.
By way of inspiration, this sleek sliding door conceals a generously sized mini utility area at the top of the stairs in a house designed by GO LOGIC. The door, which is on a track, opens over the stairs, making very efficient use of the available space.
Note the handy hanging space; your designer will be able to advise on how best to swerve damp from drying clothes accumulating in this sort of set-up.
This is a similar landing idea, executed stylishly by REES Architects.
Here, beautifully sleek, handleless doors painted in an accent colour mean a bank of storage almost disappears into a feature wall when the doors are closed.
The doors pull open rather than sliding, as in the previous example, so it’s a bit more of a tight squeeze, but a top floor landing will generally be less busy than a ground floor hallway, so congestion may not be an issue.
Here, beautifully sleek, handleless doors painted in an accent colour mean a bank of storage almost disappears into a feature wall when the doors are closed.
The doors pull open rather than sliding, as in the previous example, so it’s a bit more of a tight squeeze, but a top floor landing will generally be less busy than a ground floor hallway, so congestion may not be an issue.
Maximise your cloakroom
Do you have a downstairs loo into which you could potentially squeeze a washing machine? When space is tight, it’s helpful to be able to double up, not only with plumbing, but also function.
In this clever combined laundry/boot room/cloakroom, designer bellabunce has fitted a washing machine and dryer inside bespoke cabinetry. She also installed a full-size Belfast sink with a kitchen-appropriate tap that’s suitable for laundry as well as hand-washing, and a useful worktop for organising laundry.
Do you have a downstairs loo into which you could potentially squeeze a washing machine? When space is tight, it’s helpful to be able to double up, not only with plumbing, but also function.
In this clever combined laundry/boot room/cloakroom, designer bellabunce has fitted a washing machine and dryer inside bespoke cabinetry. She also installed a full-size Belfast sink with a kitchen-appropriate tap that’s suitable for laundry as well as hand-washing, and a useful worktop for organising laundry.
Repurpose a garage
If you’re lucky enough to have a garage, is the space being put to the best use? Where there’s an alternative place to park a car, a garage can often become a dumping ground, but could yours be somewhere to keep laundry out of the way, like this one fitted out by Dura? The sound of your washing machine’s spin cycle could become a distant memory!
The ideal would be a garage with a connecting door into the house. In fact, this may be a deal-breaker when faced with the reality of carting washing in and out of a front or back door. Not all garages will be suitable, but a consultation with an architect or specialist garage conversion company will let you know.
If you’re lucky enough to have a garage, is the space being put to the best use? Where there’s an alternative place to park a car, a garage can often become a dumping ground, but could yours be somewhere to keep laundry out of the way, like this one fitted out by Dura? The sound of your washing machine’s spin cycle could become a distant memory!
The ideal would be a garage with a connecting door into the house. In fact, this may be a deal-breaker when faced with the reality of carting washing in and out of a front or back door. Not all garages will be suitable, but a consultation with an architect or specialist garage conversion company will let you know.
Consider a dressing room
Putting a washing machine in the midst of the area where clothing will generally be removed – in this case, a standalone dressing room – makes a lot of sense.
As part of the redesign of this one-bedroom flat, Ebba Thott of Sigmar created mesh doors for bespoke cabinetry to screen off a washing machine and airing cupboard. The space also includes shelves for accessories such as shoes and hats.
Putting a washing machine in the midst of the area where clothing will generally be removed – in this case, a standalone dressing room – makes a lot of sense.
As part of the redesign of this one-bedroom flat, Ebba Thott of Sigmar created mesh doors for bespoke cabinetry to screen off a washing machine and airing cupboard. The space also includes shelves for accessories such as shoes and hats.
Capitalise on a corridor
OK, so this one is not entirely out of the kitchen, but it does feature a clever departure…
The elegant room, designed by Ian Dunn Woodwork & Design, features a long bank of floor-to-ceiling storage on the left, away from the main kitchen area.
This may not be a huge leap from having the washing machine in your kitchen, but it’s a savvy tweak that could have similar benefits. Here, a laundry area is tucked inside a cupboard just beyond the white back wall of the kitchen.
By putting it not only behind a door, but also pushing it away from where people will sit and eat or chat, the noise of a spin cycle won’t disturb anyone. You’ll also be better able to sneak washing in and out without sharing the contents of your laundry load with guests in the kitchen, or carting it across your cooking space.
Tell us…
Which washing machine location most appeals to you – and why? Share your thoughts in the Comments.
OK, so this one is not entirely out of the kitchen, but it does feature a clever departure…
The elegant room, designed by Ian Dunn Woodwork & Design, features a long bank of floor-to-ceiling storage on the left, away from the main kitchen area.
This may not be a huge leap from having the washing machine in your kitchen, but it’s a savvy tweak that could have similar benefits. Here, a laundry area is tucked inside a cupboard just beyond the white back wall of the kitchen.
By putting it not only behind a door, but also pushing it away from where people will sit and eat or chat, the noise of a spin cycle won’t disturb anyone. You’ll also be better able to sneak washing in and out without sharing the contents of your laundry load with guests in the kitchen, or carting it across your cooking space.
Tell us…
Which washing machine location most appeals to you – and why? Share your thoughts in the Comments.
The cleverest thing about this design in a house in Dublin may not be immediately obvious from this front-on photo. When designer Jane Higgins of Jane Higgins Home Design wanted to create a mini laundry area under the stairs, she found the space wasn’t deep enough. Her solution? She built out the staircase on the outside of the balustrade, turning the extended area into an attractive display space, too.
The design involved multiple professionals, as Jane explains. “This was done as part of the refurbishment of the house, so a builder, an architect and myself were involved,” she says. “The architect and I worked on the design of the understairs area to fit in the appliances and the builder constructed it. I then detailed up the bespoke furniture and had it made and installed.”