For many homes, the laundry room is a dark and scary place. But this doesn’t have to be the case! In fact, with just a fresh coat of paint and a few tweaks, you can probably turn your laundry room, no matter its size or setup, into a friendly, functional, and eye-catching space. Here are 15 ways to create a laundry room that’s both charming and functional.

1. Utility Sink.

A water source, other than the washing machine, is a critical component of the perfect laundry room. This hard-working sink (with a gorgeous faucet, naturally) would serve a variety of functions, including a soaking area, a paintbrush-rinsing station, a place to prep and pot plants, and about a hundred other things.

2. Command Center.

Use a bit of wall space in the laundry room to serve as the family’s Command Center, complete with space to drop off keys, read the week’s dinner menu, access their chores expectations, or check the mail.{found on mccallmanor}.

3. Open Shelves.

While not all of your magical stain-fighting laundry resources need to be exposed to the world, open shelving definitely has its place in the laundry room. It makes things easily identifiable and accessible. We recommend incorporating coordinated storage bins (see below) for both organization and aesthetics.

4. Coordinated & Water-Friendly Storage Bins.

Although you’re probably not planning on holding water in your storage bins, it’s helpful in a laundry room to decorate with items that won’t be ruined if they do happen to get wet. These provide a simple, put-together look along with tons of great storage.

5. Water-Resistant Building Materials.

Because the laundry room is one that’s water-focused, it’s important to choose the room’s finishes appropriately to ensure longevity and beauty for many years. Things like concrete (or laminate) countertops and tile (ceramic or stone) floors are easy to clean, durable, and aesthetic.{found on aristokraft}.

6. Countertop Above Front-Load Washer & Dryer.

This feature maximizes the usable space in the laundry room, in addition to providing a nice, finished and custom look to the room overall.

7. Space-Saving Stackable Washer & Dryer.

As a space-saving alternative to the traditional floor-sitting washer and dryer combo, stacked machines maximize available floor space. This is particularly useful in a small laundry room, allowing for a more organized space overall.

8. Task Lighting.

Under-cabinet lighting strips not only brighten the laundry room’s darker spaces overall, but they also provide important illumination to work zones. A table lamp, strategically placed, will accomplish the same thing and add plenty of character to the laundry room as well.{found on centsationalgirl}.

9. Cabinets.

Open shelving is nice when the contents are beautiful and/or coordinated, but to be honest, this is rarely the case (without a lot of extra work) in a laundry room. Cabinets with doors hide laundry supplies perfectly while still keeping them easily accessible.

10. Curtain Rod / Hanging Rack.

Not only does this feature provide useful air-drying space for delicate laundry or straight-from-the-dryer shirts, but as such it can save you time on your ironing and money on running your dryer. What’s more, a hanging rack could be made to match any style, from a steel bar for contemporary laundry room to a rope for a more rustic space.

11. Cubbies.

Encourage children (and grownups, too) to place their dirty clothes in the right spot, as well as pick up their clean clothes later on, by providing individual cubbies within reach.

12. Place(s) to Sit.

Doing laundry can be a lonely task, but it doesn’t have to be! Subtly encourage other family members to join you in the task by providing comfortable seating in the laundry room. A chair or simple bench will do. Not only will this increase the opportunity to chat, but it’ll shorten the time it takes to do laundry-type chores as well!

13. “Real” Décor

Sure, the laundry room is a space that tends to be tucked away from the rest of the world and visited by few people, but that doesn’t mean it can’t (or shouldn’t) be beautiful. Wallpaper, artwork, and coordinated pieces create a relaxing, inviting space…which ultimately leads to better efficiency. Win-win!

14. Area Rug.

Not only does an area rug make the space feel warmer and more homey, it also provides a practical aspect in the laundry room as well: Providing a soft and slip-resistant surface should the floor get wet. With all the pivoting and leaning required by sorting and folding laundry, adding in an area rug just makes sense.

15. Mudroom Combo

For homes short on square footage, a laundry room/mudroom combo can be an ideal space-saver. Cubbies for hanging jackets and bags and spaces for shoes and boots work seamlessly into a cheerful laundry room’s décor. Plus, the flooring is (hopefully) already water-friendly, so everything can be cleaned quickly and easily.

What are some of your favorite laundry room characteristics?