A white laundry room with well-organized cabinets and bright lighting creates a clean, inviting space to tackle laundry. The all-white color scheme gives the room a fresh, crisp look. Proper cabinetry provides plenty of storage to neatly tuck away detergents, supplies, linens, and more. Finally, ample lighting makes the space feel open and makes laundry sorting easier.
Follow these tips to design a gorgeous white laundry room with storage solutions and lighting ideas to make doing laundry feel downright enjoyable.
Selecting White Laundry Room Cabinets
Choosing white cabinetry instantly brightens up a laundry room while promoting cleanliness. The light color reflects light, making the space seem larger. An all-white laundry room also looks freshly painted even years after the initial design.
When selecting white cabinets, opt for a crisp shade like bright white, antique white, or Swiss coffee. Stay away from whites with yellow undertones, which can make laundry cabinets appear dingy over time.
Consider white paint or stain if refinishing existing cabinets. Use high-gloss, semi-gloss, or enamel paint for durability and stain resistance.
For a truly custom look, order unfinished cabinetry and have a carpenter paint or finish the pieces onsite. This allows full control over the white shade.
Other white laundry room cabinet tips:
- Open shelving provides visibility of supplies. Try glass-front cabinets too.
- Drawers keep laundry essentials neatly tucked away while providing easy access.
- Pull-out cabinets make reaching items in the back easier.
- Sliding shelves allow customization of cabinet interior space.
- Add racks for hanging brooms, irons, and frequently used tools.
- Incorporate a fold-out ironing board to save space.
- Install a drying rack for air drying delicate items.
- Include hampers or chutes to quickly toss dirties out of sight.
- Consider cabinets with built-in laundry sorting systems.
Organizing a White Laundry Room
The right organizational systems make storing supplies, sorting laundry, and doing wash simpler. Well-organized white laundry rooms prevent frustrating searches for essentials.
Storing Supplies
Cabinets neatly stow supplies and keep laundry essentials dust-free. Use open shelves, drawers, baskets, and other organizing tools to compartmentalize.
- Store bulk items like detergent bottles, bleach, distilled vinegar, and washing soda together.
- Group tools like stain removers, fabric shavers, sewing kits, and irons in another area.
- Keep cleaning supplies for washing machines in one spot.
- Designate a space for laundry extras like drying racks, hanging racks, and hampers.
- Use a caddy to corral laundry pens, fabric markers, safety pins, and clips.
- Store all accessories related to laundry chores in the laundry room. This includes clothespins, lint rollers, garment bags, and more.
- Use clear plastic bins to separate types of laundry items like socks, delicates, and cleaning rags.
Sorting Laundry
The first step to streamlining laundry is establishing a sorting system. Separating loads by color, fabric type, and cleaning needs before washing saves time and prevents laundry mishaps.
- Sort whites, lights, darks, towels, and delicates into different hampers or bins.
- Use mesh bags designated for delicates and small items like socks.
- Sort by fabric type like linens, cottons, synthetics, and wools.
- Designate a stain treatment bag or bin for extra-dirty items.
- Categorize by care labels like cold wash only or line dry.
- Install a drop chute for tossing items directly into the appropriate hamper or basket.
- Add a folding station for streamlined clean up.
Lighting Up a White Laundry Room
Proper lighting prevents eye strain and makes sorting colors easier when washing. Mix lighting sources for a luminous space.
Natural Light
White reflects sunlight, making rooms feel airier and brighter. Maximize natural light through:
- Generous windows, preferably facing south or east
- Skylights or sun tubes
- Glass-front cabinetry
- Mirrors to “open up” the space
Task Lighting
Supplement natural light with task lighting for illuminating specific work areas:
- Under cabinet lights brighten countertop sorting space
- Mount a light inside linen closets
- Install sconces flanking the mirror above a folding station
- Use track lighting or recessed cans to spotlight sorting tables
- Plug-in utility lights with clamps provide portable illumination
Overhead Ambient Lighting
Background lighting paired with task lighting creates a naturally bright space:
- Flush mount ceiling fixtures provide even light distribution
- Pendant lights centered over stations add stylish illumination
- Chandeliers instantly create an elegant laundry room
- Swag lights introduce a vintage vibe
- Recessed lighting casts a clean glow across the entire room
Laundry Room Lighting Tips
- Choose bulbs with a brightness rating of at least 800 lumens.
- Look for bulbs rated between 2700-5000K to emit bright but comfortable light.
- Select fixtures with diffusers to prevent glaring.
- Include dimmers to control brightness.
- Layer multiple lighting sources for a well-lit room.
- Place lights over specific laundry task areas.
- Illuminate all cabinet interiors with strip lighting.
Bright White Laundry Room Inspiration
For additional inspiration on designing a gorgeous white laundry room with stellar organization and lighting, browse the images below. Take note of practical storage ideas, clutter-free workflow, and varied lighting sources.
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This white laundry room uses open shelves for visibility. Undercabinet lighting illuminates the countertop. Drawers keep small items organized. (Source: The Spruce / JvV Ferris)
White shiplap adds texture to this laundry room. Woven baskets store and sort laundry. Pendant lighting centers above the folding station. (Source: Pinterest)
Despite bright white cabinets, this laundry room maintains personality with fun patterns and colors. Notice the varied lighting. (Source: Pinterest)
For small laundry spaces, built-in cabinetry maximizes storage. Wall sconces flanking mirror provide task lighting. (Source: Pinterest)
The wood ceiling adds warmth to this white laundry room. Undercabinet lighting aids folding while recessed cans illuminate the full space. (Source: Pinterest)
Frequently Asked Questions About White Laundry Rooms
What color white is best for laundry cabinets?
Opt for bright, crisp whites like bright white, Swiss coffee, or antique white. Avoid yellow-undertoned whites, which can appear dingy over time when exposed to laundry room moisture and dirt.
What kind of cabinets are best for laundry rooms?
Look for moisture-resistant cabinets finished with high-gloss, semi-gloss, or enamel paints. Opt for solid wood doors over particleboard. Include drawers, pull-out shelves, drying racks, and other functional elements.
Should you sort laundry by color or fabric?
It’s best to sort by both color and fabric type. Separate light from dark colors, cottons from delicates, and towels from linens for the most effective laundry system.
What lighting works best in a laundry room?
Use a combination of natural light, overhead ambient lighting like recessed cans or a chandelier, and task lighting like undercabinet lights. Luminous laundry rooms use between 800-1200 total lumens.
Should laundry room cabinets go all the way to the ceiling?
Floor-to-ceiling cabinetry maximizes storage potential. However, stopping cabinets 12-18 inches from the ceiling makes a room feel less boxed in. Opt for tall upper cabinets with shorter lowers or open shelving above.
Final Thoughts on Designing the Perfect White Laundry Room
A bright white color scheme, plenty of smart storage, and layered lighting create a laundry room you’ll actually enjoy spending time in. Clever organization solutions paired with a clutter-free all-white backdrop provide a calming oasis for tackling this household chore.
Incorporate the above tips to design your dream laundry room. Choose crisp white cabinetry, include specialized organizers for laundry supplies, establish effective sorting stations, and illuminate with varied natural and artificial lighting sources. The end result will be a gorgeous white laundry room with abundant storage and brightness to make laundry duties seem downright peaceful.