The Feature That You Can Turn Into A Focal Point In Your Laundry Room

The average laundry room tends to lean toward utilitarian rather than aesthetics, providing a functional space for cleaning your clothes with limited design options. But that doesn't mean that your laundry room can't incorporate a bit of your home's personality. One functional upgrade that can instantly enhance your laundry room is the installation of a utility sink. While it might simply seem like a practical add-on, it also adds a surprising design element in the process. When thoughtfully designed, it can serve as a striking visual anchor around your space that has a practical purpose as well. Whether your laundry room is tucked in the corner of your house or has a dedicated wall to work with, a sink setup can be completely customized to fit your space and style.

With a number of ways to organize your laundry room, ranging from a stacked washer and dryer combo to floor-to-ceiling cabinets for all of your clutter, they can provide consistent functionality, but they may be lacking in the aesthetics category. A sink can be the design element that ties the entire room together. Adding a sink opens up the design possibilities for your space. Create rustic farmhouse charm with an apron-front basin or a sleek, modern look with a stainless steel option. With the right materials and finishes, a laundry sink can draw the eye and give the entire room a deep sense of completion. It creates an opportunity to play around with cohesive hardware, unique shelving systems, or a backsplash that can enhance the overall look of your laundry room.

Now, you might be wondering why you should put a utility sink in your laundry room. For starters, it is one of those design elements that perfectly combines form and function, creating an intentional space that works for your everyday needs. From a visual standpoint, the sink helps to ground the entire room. Depending on the materials, it can also help to create a cohesive feel, whether it incorporates matte black finishes or a natural wooden cabinet. The sink acts as a design anchor and can even soften the industrial feel of your appliances. Paired with a patterned tile, textured backsplash, or open wooden shelving overhead, it sets the tone for your laundry room with surprising efficiency. It can also help the space feel a bit more personal, with a deeper, rustic style wash tub or a more modern chromatic aesthetic. When placed in the center of a laundry room, it immediately draws your attention to curate a well-designed space.

In terms of functionality, having a dedicated sink in your laundry room can be a game changer for cleaning clothing. Rather than walking back and forth to a kitchen sink to remove a stain or soak a precious item, you can directly treat garments in your laundry room. It becomes the perfect place to hand wash delicate fabrics, soak stubborn stains, or rinse out muddy items before they hit the washing machine. Some homeowners may even use their laundry sink as the go-to slop sink for all things mess, including mop buckets, paintbrushes, and pet gear, keeping potential toxins and dirt out of your food-safe surfaces.

Choosing the best sink for your laundry room can be a manageable upgrade for any homeowner, but there are a few considerations to make prior to installation. For starters, you may find that the cost alone doesn't justify the function of the piece itself. On average, utility sinks can range anywhere between $50 and $3,000, depending on the brand, size, and style. Heavy-duty or plastic utility sinks can be anywhere from $200 to $500, but they tend to lack in design quality. Stainless steel or cast iron sinks are a bit pricier, ranging from $150 to $900 excluding installation fees. If you want a sink with a built-in cabinet for additional laundry room storage, it can run you between $1,000 to $3,000 per sink. These price points also don't include the cost of hiring a plumber or adding any extra design elements to your sink like another faucet.

The main consideration that will dramatically influence the price of your laundry room sink installation is the existing hardware around your space. If the hookups are already installed, the average cost of a plumber can be anywhere from $200 to $500. However, without the right sewage and water piping, the project will not only be more expensive but also considerably more time consuming. This can be an expensive endeavor to undergo and might not be worth the high price point associated with a massive renovation project. Materials and installation can cost anywhere from $500 to $1,300 depending on what needs to be done in your space.