16 Laundry Room Design & Decor Tips From Your Favorite HGTV Stars

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All right, it's time to air some dirty laundry: Washing, drying, and folding clothes top the list of the most dreaded chores. In a 2024 survey polling more than 1,000 people, Cinch Home Services uncovered that folding laundry ranks in the top five most despised tasks, with more than 28% of respondents admitting it felt like a never-ending cycle. Simply put, having to do laundry can really stain an otherwise spotless day. But there's no need to fold under the pressure. While we can't get rid of any quickly growing piles of dirty clothes, we do have some tips to, well, lighten the load.

When it comes to designing a laundry room that sparks joy and makes the whole washing-and-drying process easier, your favorite HGTV stars have loads of ideas. From the secret weapon "Property Brothers" star Drew Scott uses to eliminate his dry cleaning bills to the stylish way Emily Henderson organizes laundry necessities, they've got the know-how to help you clean up your act. Take their expert advice for a spin.

When it comes to designing the ideal laundry space, Jonathan Scott recommends thinking vertically. "One of the most important things to set yourself up for success is to get everything up off the floor," he noted on his and Drew's eponymous blog. For him, that means hanging up items like the ironing board and using baskets to separate your various to-be-washed piles.

One of his secret weapons is BiJun's Ironing Board Holder Wall Mount that lets you sweep that essential off the floor for less than $10. But another key strategy, he detailed to Today.com, is repurposing a blanket ladder as a multilevel drying rack. Or try the laundry hanging rack that saves space in a small home. With the right supplies — a combination of wooden slats, dowels, plastic plumbing pipes, or metal bars — you can DIY your own hanging laundry rack.

A crucial part of smoothing things over is having an ironing board on hand. But you don't need one that eats up a lot of real estate. "This little rubber-footed ironing board is really a handy thing to have in a laundry room," Stewart detailed on YouTube. "And, it fits right on top of this cabinet and it expands my table space."

Handy types could DIY their own ironing platform, she detailed while appearing on "Today" in 2020. Once you've got a piece of plywood, you just need to staple on muslin, bump, and felt — all available at fabric stores. Another option is this genius IKEA hack that's great for small laundry room spaces. Simply attach the brand's JÄLL ironing board atop their RÅSKOG cart for a versatile laundry station.

Backsplash — it's not just for kitchens. By using Ann Sacks' deep blue subway tile, Hilary Farr turned a laundry room into an elegant space that, dare we say, you might want to spend time in? "They are truly works of art!" the "Love it or List It" alum raved in a 2022 Instagram post caption of the tiling, noting that her goal is "to give small bathrooms and even not often thought of spaces, like the laundry room, BIG design impact!"

Farr's fellow HGTV personality Christina Haack also fixed up a Tennessee kitchen on "Christina in the Country" using a bold choice that adds a twist to typical subway tile. Trading in standard issue white for a black option made for an ultra glam look. Haack explained why this choice worked well in the natural light-soaked environment: "The fact that you're surrounded by nature, it brings it in and it makes it warm and inviting even though it's so moody." Of course there's a wealth of colors, materials, designs, and patterns to choose from when selecting tile, so your best bet, Haack recommends, is requesting a sample so you can see how it complements your room's existing decor.

An area doesn't have to feel utilitarian just because it's where all the dirty work takes place. "Laundry rooms are one of those spaces that are often under-appreciated, but can easily be a selling point," Tamara Day, star of "Bargain Mansions" explained in a 2020 Instagram post. A key upgrade: A textured, blonde-hued Thibaut wall covering that played nicely off the textured green Daltile stone. "This wallpaper is one of my favorite papers we've ever used," she added. "And get this, it's actually made of sliced wood that is adhered to a paper to make it into this beautiful wallpaper! It really elevated the space and tied the whole house together."

And if you're looking for a genius trick that makes picking the perfect wallpaper easier than ever, we've got you covered. In a 2024 Instagram post, designer Annie Blair shared her hack for ensuring her wallpaper choices work with her existing decor. Taking stock of the existing hues in your space, gather some paint chips that match. Then you can use those samples to find a wallpaper with similar colors to pull the whole room together.

When it comes to keeping your necessities organized, Nate Berkus has a top-drawer suggestion. Using a collection of drawer separators, plastic bins, and his prized label maker, he ensures everything has a home. In the laundry room he shares with Jeremiah Brent (though he jokes his husband and costar doesn't even know where their washer and dryer live), the cabinets are stacked with labeled bins. "I have everything organized," he demonstrated in a January 2025 TikTok. "If you need a Shade Store charger, for instance, for your motorized blinds, well, look, I don't even really have to look that far...It is a feat of organization."

Which is why he swears your laundry room deserves a bit more love as well. And if you're an everything-in-its-place type, there are a multitude of cabinet ideas to create less clutter and more storage space. Depending on your space constraints, you can opt for built-in cabinets, free-standing or floating shelves, metal lockers, or a cart on wheels.

A fully functional laundry room can reduce stress when it comes to chores. Noting to PureWow in 2023 that the space tends to be overlooked when people are home-buying, Drew Scott shared that the best designs are more like a "laundry suite, with a folding area, sink, and cabinet storage. Some have special features, like a steam closet that dries clothes for you." In fact, his brother and "Property Brothers" costar Jonathan Scott is a fan of the LG Studio Styler Steam Closet. For those renovating their space, "It's cool to have," he detailed in a 2024 TikTok. "You can do all your own dry cleaning at home, you can sanitize kids' stuffies, you can sanitize sporting equipment."

Though that's just one savvy tip for a more efficient laundry room. If you can't afford to add a $2,500 appliance to your laundry room, there are still ways to make the experience of doing laundry a bit more novel and exciting without spending an arm and a leg. Curious about the features of the LG Studio Styler, but working within a budget? Check out the MOJOCO Portable Clothes Dryer – it sanitizes and dries clothes while they hang for just around $50. It's not exactly the same, but switching up your wash and dry routine can be enough to make laundry feel like less of a chore. 

Jonathan Scott would never put all his cleaning supplies in one basket. So he keeps plenty on hand to hold his various essentials, thoughtfully grouping all of the stain removers together in one container and the detergents in another. "Just like a pantry in a kitchen, I love to make sure everything has its place, everything's labeled," he noted in a TikTok. "And then, much like a store, you just reorder when the stock is getting low." When things are strewn about haphazardly, he added, "You don't know where everything is and you don't know when you run out. And you double-order stuff."

Avoid getting yourself into that sort of double trouble by filling your cupboards or shelves with easy to label baskets and bins. Jonathan's fave — Spectrum's Small Wire Basket — comes with a label plate built in. But if you're short on square footage, there's a simple laundry room storage solution that'll keep your space clutter-free: An over-the-door organizer keeps essentials within reach and makes the most of space that would otherwise be wasted.

Go ahead, get into the hang of things. "I remember the days before my drying rack, with clothes hanging all over my bathroom and bedroom and boy did it bum me out," Emily Henderson of  HGTV's "Secrets from a Stylist" recounted on her website. "Plus air drying your clothes will make them last longer!"

Depending on your preferred aesthetic, you have your choice of options, she explained: "A wall rack that folds into itself when not in use, a collapsible rack for the floor that you can tuck in a closet or in-between your washer and dryer, and lastly a bar." In her dream laundry room, she has a bar, outfitted with Brightroom's Wood Suit Hangers. But if you're short on square footage, this laundry room find is great for small spaces: The Whitmor Magnetic Laundry Valet Hanging Rod attaches to the side of your washer or dryer using magnets and is easy to remove when not in use.

Inspired to clean up her act, "Fixer Upper" star Joanna Gaines, uh, fixed up her laundry room and transformed it into her favorite spot. "I gave it a complete makeover and now it's a place that inspires me," she explained to Today in 2016. "Just the natural light alone makes me want to settle in and drink my morning coffee there. As a bonus, it helps me dislike laundry day a little less."

Among her most treasured pieces: A custom sign she created for husband Chip Gaines. "When we were dating, one of Chip's business ventures was a wash and fold down by Baylor University," she explained. "As a surprise to him, I had a local artist paint a wash 'n fold logo over the washer/dryer. He loved it, and it's my favorite part of that space." And if you'd like to adorn your space to something similar, My Sign Center makes a customizable aluminum composite wash and dry sign.

To hear Gaines tell it, there's no better place to take a load off than her laundry room. "I brought a table and chair into our laundry room a few years ago when I realized the place where I wash and fold may be one of my favorite spaces in our home," she detailed in an Instagram post. "I can always come back to the familiar quiet in here: the swoosh of the wash, the rumble of the dryer, the piles undone at rest on the floor. There is something about the ordinary, the profound absence of performance in this space that lets me be my truest self. So this is where I journal, where I'll come to solve a problem, say a prayer, or simply sort my thoughts."

You may not have the space in your laundry room for a full table and chairs like Gaines. However, you can scrub away some of the dread surrounding your laundry room by following these savvy tips for a more efficient and stylish space. In addition to picking the appliances that work best for you, you also want to think about some of the decor elements that will make the space feel dreamier. For example, a small accent table and a potted plant can infuse some freshness and greenery into the space, without occupying a huge footprint. 

One smart way to clean up your act when it comes to doing laundry is to use this Martha Stewart hack. To save time when you're scrubbing stains, "Always keep a stain removal chart...right in your laundry room," she said in a YouTube video on her channel. And to ensure you're able to follow that expert advice, "Keep a little kit with all the ingredients, the alcohol, the acetone, the vinegar, the mineral oil," she suggested. "All of these items will help you remove any tough stains. Just follow the directions on the chart."

You can create your own bespoke cheat sheet featuring the stains you most often find yourself scrubbing away at. To put together a guide that works for you, review the 12 toughest laundry stains and how to get them out. Among them: Coffee stains that can be attacked with vinegar and those pesky sweat marks that disappear with lemon juice.

"Help! I Wrecked My House" star Jasmine Roth has a hack for anyone wanting their laundry room to pull double duty. Showcasing how she hid a desk chair in a laundry room's cabinetry, she wrote in an Instagram post, "Tag a friend who would love a hidden desk in their laundry room." And it's no secret that this is a move she loves to make. During a Season 3 episode of "Help! I Wrecked My House!," she tucked a desk into a playroom, explaining, "If there's one thing you should know about me, it's that I love anything hidden!"

While you can try this at home, it may be best to bring in a professional who can handle the customization. But if you do choose to go the DIY route, make sure to measure carefully and be just as thoughtful when choosing your seating. The best chair for your home office (or now, your laundry room) will feature a comfortable cushion and the right amount of lumbar support. 

Sometimes good things come in no package at all, according to Emily Henderson. Decanting items like laundry detergent or pods, fabric softener, and dryer sheets "will make your laundry space look less cluttered," she wrote on her website. "Might as well have the items you use most easily accessible and looking pretty. This is also a great opportunity to go to your local sustainable zero-waste refill shop if you have one in your area! That way you can bring in your own container and you're all set."

For liquid detergent, she favors something like the Kitchentoolz Half Gallon Glass Laundry Detergent Dispenser. But powder detergent, baking soda, or items like dryer balls work best in a lidded container like the Threshold Glass Storage Canister. For an extra touch of personality, Henderson recommends getting yourself a stylish tray, arranging everything on top "and voila, a perfectly styled laundry room!" While any material or style that fits your space will work, Threshold's Rectangle Marble Tray is one of her favorites.

Who knew that old bureau you were ready to toss could have a second life? Allow Jonathan to build his case: "Where you would put your TV on this armoire would actually be a perfect folding station," he demonstrated during a 2015 "Today" appearance. And not only is the top ideal for creating piles of linens, the shelves are great to stash to store laundry miscellany.

But if your wash room isn't spacious enough for furniture, you can easily DIY a laundry room folding station. As long as you've got a large enough piece of wood and some foldable support (plus the necessary tools and know-how), you can handle this TikTok-inspired project. And once the foldable table is attached to your wall, you can even add some hooks for hanging space.

When it comes to doing laundry, Martha Stewart really likes to stack the deck. "How do I make my small laundry room more functional?" Stewart asked viewers in a YouTube clip. "You can greatly expand the usability of your space by just installing some of these great shelving units." Her go-to picks are those meant for entryways as they're designed to work in smaller spaces.

The right shelves, she advised, will be deep enough for you to store cleaning essentials like detergent, stain removers, and scrub brushes, with hooks underneath that can hold small brooms, laundry bags, and clothespins. An option like Pottery Barn's Weathered Shelving features deep, nine-inch shelves. So while they're wide enough to hold any necessities, they won't feel too bulky.

Why not turn your laundry room into a true work of art? "Ahhh the power of art does not exclude the laundry space," Emily Henderson expressed on her website. "I also think choosing playful art for laundry rooms and bathrooms is the only way to go. Show your personality and choose art you love looking at."

Her picks include whimsical pieces from Minted, Etsy, and Juniper Print Shop. But there are plenty of places to buy incredibly affordable art for your home. In addition to browsing on sites like Society6, Zazzle, and Eyes on Walls, you can check out the wares on offer at thrift stores, galleries, local art festivals, and independent artists' sites.