Which utility room layout?

[Linguaphile]

I’m finishing off our utility room design and can’t decide where to put the open cubbies for our family’s baskets of folded laundry. Off to the right of the washer and dryer or between the units? Having the units together would probably make it fractionally easier to move laundry from one to the other, but the cubbies in between looks a bit better I think. Which would you go for?

NB: random hanging ceiling box is the laundry chute, space under worktop on the right is for cat litter litterbox and bed, sink is on the left side by the fridge, two wooden boxes on right upper cabinets are wine storage, and there is a 60cm hanging rail for drying that you can’t see on the lefthand side between the cupboards and laundry chute.

Thoughts?

I like the look of them in the middle, plus I'd be squeamish about having all my folded clothes right next to the cat litter tray but that might just be my personal hang up!

I mean the cat litterbox is designed like a little house with a flap to keep in the smell, so it’s not open poo or anything, but I get what you’re saying!

Can you move the washer to the left toward the sink side? It looks off centre which would annoy me but definitely cubbies in the centre

Unfortunately not @Loofah01, because the corner unit is the only size that fits there, and we need the storage. Cubbies in the centre does help to balance it out though, I think.

I’d put the w/m and tumble dryer next to each other as I think it will make it a lot easier to transfer clothes, and I don’t think one looks particularly better than the other. It’s a utility room, function is king!

As an aside I would be cautious about wine storage in there as the room will get very warm when tumble drying and that’s not good for wine...

Have the washer and dryer next to each other with the doors hinged on different sides swinging away from each other so you can transfer laundry without the door of one of them in the way. I love that I have this arrangement, so convenient.

Yes @Noflora the door configuration is already set up that way!

Can I ask where you got your design done? Thanks

Definitely WD and TD next to each other.

What no flora said!

(Our washing machine is hinged the wrong way and it pisses my off more than once every single day)

@Ewandreams I did it myself on the Ikea kitchen planner, easy for playing around with different layouts.

We have a sink with a cupboard underneath between our 2 machines in the laundry room be it drives me potty.

I wish the 2 machines were right to each other. So I would go for the layout with the machines adjoining.

[quote Linguaphile]@Ewandreams I did it myself on the Ikea kitchen planner, easy for playing around with different layouts.[/quote]
Thank you for the tip, I'll take a look

Never mind all that - why has no one picked up on the laundry chute

I love a utility room! I’m opposite to Lockdownlove! I also have the sink between the w/m and t/d but love it there. I have no problem transferring washing but I rarely use the dryer anyway. I have a ceiling pulley to hang up wash. I think it looks symmetrical and nice to have a gap between them.

@LockdownLove Thanks, that firsthand experience is just what I was looking for. I wasn’t sure if it would turn out to be inconsequential or actually really annoying, and it sounds like the latter from your experience!

@hapagirl Oh dear this complicates matters. 🤔

Next to each other. Easier to transfer washin from one to the other.

I was reading this thinking “lucky woman with her laundry chute, just like my friend X” then I clocked your username and realised why the layout looked so familiar - hi!

I like the layout with the machines together. I like the logical flow of wash laundry, dry laundry, fold laundry.

It all looks fab - I’m super jealous as my main desire in life is a proper utility room. I’m so sick of all the laundry that’s spread all over my house!

I'd have the units together in the middle and the baskets either side of them tbh. More symmetrical that way.

In the middle. As you fold washing, the dryer door will open in front of the cubby holes if you have them next to each other and get in the way.

Could you put the washing machine and dryer together in the centre of the unit run and then split the shelves so there is one each end? You would then have a balance between practicality and aesthetics.

I actually prefer them together. I think it looks neater. Because the row is not completely symmetrical it means having the cubbies in the middle looks ‘off’ to my eyes.

@Clettercletterthatsbetter Hi! 😄

Here is with split cubbies. Any better?