Transforming Your Laundry With Custom Cabinetry

Before considering finishes or fittings, the layout of a laundry deserves careful thought. The way appliances, benchtops, cabinetry and storage are arranged determines how well the room actually works — and a poor layout creates friction every time the space is used.

A few layout principles worth considering:

• Position the washing machine and dryer for easy loading and unloading, whether that's side by side or stacked depending on the available floor space
• Allow bench space adjacent to or above the appliances for folding, sorting and treating stains
• Group storage zones logically — cleaning products and laundry supplies near the tub, linen storage separate, utility items accessible but tucked away
• Consider traffic flow through the room, particularly if the laundry doubles as a mudroom or connects to an outdoor area



Getting the layout right at the design stage is far simpler than trying to work around it after cabinetry has been installed.

Floor space in a laundry is often limited — particularly in older homes where the room was added as an afterthought rather than planned as part of the original design. Custom cabinetry solves this by making full use of the vertical space available, extending storage right up to the ceiling rather than stopping at eye level.

Wall-mounted cabinets above the bench and appliances provide enclosed storage for items that don't need to be accessed daily. Tall pantry-style cabinets beside the appliance stack can house a broom, mop, vacuum cleaner and cleaning products without them cluttering the floor. Even the space above a door or window can be utilised with a correctly specified cabinet run.

When every centimetre of height is considered in the design, a compact laundry can hold a surprising amount — all of it neatly out of sight.

A well-positioned benchtop is one of the most practical additions to any laundry, and it's an area where custom cabinetry really earns its place. A generous, durable surface gives you somewhere to fold washing, treat garments, sort items for donation and generally manage the tasks that pile up in this space.

Things worth thinking through at the design stage:



• Benchtop material should be water-resistant and easy to clean — reconstituted stone, laminate and solid surfaces all suit laundry environments
• The bench height should be comfortable for the person who uses the room most — standard kitchen height doesn't suit everyone
• Integrating the laundry tub into the benchtop rather than using a standalone tub unit creates a cleaner, more cohesive look while freeing up floor space underneath for storage
• A built-in ironing board that folds away into a cabinet is a practical addition that removes the need to drag out a freestanding board

These details make a significant difference to how the room functions day to day, even if they're invisible to a casual observer.

Generic laundry storage tends to create as many problems as it solves — shelves that are too deep to see to the back, awkward gaps between appliances, nowhere logical to put things that don't fit neatly into a category. Custom cabinetry addresses this by designing storage around the specific items and habits of the household.

Practical storage solutions that work well in laundries include:



• Pull-out laundry hamper drawers built into the cabinetry base, allowing sorting by colour or fabric type without visible baskets cluttering the floor
• Deep base cabinets with internal shelving sized for detergent boxes, fabric softener and cleaning products
• Narrow pull-out units between appliances or at the end of a cabinet run — ideal for storing flat items like ironing boards, brooms or drying racks
• Dedicated hooks or rail systems on the back of cabinet doors for hanging bags, reusable shopping bags or cleaning cloths
• Open shelving sections for items in regular rotation, balanced with closed cabinetry for everything else

The goal is storage that reduces the number of decisions required to put something away — because that's what determines whether a room stays tidy.

A laundry doesn't need to be purely functional. The same care given to a kitchen or bathroom design — thoughtful material choices, considered colour palettes and quality hardware — translates directly into a room that feels considered rather than cobbled together.

Design elements worth exploring:



• Two-tone cabinetry — a darker lower cabinet with lighter uppers — creates visual depth and grounds the room without making it feel heavy
• Shaker-style door profiles work well in laundries, offering a timeless look that complements a range of home styles
• Integrated handles or simple bar pulls keep the look clean and are easy to wipe down
• Splashback tiles or a painted feature wall behind the tub add character without significant cost
• Matching the laundry cabinetry style to the kitchen or bathroom creates continuity throughout the home — something that matters at resale

These choices don't need to be complicated. A cohesive, well-executed design with quality materials will always look better than a room that's been put together from whatever was available at the time.

Many laundries in Australian homes — particularly in coastal and regional areas — serve a dual purpose as a mudroom entry point. Boots, bags, sporting equipment, pet leads, gardening gloves and wet weather gear all tend to land in this space. Custom cabinetry can accommodate this function deliberately, rather than leaving it to chance.

Effective mudroom-laundry cabinetry might include:



• A bench seat with storage underneath for shoes and boots, or hooks above for coats and bags
• A dedicated section of open shelving or cubbies for each family member
• Easy-clean flooring and a low cabinet kickboard that resists moisture and dirt
• A utility sink or separate tap for hosing down gear or bathing pets
• Cabinetry finished in materials that handle humidity and occasional splashes without deteriorating

When this function is designed in from the start, the room handles the chaos of everyday family life far more gracefully.

Off-the-shelf laundry units exist for a reason — they're accessible and reasonably priced for a basic setup. But they rarely fit a space precisely, they don't account for the specific dimensions of your appliances, and they offer limited flexibility in how storage is configured.

Custom cabinetry is designed around your room, your appliances and your habits. Every cabinet is built to the correct dimensions, storage is configured to hold what you actually own, and the finish is consistent throughout. For a room that's used daily under demanding conditions, that level of fit and finish makes a practical difference — not just an aesthetic one.

We at Rodney Lees Cabinetmaking design and build custom laundry cabinetry tailored to the space and the people using it. Whether you're renovating an existing laundry, reconfiguring a mudroom entry or fitting out a new build, our team works through every detail to deliver storage that functions well and looks the part.

For cabinet makers in Ballina property owners can rely on for quality custom work, get in touch with our team to arrange a measure and quote.