Laundry room tile ideas

Harriet Goodacre

November 18, 2024

Traditional looking utility room in a country style, with a red quarry tiled floor and wood panelled walls

If you’re lucky enough to have a utility or laundry room then you’re probably having to spend quite a bit of time in what is typically a smaller space, so why not make it aesthetically pleasing for you to enjoy on a daily basis. We’ve come up with some DIY small laundry room ideas as well as some utility room tile ideas to help get your creative juices flowing so you can transform your space on a shoestring budget!

Space saving solutions

Small laundry room ideas often revolve around clever storage for good reason, in such a practical room you shouldn’t have to sacrifice function for style but that doesn’t mean a functional room can’t look beautiful! Here’s our favourite clever storage solutions for smaller utility rooms.

Taller Cabinets

Make the most of your ceiling height by using taller cabinets, not having to clean the top of your cabinets is a silver lining! But you could also continue the cabinets lower as well if you don’t have need for proper counter space, it’ll also make it easier to reach the lower shelves when reaching over bulky washing machines. Just ensure you install mechanisms and inner storage to make accessing the space efficient.

Image credit: The Mixxery

Tall wall cabinets in a beige utility room with a washing machine underneath

Clothes Rails

Add a clothes rail to an awkward space to create additional hanging room, perfect if you love to steam your clothes instead of using the iron but you can also keep them there, crease free, until you have time to put them away! We also love the use of this herringbone floor to widen a narrow space, you can recreate the look with our Cotto tile.

Image credit: Sleek Chic

Narrow utility room with a hanging clothes rail above the washer and dryer

Enclosed Appliances

By stacking your appliances you can save a lot of space, and just like an integrated machine in a kitchen, why not hide your machines behind (chic) closed doors. Just ensure you use a sturdy cupboard and door frame to avoid any unwanted vibrations!

Image credit: John Lewis of Hungerford

Green painted utility room cupboards with inbuilt stacked washer and dryer

Bespoke Cabinetry

Consider investing a little more into your utility room and go for bespoke cabinetry. Often these rooms are an after thought in the house’s design and tagged on so they can be awkward, using a bespoke design will ensure you get the most out of your space. From the correct number of drawers to shelves, tall and short cabinets, you’ll get a fabulous design, inside and out!

Image credit: Hand Design

Bespoke cabinetry in a sleek utility room painted in a soft yellow beige

Sliding Doors

A great small utility room idea is to use sliding doors, if you have a pocket-sized cupboard space within your kitchen and want to keep your appliances separate, a sliding door is a great way to save space.

Image credit: Jalan Interior

Contemporary slatted sliding barn door with a utility cupboard behind it

Hanging Space

Just look up! There are loads of wall hanging laundry racks, whether foldable down from the wall or pulleyed up to the ceiling when out of use. You can even go as far as building in a full clothing rack within a cupboard, you’d just need to ensure it was well ventilated, preferably with a dehumidifier. space.

Image credit: Real Homes

White wooden utility room with a hanging rack mounted on the wall, half folded down with clothes on

How to inject character into a laundry room

Laundry room tiles are a great way to inject colour and character into more functional spaces, without having to sacrifice their functionality to look good.

For smaller spaces, tiles for utility room walls can seem a little overwhelming however, if you’re using the space for a lot of cleaning then why not try a single splashback panel. The perfect single panel which can be DIY’d in minutes to help protect those walls so you can clean muddy boots, pets or clothes without having to worry about ruining your utility walls.

If you’re firmly in the tile camp, then take a look at these beauties to inspire you!

On the walls

Deck out your utility with practical yet beautiful wall tiles to complete your room’s scheme. As the room is likely to get less wet than your bathroom or kitchen, you can go for smaller tiles without the worry of maintaining your grout.

Matching paint and tile

Green utility room where the paint is coloured matched to the tile on the wall

Image credit: Homes to Love. Get the look with: Matrix Olive Green

Smaller spaces often work better in more natural colour palettes as nature often feels softer and more spacious to us. A great way to inject colour in such a small space is to colour match your tile and wall colour. You don’t have to use the same-coloured tile on all the walls but simply tile the first half of the required wall in your chosen colour and then choose the same tile but in a lighter colour above to help give the illusion of more height. Then, paint the rest of the room with a colour matched paint.

Natural textures

Green utility room with a slatted wall covering sitting behind the washing machine

Image credit: Styled Havens. Get the look with: Light Oak Acoustic Wood Wall Panel

If you’re not keen on tiles in a smaller space but still want to add some texture to the walls, then try an acoustic wood wall panel. They tap into the natural aesthetic with their wood look finish, but they will also provide some sound absorption, perfect for those noisy washing machines!

Colourful victoriana

Small colourful utility room that has a Victorian feel

Image credit: House and Garden. Get the look with: Zellica Ochre

If you have an older property, why not celebrate the vintage look using simple cabinets, curtains and an eclectic colour palette. This small utility room has style and function in equal measure with tones of mustard, blue and maroon.

Glossy surfaces

Glossy finger mosaic tiles in a burnt orange paired with a satin finished bright orange cabinet

Image credit: Houzz. Get the look with: Pikko Burnt Orange

For a small dark corner, why not go glossy all over to maximise the light, mix a deep orange glossy mosaic with a brighter orange glossy cabinet. Break up the colour with a sleek countertop which matches your appliance colour, so the scheme fits together nicely.

On the floor

With our range of porcelain effect floor tiles, you can’t go wrong with these utility room flooring ideas for your room’s revamp, you can mimic the look of wood, stone and even cement to get your desired look with little upkeep required!

Tonal hues

Bright yellow, sleek cabinets housing utility room appliances with a rustic stone floor

Image credit: Domino. Get the look with: Hemsworth Beige

This home is the perfect blend of old and new with a distinct colourful style and that aesthetic has been extended into the laundry room. The utility room flooring is a tonal hue of the bold yellow cabinets, sticking to a warm toned theme, however the natural stone softens the more contemporary aspects of the room to help it flow through from the rest of the house.

Wood details

Small blue utility room with oak wood beams on the ceiling and matching floorboards

Image credit: The Mixxery. Get the look with: Skandi Oak Plank

Even if you don’t have an older property, you can still create a decorative ceiling using wooden beams, they don’t have to be original to the house! Mimic the tone of an oak beam on the floor with a porcelain wood effect in a decorative grain and then tie in the warm tones of the wood with brass or gold fixtures. We love this look which has been balanced with a moody blue hue.

Rustic nature

Rustic looking utility room with a reclaimed wood floor and silver washing machines

Image credit: Puqqu. Get the look with: Mora Oak

A great way to add a rustic element into your space is to use reclaimed wood, great for cabinets and shelving, however it isn’t the best choice for a utility floor. We’d opt for a wood effect that has a more varied grain to get the same look, but with the practicality of a porcelain tile so you don’t need to worry about water damage. If you are going for the natural look, a stainless steel washing machine is a great option as it will stand out less than a traditional white one.

Traditional cabinetry

Traditional looking cabinetry in a muted sage green against a stone floor

Image credit: The Mixxery. Get the look with: Amazone Grey Modular

When planning your laundry room ideas, if you’ve got an older home or simply love country styles, then consider the type of cabinetry you’re choosing. Opting for floor to ceiling in a narrower frame will feel more traditional, mix this with framed style door in a muted hue and you’ve tapped into the modern country style perfectly. Keep the floor tiles tonal and simple so as not to detract from the more decorative doors.

Been inspired to transform your utility room? Take a snap of your current room and experiment with different tile combinations via our online visualiser tool.

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