Design Discussion : Stacked Laundry Units
It has been a fun blog week, so I figure we should keep the momentum going! Ready for another controversial design discussion? If you missed my first two, you can find my thoughts on installing a TV over a fireplace in this post, and my take on installing hardwood flooring in the kitchen in this post. On the docket today? I’m chatting stacked laundry units. Some people love them (hello space savers!) and some people hate them. Click through to read my thoughts and weigh in with your own opinion.
I’ll start by saying, when I shared my laundry room reveal at our previous house (pictured above), I received SO many negative comments about our stacked washer and dryer. Never in my blogging history, have I received so much negative feedback or criticism than in that specific scenario / reveal. I was honestly pretty surprised, but I figured if that many people are passionate about this topic, it would make a great design discussion post. Ready to dive in? Let’s do it!
In our current home, our laundry units live side-by-side… and no- it’s not because of the flack I received for our previous laundry room. Haha! When moving into this house, that’s how the washer & dryer hookups were installed. Knowing we will eventually fully demo and renovate this space, it was easier to roll with the existing setup for now. Remember my recent budget laundry room makeover? Ok- now that you’re all caught up on that… I can say I’ve lived with both stacked units and side-by-side units for a solid amount of time. Obviously I have an opinion on each and am ready to share it!
Let’s start with stacked units… I really liked having stacked units because of the obvious- they are such a space saver! Even if you have a giant laundry room, I still think stacking your units is a smart decision. It creates more space for pretty cabinetry, a big sink, or more aesthetically pleasing features.
I think what turned many people off when sharing my previous laundry room was the sloped ceiling. Because of the sloped ceiling and crown moulding, the photos almost looked like an optical illusion. Even though I photographed myself doing laundry, most people believed I could never reach the top unit since they were so close in proximity to the crown moulding… either that or they thought I was eight feet tall (I’m 5’6″, FYI). The fact of the matter is this- if you’re an average height human, stackable laundry units are made to be reachable.
Next, let’s talk about the pros of installing your units side-by-side. The big perk to this configuration is the ability to have a work surface or countertop above the washer & dryer. That’s a pretty nice feature in terms of functionality!
Moving onto the cons of stacked units. If you’re stacking a washer and dryer, that means they have to be front loading. Front loaders get a bad rep for mildew, mold, odor, and harboring moisture. If you’re on the shorter side, the top stacked unit might also be difficult to reach. Some people opt to include a stool or ottoman (like above) in their laundry space to better access the top unit. That could get annoying stepping up and down.
Ready for the cons for side-by-side units? They take up more floor space, they often require pedestals for elevated comfortable use, and they look a bit bulkier alongside cabinetry.
I’ll end this post by sharing my personal preference. Any guesses? I prefer stacked. Why? Mostly because I hate bending down to use side-by-side units and I think pedestals are kind of ugly (they also make having a countertop or folding surface too high). I also like the space saving look of a stacked washer & dryer that makes room for other features. I guess I just prefer the aesthetic and functionality of a compact appliance “column”. I’ve never had an issue with reaching the buttons, mold, mildew, or stinky front loading units, but I try to run the cleaning cycle as directed.
[yop_poll id=”3″]
There is no right or wrong answer / preference to this design discussion, but I’d love to know where you stand and why! Vote using the above poll and be sure to leave a comment explaining your reasoning. This should be fun and interesting to dissect! Who knows… maybe I can be persuaded to install side-by-side units when it comes time to fully renovate our laundry room (but I doubt it, haha).