🖼️
The project:
We transformed a neglected 1980s laundry room with no storage into a fully functioning, storage-packed space.
The original layout had a poorly positioned door entry, so we reconfigured the floor plan to create a full wall of floor-to-ceiling IKEA METOD cabinetry. We built a custom floating benchtop from a single pine project panel, added a hidden toe kick drawer for outdoor shoes, created a dedicated robot vacuum garage within the cabinetry, and installed a custom pine shelf with floating brackets. The result is a beautiful, streamlined laundry with more storage than we know what to do with.
- Materials:
- Tools:
- Step 1:
Reconfigure the door entry and plan the layout
We repositioned the laundry door to create a full wall available for floor-to-ceiling storage. Due to an automatic cat toilet, we had a stacked washer dryer and two IKEA METOD cabinets with no doors as storage.
After a year of procrastinating, and two months of the cat not using his automatic toilet anymore (he has another manual toilet in the bathroom) we decided on this configuration I'm sharing with you today which added a floating countertop, upper cabinetry to the ceiling, cabinet doors (finally), vacumn robot garage and secret toe kick drawer.
- Step 2:
Install IKEA METOD base and wall cabinets
We assembled and installed the full run of IKEA METOD cabinets including a custom-height robot vacuum garage built into the wall cabinetry at the perfect height for our robot vacuum to sit flush and hidden.
The robot garage was a simple build. Instead of attaching the bottom panel of the cabinet to the bottom, I screwed it in 200mm above the height of the robot, making a shelf, leaving the bottom of the cabinet open where you would usually have a toe kick. The robot sits on the floor with the cabinet surrounding it. With the cabinet door on the robot is hidden, and can come in and out under the door when in use. As the gap under the door is equivalent to a toe kick height, it's not noticeable and acts as a "robot garage".
The 200mm gap above the robot allows space to take out the water tanks to maintain the robot.
IKEA METOD sizes:
- Wall cabinet - 400 x 600 x 2200 (x1)
- Wall cabinet - 600 x 600 x 2200 (x1) (plus a bunch of METOD drawers)
- Upper Cabinet - 600 x 600 x 600 (x2)
- Upper Cabinet - 600 x 600 x 400 (x1)
- Step 3:
Build and install the floating benchtop
Using a single pine project panel from Bunnings, I cut the benchtop to size firstly in the Bunnings carpark to fit in the car, then at home using a Kreg straight edge guide and circular saw.
Using the scraps from the same project panel, I made the additional supports. The bench is supported by a rear wall cleat, angle brace and a single waterfall leg.
I stained it with the colour Cortado by Rubio Monocoat that I had left over from the bathroom vanity. Total benchtop cost: $179.
- Step 4:
Build the custom upper cabinetry
The space above the IKEA cabinets to the ceiling was filled with two custom-built boxes (1000 x 600 x 330, and 1800 x 600 x 330) made by myself from melamine panels from Bunnings, constructed using the Kreg pocket hole jig for strong, clean joins.
My husband and I carefully lifted these above our heads in the small space to install. I secured where available into the studs. Using left over green IKEA cover panel, I wrapped these cabinets for them to look seamless with the rest of the cabinetry.
Using the matching IKEA cabinet doors, I cut them to size to make three cabinet doors that lift up for the 1800 long cabinet. These sat above the upper cabinets.
I didn't need to make doors for the 1000 x 600 x 330 cabinet that was installed on top of the floor to ceiling wall cabinets, as I was cheeky/smart to make those cabinets doors the full length to cover everything from floor to ceiling.
- Step 5:
Build the secret toe kick drawer
Using scrap melamine offcuts from the build and cabinet doors, I constructed one small drawer boxes and installed 300mm Goliath push-to-open drawer slides in the toe kick space beneath the 400mm wide wall cabinet. Total hardware cost: under $40.
This has been amazing to contain our backyard shoes, neatly hidden away. The drawer front in the same cabinet door material makes it look like a real toe kick.
- Step 6:
Install backsplash and finishing touches
We installed a viola calcutta marble-look wallpaper backsplash, mounted gold pill-shaped handles from Kmart (on clearance for $1 each!), wrapped exposed cabinet ends in matching green panels, and wrapped the old laundry trough with black vinyl.
- Step 7:
Add the heated towel rack and pine shelf
A heated towel rack sourced from Facebook Marketplace was wall-mounted for hanging delicates and damp items.
A pine shelf with the Carinya 205x85 floating brackets both from Bunnings were installed for styling and additional storage.
Three x 600mm long IKEA HULTARP kitchen rails were installed for hanging space for shirts.
I cut two holes into the countertop and one into the shelf to allow the water hoses and electricals to reach their destinations. Electrical hole covers from Bunnings neatened the holes.
- Step 8:
Final reveal
The finished laundry has floor-to-ceiling storage, a custom floating benchtop, hidden shoe storage in the toe kick drawer, a streamlined robot vacuum garage, and enough empty shelves to prove we nailed the storage brief. We now have lots of empty storage to organise!
Having a counter top is a real game changer. I wasn't sure if it would be a waste of space in a very small laundry but we have used it for multiple requirements since installation including hemming curtains, and other small assembly DIY projects, not just folding clothes.
