If you’re trying to hide unsightly equipment in your laundry room or you want to see how a space works with a top-loading washer (most photos online show front-loaders with counters), this update will be helpful. After months of planning and a weekend of finishing work, the beach house laundry room and mudroom finally feel complete. It’s a simple space we started planning late last year, but it repeatedly got pushed aside for larger projects. Once those were finished, we cleared out the lumber, tools, and dust and turned this room into a functional area that’s far more pleasant to look at and use.
When we bought the beach house this area was one of the roughest spots—an enclosed porch that had been finished poorly. Interior flooring was used where siding should have been, which led to moisture problems and rot. The foundation also failed because that side of the house was built on sand instead of proper footers. That combination meant we eventually had to fully reconstruct that side of the house.
By the end of last summer the room had started to come together with new drywall and slate-look floor tile. The tile and grout we chose were budget-friendly and have held up well. For months afterward the room served as a temporary catch-all for tools and supplies because we didn’t yet have a garage or shed. When our washer and dryer arrived around Black Friday, the room still felt like a work zone more than a finished laundry area.
The main design challenge was finding a way to conceal the tankless water heater and its breaker while keeping everything accessible for service and for shutting the water off when the house is empty. Our solution was a practical IKEA hack: a PAX wardrobe fitted into the narrow space beside the washer. The wardrobe fit nearly perfectly between the wall and the washer, and by modifying its back panel we created a large access opening to reach the water heater and breaker.
We chose the shorter height option for the cabinet so it visually matched the window and doorways in the room instead of dominating the space. Before attaching the wardrobe’s back panel, we used a jigsaw to cut a large opening—making sure to keep the side panels intact for structural support. We also cut a smaller hole in the side for the breaker box and added wooden spacers and blocking to secure the unit to the stud wall. Those spacers were placed slightly behind the wardrobe’s front so we could later add a painted filler board and make the cabinet appear built-in.
To complete the built-in look, we attached a thin plywood panel to the side of the wardrobe and painted it to match the trim. We also added blocking at the back edge so the plywood had something solid to secure into. These small finishing touches make the cabinet feel intentional and integrated with the room.
Above the washer and dryer we installed open wood shelves supported by sturdy iron brackets. The shelves serve two purposes: storage and camouflage. The lower shelf covers the washer hookups, dryer plug, and the awkward gap behind top-loaders where things often disappear. We picked a depth that clears the washer lid so it can open fully and used removable shelf boards so we can access the connections when needed.
The shelves are 1×12 whitewood boards stained to blend with the existing woodwork. We applied a conditioner, a light stain coat, and a clear finish to protect them. For now they hold decorative accents, laundry basics in baskets, and a little art—giving the room personality while leaving space for practical items as needed.
On the mudroom side of the room we brought in a simple bench and hung hooks for towels and coats. This area will evolve into a more functional drop zone as we finalize storage solutions, but even the temporary setup makes the space far more welcoming than the jumble it used to be.
The room isn’t flashy, but the updates make everyday tasks more pleasant. With an improved pathway planned to the side door and outdoor areas, this mudroom-laundry will likely become a primary entrance after beach days—so having a tidy, attractive space matters. The walls are painted White Heron and the trim is Stone Isle, both in Sherwin-Williams shades, which keep the room bright and calm against the darker floor tile and wood accents.
