Forget Basic Laundry Cabinets: This Build Uses Two Depths to Get More From the Wall
Detergent bottles covered the washer and dryer while a large section of wall above them went unused. Reddit woodworker u/jlo575 filled that space with a cabinet system built around the laundry setup.
Instead of one flat bank of storage, the project pairs enclosed cabinets with a deeper open shelf below. Detergent stays within reach, other supplies go behind doors, and the machine tops remain clear.
Exposed joinery, thin wood trim, a satin clear finish, and a wall-mounted ironing board holder add details that become more apparent on a closer look.
Supplies Had Taken Over Both Machines
Before the project, laundry products sat across the washer and dryer with no shelf or cabinet above them. The machines occupied the back of a 20-inch-deep nook, leaving a tall blank wall as the main place to gain storage.
Rather than extend new cabinetry across another wall, the entire build stays within that existing recess.
Builder Left the Dovetail on Display
A close view of the trim reveals a long dovetail at the meeting point between the vertical and horizontal pieces. The builder set the upper trim low enough to leave the end of the joint visible.
The trim itself is about 3/16 inch thick. The joint was traced, cut tight, then pared with a chisel until the pieces fit together.
Thin Trim Frames the Shelf Opening
Mitered trim follows the lower corner, with a curved transition cut into the inside edge. Instead of a heavy face frame, the narrow strips leave much of the wood grain visible around the opening.
These details give the open portion a furniture-style finish even though its main job is holding detergent and cleaning products.
Ironing Board Moves Onto the Wall
A separate wood mount uses the narrow strip of wall beside the machines. Two curved supports hold the ironing board by its crossbar, while a small shelf projects above it.
Screws run through the holder into the wall studs. One sits above the shelf and another hides behind the board when it is hung, keeping most of the mounting hardware out of sight.
Open Shelf Extends Past the Cabinets
Here the two-depth design becomes clear. The upper cabinets measure 14 inches deep, while the bottle shelf below reaches 16 inches. That extra two inches gives the larger detergent containers more surface without bringing the cabinet doors as far forward.
The wood received Helmsman spar urethane in a satin clear finish. The builder chose the coating so spills on the shelf can be wiped away rather than soaking into unfinished wood.
Finished Wall Keeps the Machine Tops Clear
Four doors now handle concealed storage, while two open compartments keep bottles visible below. The cabinets and shelf hang from separate sets of 3/4-inch plywood cleats secured into studs.
The result leaves the washer and dryer free of the bottles seen in the first photo. Instead of forcing one cabinet depth to handle every item, the wall gives enclosed storage and grab-and-go supplies different amounts of space.
Storage now fills the wall above the machines, but the room still has no dedicated folding surface. Would you have designed one into the project, or used the available space for storage as the builder did?
Image credits go to Reddit user u/jlo575.