Laundry Renovation Ideas for Melbourne Homes: Design, Layout, and Costs

The laundry is the most used utility room in most Melbourne homes, and often the most neglected when it comes to renovation planning. Kitchens and bathrooms attract the attention and the budget, while the laundry continues to operate with mismatched cabinetry, a chipped trough, and a single power point that was clearly added as an afterthought.

That is changing. Melbourne homeowners are increasingly recognising that a well-designed laundry is not just more pleasant to use: it is more efficient, better organised, and a genuine selling point in a competitive property market. Laundry renovation ideas that were once considered a luxury, including custom cabinetry, stone benchtops, dedicated ironing stations, and thoughtfully designed storage systems, are now a standard aspiration for Melbourne homes being renovated at any scale.

This guide covers everything you need to know to plan a laundry renovation in Melbourne: the layout options that work best in different sized rooms, design ideas for different styles and budgets, cabinet and storage solutions, plumbing and appliance placement considerations, costs, timelines, and the specific challenges of laundry renovations in Melbourne's diverse housing stock.

What a Laundry Renovation Includes

The scope of a laundry renovation in Melbourne varies considerably depending on the condition of the existing room, the size of the space, and what the homeowner is trying to achieve. At the most basic level, a laundry makeover might involve replacing the trough, installing new cabinetry, and retiling the floor. At the more comprehensive end, a full laundry renovation might reconfigure the layout, relocate plumbing, install custom cabinetry from floor to ceiling, and integrate the laundry with an adjacent bathroom.

A standard laundry renovation in Melbourne typically includes:

• Demolition of existing cabinetry, trough, and wall and floor finishes
• New floor and wall tiling or other surface finishes
• Custom or flat-pack laundry cabinetry and benchtop
• New laundry trough and tapware
• Appliance connections for washing machine and dryer (top load, front load, or stacked configuration)
• Waterproofing to the appropriate extent for the wet zone around the trough
• Lighting and ventilation
• Storage solutions, including shelving, cupboards, and a linen press, if space allows

More extensive laundry renovations may also include relocating the plumbing to a different position in the room, reconfiguring how the laundry connects to an adjacent bathroom or hallway, adding a drying cabinet or dedicated ironing station, or expanding the laundry into an adjacent space. These more complex scopes involve licensed plumbers and builders and may require a council permit depending on the extent of structural work.

Laundry Layout Options for Melbourne Homes

The layout of a laundry renovation is determined primarily by the shape and dimensions of the available room, the position of existing plumbing, and the appliance configuration you are planning.

Single Wall Layout

The single wall layout runs all cabinetry, the trough, and the appliances along a single wall. It is the most common laundry layout in Melbourne apartments and smaller homes where the laundry occupies a narrow room or a section of a garage or corridor. It is efficient in terms of plumbing, as all connections are concentrated on one wall, and it maximises the available floor space in the rest of the room.

A single wall laundry design in Melbourne typically positions the trough on one side, the washing machine and dryer beside or below the bench, and overhead cabinets running the full length of the wall for storage. A benchtop that runs across the full wall provides generous folding space even in a compact room.

L-Shape Layout

The L-shape laundry layout uses two adjacent walls, providing significantly more bench space, storage, and flexibility for appliance placement than a single wall configuration. It is well-suited to rooms with a roughly square footprint and is particularly effective when the laundry also needs to function as a secondary storage or cleaning room.

In an L-shape laundry design, the wet zone with the trough typically occupies one run, and the appliance zone with the washing machine and dryer occupies the other. The corner junction between the two runs is often used for a full-height pantry or linen cupboard, which maximises the vertical storage capacity of the space.

Double Wall / Galley Layout

The galley laundry layout runs cabinetry and fixtures along both facing walls, with a corridor between them. It is the most storage-efficient laundry layout available and is particularly effective in rooms that are longer than they are wide.

In a galley laundry design, one wall typically accommodates the trough and appliances, while the opposite wall provides full-height storage for linen, cleaning products, and household supplies. The corridor between them gives access to both runs and provides a working space for sorting and folding.

Laundry and Bathroom Combined

In some Melbourne homes, particularly smaller properties and apartments, the laundry shares a room with the bathroom. Combined bathroom and laundry renovations in Melbourne are a growing trend, particularly where the existing separate laundry is very small and combining it with the bathroom creates a more functional and better utilised space.

A combined bathroom and laundry design requires careful planning to ensure that the wet zones of both rooms are properly waterproofed and that the appliances, particularly the washing machine and dryer, are positioned and ventilated appropriately within the bathroom environment.

Laundry Design Ideas and Styles for Melbourne Homes

Laundry design in Melbourne has evolved significantly in recent years, driven by the same trends that have elevated kitchen and bathroom design. The functional laundry of twenty years ago has been replaced, in renovated homes, by a room that is organised, well-lit, aesthetically considered, and a genuine pleasure to use.

Contemporary Laundry Design

Contemporary laundry design in Melbourne favours clean lines, handleless cabinetry, large format floor tiles in a neutral palette, and integrated appliances behind cabinetry panels where the budget allows. Stone or engineered stone benchtops bring the same premium feel to the laundry that they deliver in a kitchen, and they are practical: resistant to staining, easy to clean, and durable under daily use.

White or off-white cabinetry remains the most popular laundry cabinet choice in Melbourne, partly because it is timeless and partly because it makes the room feel brighter and more spacious. Warm timber-look cabinetry is a growing alternative that adds warmth and character to what is otherwise a utilitarian space.

Transitional Laundry Design

Transitional laundry designs blend traditional and contemporary elements, typically featuring shaker-style cabinetry in a painted or timber finish, a ceramic or butler sink trough, subway tile splashbacks, and brass or matte black tapware and hardware. This style suits Melbourne's period homes particularly well, as it references the character of the original architecture without feeling dated.

Transitional laundry makeovers are also popular in Melbourne because they deliver a polished, premium look without requiring the precision of a fully contemporary design, making them somewhat more forgiving to execute and easier to live with over time.

Compact and Clever Laundry Design

In the many Melbourne homes where the laundry is genuinely small, the most important design quality is clever use of every available centimetre. Small laundry room ideas that work consistently in Melbourne include stacking the washing machine and dryer vertically to free up horizontal space, running cabinetry to the ceiling to maximise vertical storage, using a fold-down ironing board that mounts flush to a cabinet door, and selecting a slimline or under-bench trough rather than a traditional freestanding unit.

Cabinetry and Storage Solutions for Laundry Renovations

The cabinetry is the single most important investment in a laundry renovation because it determines how the room functions every day. There are two main cabinetry paths in Melbourne laundry renovations: flat-pack or semi-custom cabinetry and fully custom cabinetry.

Flat-Pack Laundry Cabinetry

Flat-pack laundry cabinets are pre-manufactured in standard sizes and assembled on site. They are available in a range of door styles and finishes from major retailers and deliver a clean, functional result at a lower cost than custom cabinetry. The main limitation is sizing: standard flat-pack modules are designed for standard room dimensions, and rooms with unusual proportions or non-standard ceiling heights may not be served well by flat-pack solutions.

Custom Laundry Cabinetry

Custom laundry cabinetry is designed and manufactured specifically for the dimensions and requirements of the individual room. It allows the full height and width of every wall to be used without gaps or awkward fillers, and it accommodates non-standard ceiling heights, irregular walls, and specific storage requirements that flat-pack systems cannot address.

Custom laundry cabinets in Melbourne are manufactured by cabinetmakers who also make kitchen and bathroom cabinetry, which means the quality, finish options, and hardware selections are comparable to those available in those rooms. Custom laundry cabinetry costs more than flat-pack but significantly improves the storage capacity and finish quality of the room.

Storage That Works in a Laundry

Effective laundry storage organises the room around how it is actually used. The items used most frequently, detergent, fabric softener, dryer sheets, and cleaning products, should be at bench level or in a lower cabinet directly above the machines. Items used less frequently, spare linen, seasonal items, and cleaning equipment, can go in upper cabinets or in a full-height linen press at one end of the room.

A dedicated dirty linen sorting area, whether a pull-out hamper system built into the cabinetry or a designated floor space beside the machines, makes the daily routine of sorting laundry significantly more organised. Ironing storage, a wall-mounted rail for hanging freshly washed or pressed garments, and a dedicated spot for the iron and ironing board are all practical additions to a laundry renovation that make the room function as a complete laundry management system rather than just a machine room.

Plumbing and Appliance Considerations

The plumbing layout for a laundry renovation is one of the most important practical decisions and is closely tied to the project's cost.

Where the existing plumbing stays in place and the new layout works around the current connection points, the plumbing cost is modest. Where the trough or washing machine connection needs to be relocated to a different position on the same wall or to a different wall entirely, the cost increases because new drainage lines must be run, and the floor may need to be opened for access.

The appliance configuration also affects the layout significantly. Front-loading machines can be installed under a benchtop, which keeps the bench continuous and provides a surface above the machines for sorting and folding. Top-loading machines require open access above them and cannot be installed under a bench. Stacked washer-dryer units use half the floor footprint of side-by-side machines and are the most space-efficient configuration for compact Melbourne laundries.

Dryer ventilation is an important consideration that is often overlooked during laundry renovation planning. A vented dryer must exhaust to the outside of the building, which requires a short duct run through an external wall. If the dryer is positioned against an internal wall, this duct run becomes longer and more complex. Heat pump dryers do not require external venting and are the most flexible option for laundry rooms positioned against internal walls.

Laundry Renovation Costs in Melbourne

Laundry renovation costs in Melbourne vary widely depending on the size of the room, the scope of work, and the quality of materials and cabinetry selected. The table below provides a general cost guide for the most common laundry renovation scopes in Melbourne.

The main variables that affect laundry renovation costs in Melbourne are the extent of plumbing work required, whether custom or flat-pack cabinetry is used, the benchtop material selected, the tiling scope, and whether the project is managed as part of a combined bathroom and laundry renovation or as a standalone project.

A laundry renovation added to a concurrent bathroom renovation typically achieves a meaningful cost saving because the trade mobilisation, project management, and material delivery costs are shared across both projects.

Laundry Renovation Timeline

A standard laundry renovation in Melbourne takes between one and three weeks from the start of demolition to completion. Simpler makeovers involving cabinetry replacement and minor tiling can be completed in as little as one week. Renovations that involve plumbing relocation, custom cabinetry with a lead time, or more extensive tiling will typically take two to three weeks.

The planning phase before work begins, including design, cabinetry specification, and material selection, typically takes two to four weeks. Custom cabinetry may have a manufacturing lead time of three to six weeks, which should be factored into the overall project timeline.

Laundry Renovations Across Melbourne Suburbs

Laundry renovation demand in Melbourne reflects the housing stock across different suburbs. In the inner suburbs including Brunswick, Fitzroy, and St Kilda, laundry renovations often involve period homes where the original laundry is a separate external room, a lean-to structure, or a converted section of the garage. These projects frequently involve relocating the laundry to a more convenient internal position, which is a more complex and expensive undertaking than a standard renovation.

In the middle-ring eastern suburbs including Hawthorn, Chadstone, Glen Iris, and Blackburn, laundry renovations are typically in purpose-built internal laundries from the 1960s to 1980s that have dated cabinetry, vinyl flooring, and a standard trough and tapware. These rooms are well-suited to a standard laundry renovation that replaces all the cabinetry and finishes without changing the layout.

In Essendon, Preston, and the northern suburbs, laundry renovations frequently involve homes where the laundry was added during a mid-century extension and is now a practical but unattractive room that benefits most from new cabinetry, a benchtop upgrade, and better storage organisation. In the western suburbs including Ascot Vale, Newport, and Spotswood, combined bathroom and laundry renovations are popular because many homes in these areas have the two rooms adjacent or accessible from the same short corridor.

Frequently Asked Questions

How much does a laundry renovation cost in Melbourne?

A laundry renovation in Melbourne costs between $3,000 for a basic cosmetic makeover and $25,000 or more for a premium custom renovation with stone benchtops and full-height cabinetry. A standard laundry renovation with new flat-pack cabinetry, tiling, and a new trough typically costs between $8,000 and $15,000. A custom cabinetry laundry renovation with a stone benchtop and premium fixtures typically costs $15,000 to $25,000.

How long does a laundry renovation take in Melbourne?

Most laundry renovations in Melbourne take one to three weeks from the start of demolition to completion. Simple makeovers can complete in one week. Renovations involving plumbing relocation or custom cabinetry typically take two to three weeks on site, plus the lead time for custom cabinetry manufacturing, which is usually three to six weeks.

What are the best small laundry room ideas for Melbourne homes?

The most effective small laundry room ideas for Melbourne homes include stacking the washing machine and dryer vertically to free up horizontal bench space, running cabinetry to the ceiling to maximise vertical storage, using a fold-down wall-mounted ironing board, selecting a slimline or under-bench trough, and running a continuous benchtop across the full wall above the appliances to create folding space. Light-coloured cabinetry and large format floor tiles help the room feel brighter and more spacious.

Should I combine my bathroom and laundry renovation?

Combining a bathroom and laundry renovation in Melbourne is often a practical and cost-effective decision, particularly when the two rooms are adjacent. A combined renovation shares trade coordination costs, project management, and material delivery between both rooms, which typically produces a 10 to 20 percent cost saving compared to two separately managed projects. It also means one disruption period rather than two, which most Melbourne households prefer.

Do I need a permit for a laundry renovation in Melbourne?

Most standard laundry renovations in Melbourne do not require a council permit because the work is cosmetic and the plumbing stays in the same position. If the renovation involves relocating plumbing or drainage to a new position, or if the laundry is being moved to a different room or added to the home where one did not exist, a building permit is likely required. Your renovation specialist can advise on what approvals apply to your specific project.

What is the best laundry design for a small Melbourne home?

For a small Melbourne home, the single wall layout with stacked appliances is the most space-efficient laundry configuration available. Cabinetry that runs from bench height to ceiling maximises vertical storage without expanding the floor footprint. A fold-down ironing board mounted to a cabinet door provides ironing functionality without a permanent floor space commitment. Where floor space is very limited, an integrated laundry within the bathroom is also a practical option.

How do I find a laundry renovation company in Melbourne?

Look for a renovation company with demonstrated experience in laundry renovations specifically, not just kitchens and bathrooms. Check that they work with licensed plumbers and can manage the full scope of the project including cabinetry, tiling, plumbing, and electrical under a single contract. APD Design handles laundry renovations across Melbourne as standalone projects and as part of combined bathroom and laundry or whole-home renovations.

Start Planning Your Laundry Renovation With APD Design

APD Design delivers laundry renovations across Melbourne, including standalone projects and laundry work combined with kitchen or bathroom renovations. We work with homeowners in Hawthorn, Brunswick, Chadstone, Essendon, Ascot Vale, Preston, Glen Iris, and throughout greater Melbourne to design and deliver laundry renovations that improve daily function and add genuine value to the home.

Book a free consultation with our team to discuss your laundry renovation, explore design options and cabinetry styles, and get a clear cost estimate before any work begins.