Designer-Coded: Get The Look Of A Built-In Laundry Nook For Less Than You'd Expect

I have a confession — as a professional interior designer, my soul hurts a little bit (sometimes a lotta bit) almost every time I get a cabinet quote. While I absolutely appreciate that well-made cabinets are an incredible art form, the price point can still sting. Take one of my recent personal projects, a tiny 56-inch-wide laundry nook that needed upper cabinets and one small open lower one (for a hamper) with a countertop. Time for a second confession: this is a never-ending project already five years in the works. Three years ago, I got quotes to add cabinets, the cheapest of which was $1,500 for just the bare basics (no delivery, installation, or countertop). This understandably halted progress. Fast forward to this year, with a renewed commitment to finally finish, I was back in the market for a solution. 

Knowing everything has only gotten exponentially more expensive in recent years, my DIY instincts kicked in to find a more wallet-friendly approach. After finding that stock hardware store cabinets were still relatively expensive and that secondhand finds never ended up being the right size, I stumbled upon the all-in-one $479 Morinome Space-Saving Laundry Cabinet from Wayfair with the potential to solve the whole thing. It features closed-door storage for hiding laundry essentials, a hanging bar for air-drying clothing, an integrated countertop, and an attractive, elevated surround. The unit has everything to create a functional laundry space for a fraction of the cost of traditional cabinets. As of publishing, you can snag it for less than $500.

I started getting really excited that I'd found the ideal pre-fabricated budget laundry room storage solution. Unlike a set of standard upper cabinets, this unit had more to offer than just shelves behind doors. While it did have closed-door storage, the design also allowed for a generous amount of hanging space, upper storage for infrequently used items, and double the countertop I'd originally planned for. 

But it was the cabinet's overall aesthetic that really drew me in. Though made from particle board, the natural wood-look finish is convincing and attractive. The extra detailing of the crown molding, glass doors, and faux-stone countertop gives the piece a high-end, custom feel. The cabinet is a full surround, wrapping the laundry machines in a cohesive cabinet unit. This creates a tidy, seamless, built-in look that I couldn't achieve with simple uppers. The finished sides mean it looks great tucked into an alcove with side walls like mine, or even just freestanding against a wall.

There were two other benefits to this laundry cabinet. The first was that its assembly process was similar to a piece of freestanding furniture rather than a cabinet installation. I can build IKEA furniture in my sleep, so the idea that I could easily DIY the setup was a plus. Finally, the price simply couldn't be ignored. At $479, it isn't the cheapest thing out there. But the cost to have traditional built-in cabinets installed typically runs $500 or more per linear foot.

Once I'd mentally customized the laundry surround with elevated cabinet hardware and decorative glass film, I let my practical side take over and grabbed my tape measure. While it seems like the perfect option, there are a few measurements needed to ensure it's a good fit for your space. Depending on your washer and dryer setup, you may need to modify the fixed rear supports to accommodate any interfering water lines and vents. Additionally, given the dimensions of the average washer and dryer, they will be deeper than the cabinet, especially accounting for hookups that push them away from the wall. For example, my standard-size dryer with a space-saving hose connector still extends 30 inches from the wall. This makes it protrude about 6 inches from the cabinet (which must remain mounted to the wall for safety). While not necessarily a deal-breaker, the final look won't be as clean as the product images unless you have shallow-depth machines or recessed hookups. Finally, any pedestals under laundry machines will need to be omitted to fit within the opening height.

That being said, none of this would have deterred me from snagging my perfect laundry solution. But you know what did? The darn thing was a couple of inches too wide for my undersized nook. Even with removing the baseboard and the angles of the crown molding, I still came up a couple of inches too short. Cue the tiny violin. But if you have a wall or niche wider than 61.5 inches, this is a cost-effective laundry cabinet that looks built-in. And don't mind me over here debating if I can hack this thing up with power tools to make it fit.