Transform your laundry room into a stylish and functional space with our guide to designing an industrial farmhouse-inspired laundry room. Discover key elements, practical tips, and DIY projects to create the perfect blend of rustic charm and industrial efficiency.
An industrial farmhouse laundry room combines the style’s core materials — reclaimed wood, steel brackets, galvanized metal containers, and dark metal fixtures — with the specific functional demands of a room that sees daily heavy use. Open shelving on steel brackets above the washer and dryer, hooks on the walls for laundry bags and drying items, and labeled wire baskets for sorted laundry address every practical problem the room creates.
Industrial Farm Co. makes the steel hardware for laundry room shelving and organization: shelf brackets for above-washer storage, the Lucas L Bracket for open shelving on any wall run, and individual wall hooks for hanging items without any dedicated hook system. All made in Camillus, New York and shipping within 7 business days.
Key Elements of an Industrial Farmhouse Laundry Room
Industrial farmhouse style blends rustic warmth with industrial materials. In a laundry room, this translates directly: the rustic side provides warmth and character through reclaimed wood shelving and natural textures; the industrial side provides durability and organization through steel brackets, metal fixtures, and galvanized containers. The combination suits a laundry room better than either side alone, because the room needs to work hard and look considered at the same time.
Materials
Reclaimed wood: For shelving, countertops, or a folding surface above the appliances. The weathered grain character of reclaimed wood is particularly effective in a laundry room because it improves with age in a way that finished wood doesn’t. Seal it with a penetrating oil or polyurethane before installation.
Exposed metal: Steel shelf brackets, black iron hooks, and galvanized metal bins add the industrial edge and provide the most durable hardware for a working room. Metal holds up to moisture, repeated use, and the chemical exposure of laundry products better than painted wood or plastic.
Concrete or concrete-look flooring: Durable, water-resistant, and consistent with the industrial palette. Easier to clean than textured surfaces and holds up better to the heavy foot traffic and occasional spills a laundry room generates.
Practical tip: Combine reclaimed wood planks for the shelf boards with steel brackets for the support. The contrast between warm wood and dark metal is the defining visual of the style and addresses both the aesthetic and functional requirements of the room.
Colors
Stick to a neutral palette with shades of white, black, gray, and natural wood tones. White or whitewashed walls create a clean backdrop that makes the wood and metal read clearly. Gray tones in tile or flooring add depth without competing with the warm wood elements. Black accents in hardware — brackets, hooks, light fixtures, faucets — provide the consistent industrial finish that makes the room feel cohesive.
Natural wood finishes in their actual wood tones — not stained to match a specific color trend — are the warm element that balances the harder materials. Let the wood be wood.
Fixtures and Hardware
Open metal shelving: Instead of closed cabinetry, open shelving on steel brackets allows the laundry supplies, baskets, and folded items to be visible and accessible. Install brackets into wall studs no more than 24 inches apart. Mount the first shelf at a comfortable reach height above the appliances, typically 60-66 inches from the floor.
Black iron hooks: Mount along the walls above the appliances or on the back of the door for hanging laundry bags, drying garments, and frequently used items. Our individual wall hook collection includes options in matte black for every weight requirement.
Vintage-inspired lighting: Gooseneck sconces, metal pendant lights, or cage-style fixtures in black or aged metal finish provide the industrial lighting character appropriate for the style. Position task lighting directly over the folding area rather than relying on a single overhead fixture.
Design Tips
1. Choosing the Right Appliances
Front-loading washers and dryers are ideal for maximizing space: they can be stacked to free up floor space, or placed side by side to create a counter for folding. Stainless steel appliances add a modern industrial touch. Black or white appliances blend into a neutral palette without drawing attention.
2. Incorporating Open Shelving
Use reclaimed wood shelf boards on steel brackets above the appliances. Install at varying heights: a lower shelf within easy reach for daily-use supplies, upper shelves for baskets with extra linens and seasonal items. Add a horizontal rod below one shelf for hanging freshly ironed garments or items that need to air dry.
3. Using Industrial Brackets
Choose dark metal finishes like matte black or weathered steel to complement the wood. For everyday laundry room shelving, the Lucas L Bracket is the clean, minimal choice. For heavier loads — large baskets or detergent bottle storage — size up in bracket depth and use lag screws into studs.
4. Adding Functional Décor
Wire baskets for sorting laundry or storing supplies. Metal signs for labeling sections of the room. Rustic hooks along the wall for hanging drying racks and laundry bags. A pegboard or hook rail maximizes the wall space between the appliances and the shelving run.
Layouts for Every Size
Small laundry closet: Stack the washer and dryer to free the full width for shelving above. One row of open shelving directly above the appliances. Use wall hooks on the side walls for laundry bags and a retractable drying line at the top.
Galley laundry room: Appliances side by side on one wall with open shelving above. Counter-height surface above the appliances for folding. Shelving or cabinet run on the opposite wall for additional storage.
Laundry room and mudroom combined: Appliances and laundry storage on one side; coat hooks, shoe shelving, and a bench on the other. Use the same matte black hardware finish throughout both functions so the space reads as one designed room rather than two activities in one area. See our mudroom guide for the entry side of this combination.
DIY Projects
Custom drying rack: Wall-mounted rod using black iron pipe and pipe flanges. Install between two wall studs at a height that allows full-length garments to hang without touching the floor.
Laundry sorter: Three metal wire baskets on an open shelf run, each labeled for a sorting category. The Aged Wire Basket is the right size and material for this.
Pegboard organizer: Install a pegboard section between the appliances and the shelving above it. Add metal hooks and small wire baskets for organizing laundry tools, lint rollers, and small supplies.
What shelving works best above a washer and dryer?
Open shelving on steel brackets, installed into wall studs no more than 24 inches apart. Reclaimed or sealed hardwood shelf boards. Position the first shelf at 60-66 inches from the floor for comfortable reach above the appliances without stooping. Use lag screws, 3 inches minimum, into studs for shelving that holds real laundry room loads of detergent bottles, baskets, and supplies.
What brackets work for a laundry room counter?
Heavy-duty steel brackets mounted into wall studs support a folding counter above side-by-side appliances. Choose a bracket depth that reaches at least 75% of the counter depth. Industrial Farm Co.'s Lucas L Bracket handles standard laundry room shelving and counter loads. For wider or heavier counter surfaces, size up in bracket depth and add a third bracket at the center.
How do you organize a small laundry closet?
Stack the washer and dryer to free the full width for shelving above. Install one row of open shelving directly above the stacked appliances at easy reach height. Add wall hooks on both side walls for laundry bags and a retractable drying line at the top for garments that need to air dry. Keep the floor clear entirely to maintain usable floor space in a tight footprint.
What lighting works in a laundry room?
Task lighting directly over the folding area is the most important. A gooseneck sconce or cage-style pendant light in black or aged metal finish provides the directional task light and the industrial character appropriate for the style. Supplement with a ceiling fixture for general room light. Avoid relying on a single overhead fixture for the full room, as it creates shadows over the work surface.
Can you combine a laundry room and mudroom effectively?
Yes. Place the appliances and laundry storage on one wall and the coat hooks, shoe shelving, and bench on the other. Use the same matte black hardware finish throughout both functions so the space reads as one room rather than two activities in one area. Steel brackets and individual wall hooks from the same collection in the same finish handle both the laundry storage and the entry organization.
