Like it or not, doing laundry is unavoidable. And since you spend a considerable amount of time washing, drying and folding each week, it only makes sense to design a laundry room that makes this never-ending chore more tolerable. Enter these smart and stylish laundry room ideas. Some of these design concepts focus more on the room's layout, offering inspiration on how to convert a closet, mudroom or hallway into a multi-purpose area. Others encourage you to maximize whatever space you have with practical storage solutions and clever organizing tips.

Remember: Your laundry room should work for you, so tailor the following ideas to your machines (stackable or top-loading washing machines), existing cabinetry and storage needs. Need a better way to organize extra linens and cleaning products? Consider a floor-to-ceiling shelving unit. Want to keep drying racks, ironing boards and laundry hampers out of the way? Mount 'em to the wall or install pull-out shelves in your cabinets. It's not just about function: As you browse through these ideas, take a tip from how different designers and bloggers carried their home's aesthetic, whether farmhouse, modern or classic, into the space.

Choose cabinets and machines in the same color family to create a sense of harmony. While you can always go with grays, blacks or whites, this laundry room is proof that an unexpected hue can also work wonders in a space.

In a smaller space, get smart with your storage by placing extra laundry supplies under your sink. Cover up the clutter with a fabric skirt, then pull it back to find whatever you're looking for.

Work laundry hampers into the room's design, like designer Sarah Stacey did here. Place 'em on pull-out shelves to help you sort your whites, darks and delicates with ease.

SHOP SLIDING ORGANIZER

Ease the strain of loading and unloading by raising your washer and dryer. Use the riser kit that comes with your machines for an easy fix or take a cue from this chic laundry room designed by Christie Leu.

Built-ins that extend from floor to ceiling offer plenty of opportunities to store extra cleaning products, linens and more. Mix in a few cubbies next to the machines to keep your laundry day must-haves within reach.

Liven up a windowless laundry room with bold hues. Let the patterned wallpaper be the focal point, then coordinate the flooring and cabinetry to match.

Don't forget about your furry friends! Carve out a space to clean your pet, making sure to tailor the width and height of the tub to their overall size. Install a hanging rod on the wall and use it as drip-dry area between washes.

There's no way around it: Ironing boards are eyesores. Tuck yours in a cabinet, so you can discretely store it when it's not in use.

Put machines on one side and built-in shelves on the other to give one room many different purposes. Tie everything together by covering the walls with playful wallpaper, like this black-and-white blowfish design.

RELATED: Brilliant Mudroom Ideas

Here's a prime example of where fashion meets function. Install a countertop on top of your front-loading machines to give you plenty of space to store laundry essentials and fold clothes as soon as they come out of the dryer.

Find a place for all of your laundry day essentials — detergent, dryer sheets and stain removers — in drawers, baskets and canisters.

Instead of taking up precious floor space, mount a few drying racks straight to the wall. When your clothes are dry, you can fold 'em up, so they don't get in the way of washing and folding.

Suspend an old ladder from the ceiling and hang clothes on the rungs to keep them wrinkle-free.

A mix of drawers and pull-out shelves let you designate specific spaces to store laundry products, keep laundry hampers out of the way and properly fold clean clothes.

Ample counter space is a must in any laundry room, but this design also incorporates a hanging rod, which will come in handy when it comes time to use your garment steamer.

Affix a bin to the side of your stackable machines to ensure that you have exactly what you need within arm's reach. Go with something that can easily be removed and cleaned, like a flat-backed wire basket.

SHOP FLAT-BACKED BASKETS

Use drawers to sort delicates, colors and whites (or however else you like to divide up your laundry). Wire mesh baskets, as shown here, are the ideal option since they air out dirty clothes before washing.

See more at Jessica Welling Interiors »

DIY a wooden shelving system with slots big enough to store two or three laundry baskets on top of one another.

See more at Bless This Nest »

A free-standing shelving system can hold all of your supplies without getting in your way of doing laundry: Store detergents on the shelves at waist level, handheld appliances down below, and spare hangers and cleaning products up above.

See more at Fox Hollow Cottage »

We all know the struggle that comes with side-by-side machines, often becoming cluttered with lost socks, dryer sheets and dust bunnies. If you have a bigger gap between the washer and dryer, fill that space with a shelved cart that you can roll in and out.

SHOP SLIM STORAGE CART

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Like it or not, you spend a lot of time in your laundry room. Make it a warm and inviting space by incorporating modern farmhouse elements, like a faux brick wall and black wire baskets.

See more at Itty Bitty Farmhouse »

Take a cue from Mandi Gubler of Vintage Revivals and fashion a countertop from plywood, giving you ample space to fold your clothes right out of the dryer.

See more at Vintage Revivals »

No laundry room? No problem. Convert a closet by adding extra shelves and rods, then use the backs of the doors to hang supplies.

The laundry room can easily become an unorganized drop spot. Attach a pegboard to a blank wall to corral all of your cleaning supplies and miscellaneous items.

See more at A Beautiful Mess »

Identical wire baskets add a uniform look to open shelves. Store your favorites down low and the supplies you don't use as often up top.

See more at A Beautiful Mess »

Follow designer Emily Henderson's lead and stow your most-used items where you can easily get to them, including in between your washer and dryer.

See more at Emily Henderson »

Melissa George of Polished Habitat engineered this disposal system for lint using a plastic file box. Hang it on your wall next to your dryer for easy clean-up.

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With this quick and easy DIY, an old tissue box cover becomes the perfect dispenser for dryer sheets. It looks super chic, making it a great addition to any shelf.

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A pretty hamper can double as organization and decor, if done right. Make sure it's in a visible spot, so the entire family knows where to leave their dirty laundry.

See more at Life is a Party »

To save major space in small rooms, consider a wall-mounted drying rack for an easy spot to leave those delicates to dry.

See more at Reading My Tea Leaves »

Whether you're carrying a load of laundry upstairs or need a drop spot for towels, a basket keeps everything looking neat and tidy. Give yourself some options: Keep a handled one nearby for dirty laundry sweeps and an oversized one on top of your appliances to catch miscellaneous items.

See more at 100 Layer Cake »

Use the empty space above your washer and dyer to hang clothes. Mount a pull-out drying rack to the wall, giving you the option to keep it closed when you don't have anything to dry.

A glass container and scoop turn detergent, laundry pods or other cleaners into a decor moment. Just be sure to keep the jars safely out of the kids' reach.

Bookshelves are a great solution for spaces low on built-in storage, including your laundry room. Fill the shelves with odds and ends, like stain-specific removers and extra linens.