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Ideal Home has reported on a London homeowner’s laundry-cupboard design, which uses pull-out hanging rails, a dehumidifier and a low-wattage heating element to dry clothes while keeping them out of view. The homeowner says the idea grew from using a dehumidifier with a heated airer; drying times, running costs and suitability for other homes have not been independently established.
Ideal Home has reported on a built-in laundry cupboard designed to dry clothes out of sight, using pull-out rails, a dehumidifier and a low-wattage heating element. The setup, created by London homeowner and web designer Hatty Parker, offers one approach to managing indoor laundry during colder weather, although the report does not provide measured drying times or energy costs.
Parker’s cupboard sits beside a stacked washing machine and tumble dryer in a small laundry room created during renovations to her Victorian terraced house. She said the space was made by combining a bathroom with an adjoining box bedroom. Placing laundry facilities near the bathroom or bedrooms can also make the household’s washing routine easier to organize, though that layout will not suit every home.
The cupboard has pull-out clothes rails and a dehumidifier connected to the washing machine and dryer waste, according to Parker. A low-wattage heating element provides additional warmth, while ventilation grilles cut into the doors allow air to circulate. The arrangement is intended to contain wet laundry and equipment behind cupboard doors rather than leaving a drying rack in the room.
Parker told Ideal Home that the design was inspired by an airing cupboard and a dedicated drying area. She said she had previously used a dehumidifier alongside a heated clothes airer and found the combination effective. The report does not present controlled tests, product performance data or an independent comparison with other drying methods, so her experience should not be read as a guaranteed result for other households.
A Tidy Alternative to Drying Racks
The design addresses two practical problems that can become more noticeable in winter: laundry taking longer to dry indoors and the space taken up by freestanding racks. Storing rails and drying equipment in a cupboard may make a small laundry room feel less cluttered, while keeping clothes accessible as they dry.
Its usefulness depends on the room and the equipment, not just the doors. A cupboard needs sufficient air circulation and clearance around the dehumidifier, Ideal Home Senior Digital Editor Jenny McFarlane said. The home’s plumbing, available floor space and ventilation options will affect whether a similar arrangement is feasible. The report does not establish that the setup is cheaper or faster than other options.
For readers considering the idea, the key takeaway is the combination of contained hanging space and moisture removal, rather than a particular cupboard style or product. The installation described is one homeowner’s project, not a tested standard or a universal recommendation.
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How Parker Designed the Drying Cupboard
Parker said her family reconfigured the bathroom and a neighboring box bedroom during renovations, giving them a small laundry room. The cupboard was placed to the right of the stacked washer and dryer, making it part of a compact laundry area rather than a separate utility room.
She told Ideal Home that previous use of a dehumidifier with a heated airer informed the permanent design. After finding a drying-cupboard example on Pinterest, she adapted the idea with pull-out rails, a plumbed-in dehumidifier, low-wattage heat and door grilles. The source does not give construction costs, dimensions or a full installation guide.
McFarlane advised allowing for ventilation and clearance and mentioned the SmartAir dehumidifier as a compact option. Ideal Home also listed other dehumidifiers, but those product suggestions are editorial recommendations, not independent proof that any model will work in every cupboard.
“The idea for the drying cupboard … came from wanting a cross between a traditional airing cupboard and a dedicated space where clothes could dry efficiently, but remain neatly out of sight.”
— Hatty Parker, homeowner and web designer, speaking to Ideal Home
Drying Times and Costs Are Unreported
The report does not say how long clothes take to dry in Parker’s cupboard, how much electricity the dehumidifier and heating element use, or how the arrangement compares with a heated airer, tumble dryer or ordinary indoor rack. It also provides no purchase, plumbing or installation costs.
Other unknowns include the cupboard’s measurements, its humidity levels and whether the dehumidifier connection described is suitable for other machines or homes. Parker’s positive experience is attributable to her, but it is not accompanied by test results. Readers should not assume that copying the design will produce the same drying speed or energy use.
Check Space and Ventilation First
The source reports no planned follow-up, independent testing or wider rollout; the cupboard is a feature of Parker’s home. Anyone exploring a similar setup would need to check available space, the equipment’s specified clearance and ventilation requirements, and whether a suitable drainage connection is possible.
Before choosing a dehumidifier or adding a heating element, homeowners should consult the product instructions and use qualified tradespeople for plumbing or electrical work where required. The next practical step is to compare the cupboard’s cost and running needs with other drying options; the report does not supply enough information to determine which will be most economical.
Key Questions
What is the laundry cupboard hack?
It is a built-in cupboard with pull-out clothes rails, a dehumidifier and a low-wattage heating element, with grilles in the doors to allow air circulation. Parker’s version is beside her washer and dryer.
Does the cupboard dry clothes faster?
Parker told Ideal Home that she found a dehumidifier and heated airer effective in her home. The report gives no timed tests or comparison, so it does not establish how quickly the cupboard dries clothes in general.
Does a drying cupboard need ventilation?
The reported design has ventilation grilles in its doors. Ideal Home editor Jenny McFarlane also advised allowing adequate ventilation and clearance around the dehumidifier; users should follow the appliance manufacturer’s instructions.
How much does it cost to build?
The report does not give a construction or installation price. Costs will depend on the cupboard, rails, dehumidifier, heating element and any plumbing or electrical work needed.
Is this a proven way to save energy?
No energy-use figures or cost comparisons were provided. The feature describes one homeowner’s arrangement and experience, not evidence that it uses less energy than other drying methods.
Source: idealhome.co.uk
