Every area of your home deserves to look good. Whether you’re planning an extension for a utility room or want to give your old utility room a make-over, we’ve got some great ideas and options for you.
PURPOSE:
What to consider if you’re extending…
When designing a utility room, you need to make sure you are planning the space effectively around you and your family’s lifestyle.
If you plan on having a utility room renovation, try to picture whether it’s an entirely new room, an extension of your kitchen or something completely different.
If your space and budget allow for it then why not transform your utility room into a boot room? This space could feature some handy shoe storage as well as a place to store camping, sports or adventure equipment that might still be damp or muddy. This could also be home to your Dog’s food bowl which would keep odorous and messy food away from your kitchen. You could even consider including a built-in bench which would allow you a little comfort while you remove your muddy wellies after a wet and windy walk.
Or…
Perhaps you would prefer this area to house your clothes washing appliances, evolving your utility room into more of a luxury laundry area? If so, having access to the outside world from this room might create more continuity with your household tasks. Have you considered the possibility of raising your washing machine from the floor into a unit in order make your laundry less physically demanding and more convenient? You could also include a hanging rail between cabinets for shirts and store a laundry basket in a cupboard which would help create a true sense of purpose to the room.
Keep in mind the style and colouring of the cabinets and flooring so a sense of connection flows between the rooms. Different colours, themes and cabinet styles can still work if there is the correct kind of contrast between them.
SPACE & STORAGE
Factoring in space and storage into your dream utility room design is essential. This gives you to freedom to tailor the room appropriately to your specific lifestyle based on the area you have available to you.
During your planning stage, make sure you factor in what items will be stored in your utility room. Is this going to be for camping gear, miscellaneous items, laundry products or something else?
Think about the size of your room…
If a luxury laundry area appeals to you then full-height cupboards, broom housings and pull-out wicker baskets would be extremely useful to maximise space and create storage for your household items such as a mop, iron and ironing board. As previously mentioned, you could also consider an elevated unit to house a washing machine that can include a pull-out surface on which to place your laundry basket. Taking your freshly washed clothes out of the washing machine never felt easier on your back!
WORKING THE ROOM AROUND YOUR LIFESTYLE:
As well as your utility room having the potential to complement other rooms within your household, it can also act as a useful gateway between the outside world and the inside world. Speaking of which, if you love exploring the outdoors, have you considered the space needed to keep wet shoes and muddy Dogs away from your clean carpets? If you are no stranger to hosing down your furry companions or washing muddy sports trainers in the sink, then why not repurpose your utility room around these activities? The idea here is to create that transition zone between outside and inside, without staining carpets and ruining wallpaper. A giant sink would be perfect for this room as it could act as an accessible bathing place for your Dog in the winter and an ice cooler for your beverages in the summer! Moisture-resistant flooring is also an absolute must so it can be cleaned easily with a quick mop. We can’t promise that giving your Dog their weekly bath would suddenly become any easier, but we suspect the mess might stay contained to the utility room so you won’t have to worry about coming home to find muddy paw prints imprinted across your home!