Did you know the work ‘utility’ means ‘usefulness’ and what better way to create an oasis of calm and order in your home than having a whole room devoted to such a purpose?
The rise of the open plan kitchen/living arrangement has also increased the need for a utility room. Washing machines and tumble dryers can be very noisy not conducive to a relaxing evening. Another huge advantage of a separate utility room means that the kitchen can be kept clear of clutter.
A well-planned utility room can also double as a ‘plant’ room, for example housing the boiler, fuse board, water meters, gas meters to name a few, as well as storage of additional cleaning products, spare kitchen rolls, pet food etc.
If it is near the back door an area for boots, bags and coats can stop these being strewn all over your living areas.
A large utilitarian sink can be a bonus when hand washing cleaning muddy football boots or even a furry member of the family.
The addition of tall storage can be useful as a broom cupboard and a combination of units with shelving storage can be invaluable for more bulky items such as recycling. Often the height of your room can be an area utilised with hanging racks for storage or clothes dryers.
If the utility is off the kitchen we would usually recommend continuing the colour scheme of the kitchen through into the utility but by sometimes chose more cost-effective products, for example a matching laminate worktop to complement the kitchen granite, or free standing appliances leaving the integrated ones for the kitchen, and possibly lower specification doors for these units. The flooring needs to be as good quality as your kitchen and always looks better if this is continued through.
If the utility cannot be next to the kitchen think creatively with your space; could you section an area off, eg a hallway with a sliding wall to conceal appliances and storage. A fantastic idea if your utility area is just for laundry is to site it upstairs, makes total sense as after all where does your dirty washing accumulate and where do you put your clean washing away?