For a utility room to be considered ideal, it should be based on the qualities of the residence owner. For example, a utility room can act as a place to store boots that are unclean, a coat hanging area or a place to store pet baskets for property owners who favour the outdoors. For big families, a utility room can be used as a place to store extra pans and pots, an extra fridge or a place to install an extra sink. However, for most people utility rooms are used as a means of freeing storage space. For example, they are used as a storage space for bulky laundry appliances.
If utility rooms are planned and designed carefully, during construction, they can make life in the house easier and more convenient. You can also plan and design to a person own aesthetic, for instance, ingraining your own custom made glass splashback. According to Dom Roberts of The Touch Design Group, a utility space that is well designed can make the performance of daily chores more efficient. Chores can even become pleasurable if the utility space is properly designed. He further expounds that the construction of a utility space should focus on the creation of an aesthetically appealing work space that where any desired tasks can be performed effectively.
In order to design the best utility space follow some of the top tips we have laid out below.
Things to Consider When Creating Your Utility Space
Consider the Uses of the Utility Room
You should consider how the utility space would be used. For example, if you want to use it as a pantry for storing food, it should be easily accessible from the kitchen. This way, you can reach your cooking supplies with ease. If you are seeking to house laundry appliances, you will obviously need a room with a door that connects to the outside for ease in hanging clothes. When creating a utility room, you should design the space based on the existing room plan.
Ensure You Make the Most of the Available Space
When creating a utility room, you do not necessarily have to extend your property. Instead, you can find out if you can cordon off some parts of your property such as the kitchen through the addition of a doorway or a partition. However, when partitioning rooms such as the kitchen to create space for a utility room, you should be careful so as not to cordon off too much space as this can lower the value of your property.
If you want a utility room, you can also consider using some other space such as an adjacent garage. Depending on the size of the rarely used space, you can either partition the room to cater for multiple uses. If it is used on very rare occasions, the available space can be designed to act as a spacious utility room.
Which Is the Best Location for a Utility Room?
According to our opinion, utility rooms are best built on the ground floor of a residence. However, the ideal location usually depends on the desired use of the room. For example, Lisa Melvin of Lisa Melvin Design advises that a utility room that is to be used for laundry and ironing purposes be constructed upstairs near where the bedrooms are located. This can make the cleaning of garments and their redistribution later easier in a residence.
If you are going to build your utility room upstairs, you should however, ensure that you have a boot room located downstairs. This can act as storage for muddy shoes and wet coats. In a downstairs boot room, Lisa Melvin advises that one also add a small shower. You can clean up in the shower and clean muddy pets, boots, or any other gear before moving it inside your house.
What Can You Do If There Is No Space for a Utility Room?
If you are living in a crammed space, you can choose to keep a utility cupboard within the kitchen. However, this means that you can only do one job at once. For example, you cannot cook and clean at the same time. In a residence where there is scarcity of space, a utility cupboard can also be installed in spaces that are rarely used such as below the staircase. However, the area chosen should have electricity, water, and access to the drainage system.
You can also choose to create a utility space in the existing rooms of the house. For example, Europeans frequently install laundry machines in bathrooms. Lisa Melvin has her laundry equipment in the guest room and this has worked quite well for her.
Ensure That You Plan Your Utility Space Well
It is important to consider storage when planning a utility space. You should consider the items that you will store in the available space. Are you going to store food, utensils, or laundry products?
In order to maximise the availability of space in the storage area, you should install full-height cupboards in the utility room. This way, you can store tall items such as broom, mops, and boards. You should also include a lot of drawers in order to organise your space. According to Tony, a designer who has installed the design described above for multiple clients, organisation increases neatness and makes it easier to find supplies when they are needed.
Steve suggests that if a utility space will be used to access the outdoors, during planning there should be space accommodation for a place where shoes and coats can be stored. You can even choose to install a bench to rest on as you are removing your shoes or boots.