We are used to giving our kitchens the top spot of the hardest working room in the house, but over the past year we have seen the humble utility room take on more of a multi-function role. “Maybe it was lockdown all along that made us look differently at the way we use our homes, but it has become clear that the utility room is coming into its own. Not simply a place where you leave your coat and maybe do some washing.”
Working from home has meant that what were once open plan spaces have become partitioned off or repurposed. If the shed gets turned into a ‘Shoffice’, what happens to all those bits and bobs? Some may end up in a garage, but we are seeing the utility room getting repurposed for hobbies and other pursuits. More often that not where we put in a new kitchen the utility room is much more part of the thinking of how the new spaces will work. Combining the traditional washing and drying machines with dog wash down areas, boot room benches with clever storage options, even somewhere to pot up plants are all part of this emerging picture.
“The wonderful thing about a utility room is that it has no absolute fixed function, so all rules are off” Clients are often braver with the utility room decor that they may be in other rooms. Practical paint finishes to ensure a robust and wipe-clean finish and often we will match elements from the kitchen such as matching the worktop or style of sinks – We are often asked to make some custom furniture or smart storage in a matching style to the kitchen to give some continuity and flow to the designs. So if 2020 was the year we discovered new areas for workspaces, maybe 2021 will be the year we see the utility room become less of a dumping ground and more of a springboard for new ideas as well as a practical area for hobbies.
The unlikely star of our new way of living and working could well be the second smallest room in the house.
If you are considering remodelling your kitchen, utility or boot-room, we have lots of ideas in our brochures as well as the galleries for ideas. Get in touch with us for more information
