Here’s how to make your utility space work with 10 tips for clever storage and an ideal laundry set-up.
1. Plan plenty of cabinetry
With Crittall-style doors and an on-trend colour palette, you can create a visual extension to your kitchen you won’t want to hide. It can offer extra workspace, storage and washing facilities. Why not add a traditional pulley clothes airer? It lends itself to this country look.
2. Convert some of the garage
Transform a single wall in an outbuilding or garage into your washing area. A simple look is a practical solution, so choose solid wood furniture and hard- wearing metal and wicker for functional pieces that also look beautiful. Include a Shaker style peg rail to hang everyday essentials, like a dustpan and brush.
3. Make a home for your pet
This is a decent spot to store an animal’s food and accessories and a cosy place for your pet to sleep. Mask off an area underneath a worktop with a cafe-style curtain threaded onto a curtain wire. Free-standing units allow you to mix and match them however you like.
4. Think about the decoration
Consider a colour palette for your utility space: paper the walls and install lighting. Keep the scheme neutral if you want to work in patterned wallpaper, and add shelves in the rest of the space to keep it practical. If you have a dog, save your bathroom from mud with a built-in wash station finished with matching tiles.
5. Create a ‘bootility’
A utility room also provides plenty of storage for wellies, coats, umbrellas and laundry. Plan it with practical storage solutions in mind – you’ll want lots of shelving, coat hooks and integrated appliances. Incorporate a handy seating area to perch on while pulling your boots on and off. Also, consider underfloor heating to help dry outerwear when you come in from the rain.
6. Invest in inky tones
You needn’t shy away from dark shades, even in small rooms – this navy-blue utility room feels elegant and airy. Team it with a marble worktop and punctuate it with gold accents for extra sophistication. Finish by fitting a rail under a cupboard to provide somewhere to hang clothes to air or store recently ironed garments.
7. Find a place for everything
If you can’t find anywhere on the ground floor of your home for a laundry area, why not consider partitioning a section of the family bathroom? Design part of it to store and organise your cleaning and laundry essentials within a built-in, bespoke cabinet with a sink. Try tracking down second-hand furniture, then paint it in a cheery scheme to complement your decor. Ensure it has plenty of storage to keep everything neatly tidied away. Add task lighting with warm wall lights for a chic finishing touch.
8. Build on a budget
Adding a utility area to your home doesn’t need to cost a fortune. It’s easy to repurpose old cabinets by painting them with specialised paint and replacing the handles. A second-hand butler sink is perfect for soaking stained clothes or rinsing muddy sports kits. Look for wooden worktop offcuts and replace pricey wall units with budget shelving.
9. Maximise your small spaces
Your utility can still be stylish even if it’s compact. Include must-haves like a washing machine, tumble dryer and sink with storage underneath. Then, look to the walls for extra storage. Label everything well and add a peg rail to keep things handy.
10. Go for green
Embrace an immersive colour scheme by selecting a deep olive- green paint shade for the walls and cabinets – even the floor, if you like. Colour-drenching can make small rooms feel larger.
All images & copy extracted from Woman&HomeSA May 2024 print issue.
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