- Utility Room
Utility Room Ideas and Designs
What do I need in my utility room?
Most utility rooms tend to be a small room just off the kitchen or hallway, so you are likely to be working with a compact space. Your main priority will involve planning utility room storage around your white goods. A utility room is usually intended primarily as a laundry room, so it makes sense to first install your plumbed items: the sink, washing machine and, if you have one, tumble dryer. If you run short of space and can’t afford to have a separate washer and dryer, then consider an integrated washer-dryer for your utility design. Built-in storage is a great idea in utility rooms to make best use of the available space, and you might want to also consider built in ironing boards, clothes airers and retractable washing lines. These items tend to be a bit cumbersome and are forever getting in the way, so designing special utility room storage for them or fixing them to a wall so they are easily folded away is an excellent space-saver and well worth the implementation. Free standing items such as laundry baskets and clothes hampers can be tucked neatly under specially designed worktops, and a selection of stacking plastic storage boxes, tins or wicker baskets can be used to help keep the room clutter free.
How do I decorate my utility room?
Decorating an utility room is the ultimate exercise in form meeting functionality. As it’s a room that, alas, invariably people spend a great deal of time in, you will want keep the utility room a calm and clean space. Utility room storage is essential for keeping this area tidy; attractively painted shelves and cupboards can be used to stow away all the bottles and boxes used for laundry and cleaning, as well as appliances such as vacuum cleaners and irons. An attractive country style utility design can be achieved by hanging bright or patterned curtains in front of wall mounted shelves – it will perk up the room and keep clutter hidden away. Floors should be hard-wearing and easy to clean (just think of those dirty boots traipsing in through the back door!) – to this end, stone, tile, laminate or vinyl flooring will be the most low-maintenance and durable. All in all, bear in mind that just because this is primarily a practical space doesn’t mean it needs to be dull – you can inject personality into your utility design in your choices of colour and decorative accessories. Consider quirky signage, blackboards for scribbling down shopping lists, and decorative bottles and boxes for stowing away household bits and bobs.
Do I need a sink in my utility room?
Utility room sinks are designed for those jobs that don’t quite belong in the kitchen – hand washing, dirty boots, watering indoor plants – and typically have a more industrial aesthetic than kitchen sinks. In fact, the iconic butler sink’s originally designated purpose was, as you might imagine, a sink for the butler, who was responsible for washing precious glassware and other items that required special attention and soaking. In case you’ve ever wondered, this is why butler sinks are so deep – for that matter, the only difference between butler sinks and Belfast sinks is the overflow built in to Belfast sinks which don’t feature in butler sinks. If the rustic charm of ceramic sinks appeal to you but your utility room would benefit a less substantial piece, French farmhouse sinks may be the perfect option; cast in French clay to produce a more refined finish, farmhouse sinks can be a thinner, more elegant alternative to their robust counterparts. As well as offering practicality, ceramic sinks make a beautiful statement centrepiece – utility rooms with a country or shabby chic feel will find the perfect complement to rustic wooden units with a butler or farmhouse sink. Smaller sinks are perfectly adequate if your utility room doesn’t demand as much from you, if you do the odd bit of rinsing instead of regularly being elbow-deep in heavy-duty washing. Stainless steel sinks are a practical choice that can withstand the bashing they will get in an utility room set up. Composite sinks are available in granite and quartz variations, both boasting superior durability and damage resistance; to boot, their smooth clean finish lends itself to an ultramodern style utility room.
If you’re still unsure on your utility design, take a look through the hundreds of photos for some utility room ideas from professional designers and other homeowners. You might find a design theme or some utility room storage ideas that will inspire you for your utility room makeover.
Whether you want inspiration for planning an utility room renovation or are building a designer utility room from scratch, Houzz has 80,342 images from the best designers, decorators, and architects in the country, including Robin Sprong Wallpaper and Natural Angle. Look through utility room photos in different colours and styles and when you find an utility room design that inspires you, save it to an Ideabook or contact the Pro who made it happen to see what kind of design ideas they have for your home. Explore the beautiful utility room ideas photo gallery and find out exactly why Houzz is the best experience for home renovation and design.
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Classic utility room in Manchester with a stacked washer and dryer.
Great idea for squeezing out storage - hungatelouisa
Chris Snook
This is an example of a contemporary utility room in London.
passage becomes boot and shoes store - webuser_848610016
Luna Cloud marble flooring.
Bespoke Nero Marquina marble border.
Materials supplied by Natural Angle including Marble, Limestone, Granite, Sandstone, Wood Flooring and Block Paving.
deVOL Kitchens
This is an example of a rustic utility room in Other.
White back board but like rest - cl1485
David Parmiter
Photo of a medium sized farmhouse utility room in Wiltshire with brown walls, wood worktops, white floors and beige worktops.
Like having baskets under the counter - webuser_187726292
Paul Riddle
This is an example of a modern utility room in London.
Interesting tilting window replaces a door. Or similar could be done with a door. - webuser_855741720
Photo: Chris Snook © 2014 Houzz
Country utility room in London.
Plant holders in kitchen window - rowlands_l
Design ideas for a contemporary utility room in London.
Like the idea of the door to the toilet. Really like the pub down airier like at Gran’s. Butler sink. - joanneenelson
After moving into their home three years ago, Mr and Mrs C left their kitchen to last as part of their home renovations. “We knew of Ream from the large showroom on the Gillingham Business Park and we had seen the Vans in our area.” says Mrs C. “We’ve moved twice already and each time our kitchen renovation has been questionable. We hoped we would be third time lucky? This time we opted for the whole kitchen renovation including the kitchen flooring, lighting and installation.”
The Ream showroom in Gillingham is bright and inviting. It is a large space, as it took us over one hour to browse round all the displays. Meeting Lara at the showroom before hand, helped to put our ideas of want we wanted with Lara’s design expertise. From the initial kitchen consultation, Lara then came to measure our existing kitchen. Lara, Ream’s Kitchen Designer, was able to design Mr and Mrs C’s kitchen which came to life on the 3D software Ream uses for kitchen design.
When it came to selecting the kitchen, Lara is an expert, she was thorough and an incredibly knowledgeable kitchen designer. We were never rushed in our decision; she listened to what we wanted. It was refreshing as our experience of other companies was not so pleasant. Ream has a very good range to choose from which brought our kitchen to life. The kitchen design had ingenious with clever storage ideas which ensured our kitchen was better organised. We were surprised with how much storage was possible especially as before I had only one drawer and a huge fridge freezer which reduced our worktop space.
The installation was quick too. The team were considerate of our needs and asked if they had permission to park on our driveway. There was no dust or mess to come back to each evening and the rubbish was all collected too. Within two weeks the kitchen was complete. Reams customer service was prompt and outstanding. When things did go wrong, Ream was quick to rectify and communicate with us what was going on. One was the delivery of three doors which were drilled wrong and the other was the extractor. Emma, Ream’s Project Coordinator apologised and updated us on what was happening through calls and emails.
“It’s the best kitchen we have ever had!” Mr & Mrs C say, we are so happy with it.
Draw between washer and dryer for detergents - fionass
Design ideas for a traditional l-shaped utility room in Berkshire with a submerged sink, shaker cabinets, grey cabinets, white walls, a side by side washer and dryer, beige floors and white worktops.
like.top.of cupboard - j_may1
This is an example of a large classic utility room in Hampshire.
Utility/boot room - in my dreams!! love the bench (doubling up as clean washing sorting area) and storage and massive mirror - webuser_804111030
Whether it’s used as a laundry, cloakroom, stashing sports gear or for extra storage space a utility and boot room will help keep your kitchen clutter-free and ensure everything in your busy household is streamlined and organised!
Our head designer worked very closely with the clients on this project to create a utility and boot room that worked for all the family needs and made sure there was a place for everything. Masses of smart storage!
having the drying rack over the work surface means that clothes wont end up hanging down in the middle of the room! - lil219
This is an example of a contemporary utility room in London.
This is an example of a rustic utility room in Other.
Utility room and back stairs storage - julflem12
New butlers pantry.
Photo of a farmhouse utility room in Other.
Inspiration for a classic laundry cupboard in London.
Washing machine incorporated into dressing room - annailett2
Our crazy banana camo leaves have turned out to be one of our best sellers! They are incredibly versatile and can change the look and feel of a room, pending on the colour choice you make for the leaves. This design warms your house up in winter, while making it feel like a tropical getaway in summer.
Marek Sikora
Medium sized contemporary single-wall separated utility room in London with white cabinets, white walls, a side by side washer and dryer, flat-panel cabinets and multi-coloured floors.
Would be nice to have a laundry room like this one - alex_baker91