Utility Room with Shaker Cabinets and Cork Flooring Ideas and Designs

Christina Wedge Photography
Inspiration for a classic l-shaped separated utility room in Other with a belfast sink, shaker cabinets, white cabinets, a side by side washer and dryer, cork flooring and black worktops.

Aging in Place, Gracefully:

Princeton Design Collaborative

Former Kitchen was converted to new Laundry / Mud room, removing the need for the client to travel to basement for laundry. Bench is perfect place to put shoes on with storage drawer below Photography by: Jeffrey E Tryon

Ballard Home Remodel

Potter Construction Inc

Dale Lang NW Architectural Photography
Photo of a small traditional galley separated utility room in Seattle with shaker cabinets, light wood cabinets, cork flooring, a stacked washer and dryer, engineered stone countertops, brown floors, beige walls and white worktops.

Paliswood Drive

Brad-Mar Homes

Photo of a large galley utility room in Calgary with an utility sink, shaker cabinets, white cabinets, laminate countertops, beige walls, cork flooring and a side by side washer and dryer.

Laundry Room

Richwood LTD

This is an example of a large rural separated utility room in Baltimore with shaker cabinets, blue cabinets, white walls, cork flooring and a side by side washer and dryer.

Laundry

Stark Mountain Woodworking

Vermont maple laundry room
Photo of a contemporary single-wall separated utility room in Burlington with a single-bowl sink, shaker cabinets, light wood cabinets, wood worktops, beige walls, cork flooring and a side by side washer and dryer.

Clean laundry room

Studio NOO Design

This is an example of a medium sized traditional galley separated utility room in Montreal with shaker cabinets, beige cabinets, engineered stone countertops, a side by side washer and dryer, a submerged sink, beige walls and cork flooring.

Laundry Room

Residential Interiors

Shelving in the alcove, wall cabinet and under sink cabinet provides accessible hidden storage.
Design ideas for a small traditional single-wall separated utility room in Ottawa with a built-in sink, shaker cabinets, beige cabinets, laminate countertops, beige walls, cork flooring and a side by side washer and dryer.

Ballard Home Remodel

Potter Construction Inc

Dale Lang NW Architectural Photography
Design ideas for a medium sized traditional galley separated utility room in Seattle with shaker cabinets, light wood cabinets, cork flooring, engineered stone countertops, a stacked washer and dryer, a built-in sink, brown floors, grey walls and white worktops.

Clean LAUNDRY ROOM

Studio NOO Design

Medium sized classic galley separated utility room in Montreal with shaker cabinets, beige cabinets, engineered stone countertops, a side by side washer and dryer, a submerged sink, beige walls and cork flooring.

Paliswood Drive

Brad-Mar Homes

Design ideas for a large galley utility room in Calgary with an utility sink, shaker cabinets, white cabinets, laminate countertops, beige walls, cork flooring and a side by side washer and dryer.

Laundry Room

Residential Interiors

The space was essentially a mud room at the home’s back entry which over the years had been converted to a laundry area and small powder room. A recent renovation of the adjacent kitchen dictated that the flooring for this area would be the same cork, and as the powder room could be seen from the kitchen and dining area, it was important that the colour scheme flow cohesively from the family area. Counter space was maximized by placing the work surface in front of the window on the widest wall (82“) and increasing the counter depth to 30”. Shelving in the alcove, wall cabinet and under sink cabinet provides accessible hidden storage.

Laundry Room

Residential Interiors

Counter space was maximized by placing the work surface in front of the window on the widest wall (82“) and increasing the counter depth to 30”. Shelving in the alcove, wall cabinet and under sink cabinet provides accessible hidden storage.

Utility Room with Shaker Cabinets and Cork Flooring Ideas and Designs

A well designed utility room can rise to become one of our favourite rooms in the house, boasting the accolade of existing solely to make our lives easier. Few of us are fans of chores such as washing, cleaning and ironing, but with a high-spec, well put together utility design they could be a breeze. For this reason, it makes sense to design an utility room to be as functional as possible, the very model of “everything in its place”, with carefully thought out utility room storage. That, however, doesn’t have to mean it can’t look nice – even super-utilitarian appliances like a washing machine, tumble dryer, laundry basket and recycling bin can be dressed up by their surroundings and made to look great as part of your utility design.

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.

United Kingdom

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